How to Play and Land Your Fish (part Two – Setting the Hook)

Now, you really can’t hope to land any sort of decent fish unless you’ve set the hook properly. As a general rule, it’s better to wait a little rather than set the hook too soon.

When you are ready to set the hook, bring in all the slack line, bring the rod tip down and point towards the fish, or where you think it’s likely to be if you can’t actually see. Bring the rod up sharply, and the chances are that you’ve hooked your fish.

Of course, that’s neccesarily a very simple, basic description. Setting the hook consistently does require a certain knack, which comes only with experience and practice. Some species, those that grab your lure and run, are easy to hook, almost to the point of self-hooking. Others, which suck and nibble, can be a problem.

Catfish for example will have a few chews, then swallow your bait down. Carp, and other “sucking” species hold the bait gently between their lips, and they should be allowed plenty of time to suck it in before you tighten the line and bring in your fish. Perch, bluegills, sunfish, and other panfish will bite nervously at the bait. These nibblers require lots of patience and self-control.

Many anglers just can’t wait, and as soon as they feel a few light “pecks” or “knocks” strike back. This simply jerks the hook away from the fish, and loses your bait. It’s nuch better to wait till you feel a strong tug, or feel the fish move away with your bait. Then a sharp lift of the rod will often set the hook. You will learn from experience when the tugs are strong enough for you to strike.

The larger the fish, and the larger the hook, the stronger the yank needed. And to confuse matters slightly, speed in striking back can sometimes be essential. For example, if you’re fishing surface lures, you should strike as soon as the fish hits the lure. Waiting even a fraction of a second could lose you the fish. Often these fish will hook themselves, but the added pull from you will set the hook firmly. Even when trolling, when we are expecting the fish to hook itself, it’s wise to give the rod a good firm yank.

Water conditions can often determine the timing of setting a hook. For instance, in swiftly moving water, the trout doesn’t have much time to decide wether or not to take a dry fly. When he does decide to take it, he does it with a rush, often hooking himself in the process. In still water there is much more time for him to look at what you are offering and take it slow. In these conditions trout will rarely hook themdelves, and you must strike quickly to set the hook.

When small wet flies are used, the line friction alone is often enough to hook the fish. In nymph-fishing downstream, raising the rod tip smartly will generally be all that’s required at the moment the hit is felt.

Some fish are slow, deliberate hitters, so your strike should be delayed. For example, when an atlantic salmon takes a dry fly, let him turn after the rise, and he’ll hook himself when the line tightens.

Finally, to hook a fish, your barb must penetrate the fish’s mouth, and for this reason it must be sharp. A good angler will test his hooks for sharpness before use. He will keep a small whetstone in his tackle box to hone his hooks as needed. And if that’s too much trouble, hooks are cheap. Never use old, worn, blunt hooks. For the sake of a few cents you could lose “the big one.”

Chris Haycock is an information publisher. One of whose many hobbies is fishing, of all types. Also researching resources to help the angler. For details of one such amazing resource go to:
http://www.lostflyfishingsecrets.com

Colorful Koi Carp

From their humble beginnings as fish food for Chinese rice farmers, these colorful Koi carp were brought to Japan in the 17th century, not only to be cultivated for cheap nutritious food for their own rice farmers, but also for their aesthetic appeal.

The colorful Koi carp are the domesticated varieties of the common carp. In fact, the word Koi comes from the Japanese word meaning “carp” which was where they were bred for the first time around the 1820’s.

Now Koi are considered to be one of the most popular fresh-water pond fish,, and can be found gracing the waters of millions of outdoor ponds all over the world.

They are not only loved for their variety of colors but also for the longevity of their lives.  The longest living Koi ever recorded in history died at the rip old age of two hundred twenty-six.

Koi come in a huge variety of patterns and colors including, red, orange, yellow, black, white, silver or even blue or green. There are potentially thousands of different types of Koi, with about 20 different popular versions. Koi are popular because of their beautiful colors and designs.

Although Koi is simply a carp, modern specimens are products of selective breeding over many generations.  Outside elements such as the environment that they live in and the diet they eat can also affect the color of Koi.

It is easy to understand the patience and skill it took for the first Japanese breeders to develop such a magnificent fish.

Koi are extremely social with other breeds of fish as long as they are not small enough to be eaten by these opportunistic

feeders.  In a smaller pond Koi may seem to school together, but in larger areas they tend to split up into small groups.

Most fish owners understand that most fish will only grow to the size of their enclosure. However, because Koi can grow to be a large fish, they require and thrive in ponds that are about five hundred gallons or more.  

It is important to keep the number of fish in a pond relative to the amount of water that the pond holds.  The depth and size of the pond is extremely important.

A pond that contains a depth of at least four feet provides enough room for the colorful Koi to thrive.  The health of the fish depends a lot upon the amount of space that Koi fish owners provide their fish with.

Koi can be kept outside in the winter. As the winter temperatures begin to drop, the colorful Koi fish will begin their winter hibernation, and their digestive systems will slow almost to a halt.

However, undigested food in their stomachs can grow rancid and could cause the fish to become sick.  Because of this, Koi should not be feed in weather less the fifty degrees Fahrenheit.

Outdoor ponds can be relaxing when the sounds of the rippling water flows through the yard but, no pond is complete without a gorgeous ornamental fish like the Colorful Koi  

Many Koi owners consider themselves lucky to be able to have these fish touch their lives and brighten up their worlds.

Don Miller has been breeding Koi for over 25 years. If you found the article on Koi Care of interest, you will also find further information and articles at the Koi Guide website
http://www.go-to1.com/koi