Tag Archives: Fish Species

Fish Bait Recipes – How to Mix Your Own Bait

Cured Salmon Eggs

If you are fishing for large game fish, cured salmon eggs are the ideal bait. Largemouth bass, muskellunge, salmon, and other large fish species love them.

Here’s how to cure salmon eggs to use as bait:

1. Withdraw the eggs from a salmon you are cleaning, keeping the egg sacs intact.

2. Cover a large, flat,moveable surface with 1/4 inch of borax.

3. Cut the egg sacs across the membrane in slits of 3 to 4 inches.

4. Lay the egg sac sections 1 inch apart on top of the borax.

5. Scatter more borax over the top to produce a light coating.

6. Be sure all egg sacs are covered.

7. Move the large mobile surface that the eggs are on to a protected area with good circulation all around.

8. The eggs must not be in direct sunlight and cannot get moist.

9. Allow the sacs to dry for 2 to 3 days, turning them every 12 hours.

10. Pick the egg sacs out of the borax and shake off any excess.

11. Place them in plastic bags or storage containers.

The egg sacs are ready to use when they are completely dry and leatherlike, but pliable. If properly cured, they can be kept in their containers until your next fishing trip.

 

Cheese Bait

Cheese bait can be utilized to catch catfish, chub, and carp. In fact, carp especially love cheese bait. So if you’re seeking to catch any of these species or a huge carp that’s been hanging around your fishing hole, here’s how to construct your own cheese bait:

1. Use 10 ounces of pie pastry and roll it flat on a chopping board or counter top.

2. Smear the pastry with aged cheddar flavor.

3. Add 6 ounces of grated cured cheddar cheese and 4 ounces of Danish blue cheese, crumbled to fine grains.

4. Fold the pastry over the cheese, so it is entirely covered and roll out.

5. Repeat this process until the pie pastry and the cheese are thoroughly mixed and the cheese is absorbed by the pastry.

6. Form the paste into a big ball and knead by hand.

7. Add 10 drops of the mature cheddar flavoring to a freezer bag and place the cheese paste ball into the bag.

8. Place the bag into the freezer.

When thawed, this bait has an appealing consistency and texture, and a very powerful odor. Roll the thawed paste into small balls and place them into a container for your next excursion.

When you place a cheese ball onto your hook, adjust the hook’s point into the center, cast and wait patiently for the fish to bite. Your wait should be short and the catch satisfying.

Check out the free fishing articles at Fishing Gear or Fishing for Fun.


Copyright 2008 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

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Fishing the Great Lakes

Fishing the Great Lakes:

Together the Great Lakes contain the biggest mass amount of freshwater in the world. These lakes lie between the United States and Canada. They are home to many different fish species. Some of the most common inhabitants of the Great Lakes are the various species of Trout, Salmon, Perch, and Bass. However, each lake is known for its own popular fish species.

For over 100 years these lakes have housed the world’s largest freshwater fisheries, containing both native and introduced species. Commercial fishing has declined in the past 100 years, but still relies heavily of the fish of the Great Lakes. On each lake there are fishing charters that go out of the many ports each day.

Lake Michigan:

The waters of Lake Michigan vary according to the area. The northern part of the lake is colder and less developed than the other lakes. Around Chicago and Milwaukee, the lake temperatures are warmer and the area is heavily developed. Lake Michigan offers nearly 100 different species of fish, the most popular being Salmon and Steelhead. Other fish located here are Alewife, Bowfin, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Bloater, White Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Chinook Salmon, Lake Herring, Coho Salmon, Northern Pike, and White and Yellow Perch. Some of the ports and marinas of Lake Michigan are; Port Sheldon, Benton Harbor, Chicago, Winthrop Harbor, Frankfurt, Aradia, and Grand Haven.

Lake Huron:

The second largest of the Great Lakes, Lake Huron is located on the US-Canada border. A popular port on Lake Huron is Port Austin, where the Trout fishing is said to be the best in the world. There are also many other freshwater fish such as; Bass, Whitefish, Salmon, Steelhead, Walleye, Perch and Brown Trout. Lake Huron also has underwater ledges and deep water reefs that are bursting with fish. Ports and marinas located on Lake Huron are; Port Elgin, Port Huron, Port Austin, Port Franks, Grand Bend, and Saginaw Bay.

Lake Superior:

Lake Superior is the largest of all of the Great Lakes, and has the most surface area of any lake in the world. This lake holds enough water to submerge both North and South America under 1 foot of water. It is the coldest and deepest, reaching over 1,300 ft in depth. With most of the land surrounding still left as forest, it is not heavily populated. There are more than 60 different fish species located in Lake Superior. Some of these species include; Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Bloater, Carp, Chinook Salmon, Lake Herring, Coho Salmon, Lake Sturgeon, Lake Trout, Lake Whitefish, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Rainbow Smelt, Ruffe, Round Whitefish, Smallmouth Bass, and White and Yellow Perch. Some of the marinas and ports located on Lake Superior are; Port Wing, Duluth Seaway Port, Twin Ports, St. Louis Bay, and Presque Isle Marina.

Lake Erie:

Lake Erie produces the most fish of all of the Great Lakes, and is the second smallest. The most prized game fish of this lake is the Chinook Salmon, also known as the “King Salmon”, recording up to 47” and 44lbs. Lake Erie also houses Yellow Perch, Coho Salmon, Brown Trout, Carp, Lake Herring, Lake Trout, Lake Whitefish, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Walleye, and Yellow and White Perch. It is said that there are Jumbo Perch now in Lake Ontario. Some of the popular marinas and ports of Lake Erie are; Port Clinton, Port Stanley, Port of Monroe, and Port of Erie.

Lake Ontario:

Lake Ontario, best known for its salmon and trout fishing, is located between Upstate New York and Canada. There are several different species located in this lake; Atlantic Salmon, Carp, Brown Trout, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Lake Herring, Lake Trout, Lake Whitefish, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, and White and Yellow Perch. This lake holds many species that are unique to the area and not found in the other Great Lakes. These species include; Atlantic Salmon, American Eel, Bullheads, and Sunfish. The actual fishing season starts as soon as the ice melts. Most of the fishing in the spring takes place near the shore where the waters are warmer. The best trout fishing is in April, May and June. Once July hits, it is time to fish for Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, and steelhead. These are located farther into the lake. There are numerous fishing charters at the local Lake Ontario ports. Kingston, Little Sodus Bay, Niagara River, Oswego, Sackets Harbor and Port Dalhousie and a few of the ports surrounding Lake Ontario.

For the competitive angler; there are many fishing tournaments scheduled year round on the Great Lakes. Most occur during the spring, summer and fall months because of the ice on the lakes and the frigid temperatures in the winter. Once you have reeled in your prize winning fish, SellUrBoat.com offers helpful tips to clean and preserve your catch.

Kristy Bateman is the writer for Earl’s Blog on SellUrBoat.com.. These articles are unique and helpful to anyone interested in learning about boating and or fishing. Please visit SellUrBoat.com to view a variety of unique articles from Kristy. SellUrBoat.com is The Simplest Solution to Buying and Selling ‘Ur’ Boat.

A One-Stop Guide to Fun and Exciting Fly Fishing

Fly fishing has been used for more than ages already. It is a unique and distinct way of catching trout and salmon. It the most known way of catching fishes and have been used also to catch a new variety of fish species like the spike, bass, pan fish, carp and a lot others as well as marine fishes like the snook and tarpon.

There are a growing percentage of anglers whose main agenda and goal is to catch many different species as possible. Many also accounted that they can catch other species other than their main target like Rudd and bream.

Fly fishing can be done in both salt water and fresh water. The latter can be divided by temperatures of the water. Coldwater fishes include steelhead and salmon, while the cool water fishes include pike and walleye and lastly, the warm water have the bass, catfish and chub. The bass oftentimes the real adventure of most anglers, they are the best type of fish especially in summer where your setting is the dirtiest of the pond.

The technique in fly fishing is that you use artificial flies and a fly rod and a line. The fly line which is most often coated with plastic nowadays is heavy that it can send the fly to the target. The fly line differs so much in spinner and bait rods which they use weight on the line to cast the bait and do other things.

Flies used in fly fishing can be made from different things like fur, feathers, hair and or other materials which can be synthetic or natural. You hook this artificial fly onto the hook with a thread. Synthetic materials are more used commonly these days unlike before where they used natural fly more often.

The flies are tied depending on their sizes and colors and you could make patterns to camouflaged and mimic the marine and aquatic environment, you should make them resemble natural bait for the species of your target.

Fly fishing uses a different method; it uses the technique of casting line than luring the bait. Other methods depend on the lure’s weight to pull the line when you do the forward motion of casting. The bait in fly fishing is too light to be casted in that way, so the secret is the casting the line properly.

Forward cast is the most used method of casting, although a lot of method can be used depending on the conditions you are in. you should be able to do the forward cast correctly to be able to get the fly to your desirable distance.

By drooping the fly onto the water and have it move subsequently on the water is the most difficult aspect of fly fishing. You have to cast the fly as naturally as possible so the fish can think and perceive it more as a natural prey.

So if you want to engage in fly fishing, there are a lot of things to learn. But is actually one great hobby for you. It is one way to do recreational things and yes-taste your award-cook that salmon fresh!

Fly fishing is a great sport everyone can enjoy! Check out more about fly fishing here!

Fishing ? A Beginners Glossary Part 1

The basic concept of fishing is fairly basic and self explanatory. Fishing is the act of catching fish. Or my particular favourite dictionary definition for fishing is, “the diversion of catching fish!”  I am not sure whether they mean a diversion for the angler from their regular day to day life or the act of diverting the fish onto the hook or into a net! 

As with any transaction there are usually two parties involved. In this case we have the fisherman or fisherwoman as the “fish-er” and the fish, would logically, to me at least, be the “fish-ee”.

What about some of the terms we hear regarding fishing though? To the uninitiated it can sound like a load of old trout!

Ok here is a really easy one to kick off with:

1. Fish type/species followed by the word “fishing”- For example, carp, bass or trout and the word fishing, e.g. carp fishing. This really is as simple as it sounds. Fishing for a particular species of fish which in this case is carp.

2. Fishing Tackle – This is not some illegal challenge in football or soccer but in fact the equipment that is used for fishing. There is a large variety of fishing tackle available and much of it can be specialised, e.g. carp fishing tackle. Yes you guessed it, the fishing tackle used to try and catch carp.

3. Coarse Fishing This is not fishing on a golf course (notice the subtle spelling difference) or any kind of course for that matter. It is in fact the name given to fishing (usually in the United Kingdom) for freshwater fish that are not considered game fish which are trout, salmon and char. Once again, carp is a common target for coarse fishers.

4. Fly Fishing – Fishing whilst flying would be really difficult and probably very dangerous, so that’s not what this is. Fly fishing is actually fishing with a very special kind of bait, an artificial fly. Yes a fake fly! The fishers use all kinds of fake fly, different sizes, different colours and the aim is to lure the fish with this unique bait.

5. Fishing Bait – Theoretically you could fish without much of the modern fishing tackle as I am sure they did in ages past, with just a sharp spear and an even sharper aim! However, whoever first came up with the idea of luring the fish with some kind of bait was clearly a genius. Fishing is now much easier than it ever was, with all kinds of bait available for all kinds of different fish and different fishing conditions.

This concludes part one of our “Beginners Fishing Glossary”. Tune in soon for part 2, when we will have a look at Sea Fishing, Bass Fishing and perhaps even the legend that is J R Hartley.

If this has whetted your appetite for fishing then please feel free to visit the North West Angling Centre, a massive fishing superstore at www.nwac.co.uk stocking huge amounts of fishing tackle including carp fishing tackle.

Fishing Tips – How To Become An Expert Fisher

Looking for the target fish first is needed before attempting to catch fishes. Keep in mind that fishes stays at the water where there is enough cover, oxygen and food. Be certain to stay at a close distance to this area and you can certainly catch fish there, only you have to pay patience in finding them.

Fishes living there ranges in wide variety. That is why, they do not live in same areas in the water. Different fishes adapt to different conditions of environment. Different fishes can tolerate different salt levels, oxygen amount, food amounts and types, temperature of the water and areas for hiding. Salt is the element that distinguishes most of the fish. Fish used the element of salt to survive. However, there are fishes that cannot survive in areas with lots of salt but there are also fish species that can live in both fresh water and salt water.

Compared to ocean, rivers, reservoirs and freshwater ponds have lesser salt. Majority of the water in North America are bodies of freshwater. In this kind of water, fishes are mostly carp, crappie, bass, catfish and bluegrip. However, many fish species live in the salty water portion of the ocean. This can be attributed to their kidneys. Because of the kidneys of the fish, they are provided with the ability to retain an appropriate balance of salt in their body. Flounder, sea trout, cod and bluefish are some of the more common fishes that can be found in saltwater.

Oxygen is another factor for looking at a perfect spot for fishing. The level of oxygen is important for the fishes to survive. There are some fish that can survive in less oxygen. This is exemplified by the carp species, unlike the trout, which needs sufficient level of oxygen. The presence of living plants in the stream or lake has a significant effect on the oxygen level in the water. These plants increase the oxygen of the water by the process of photosynthesis. This is a process that makes food by the use of sunlight. Oxygen also goes to the water from the air above the water surface.

Specific fish species are found in water depending on food types available in the area. Different areas provide various food types and amount. Since all the fish must eat, there is a big competition among the fishes. And this issue is another important factor that distinguish which species of fish are present in certain area in the water.

Water temperature is another factor. Different fishes tolerate different temperature of water. There are fishes, which are flexible. They are able to live in different ranges in temperature. On the other hand, there are also fishes that need either warm or cold water to live. This can be exemplified with the trout. Trout can only live in cold water. To easily find the certain type of fish, one tip is to know and learn the different water temperature preferences of different fish species. Through this, one will not get difficulty locating the preferred fish types.

As human, we have the ability to control one of the factors when talking about where the fishes live. This is the water quality which is the most common determinants of the specific place to find the fishes. We have the ability to retain high water quality level. Just keep in mind that sufficient oxygen level is very important to let the fish survive. Clean and pollution-free water is another very important factor, but this is actually not enough. There are still some fish species that do not just need clean water. Carp for one can live in not-so-very-clean water. Therefore cleanliness is not enough, high quality of water is the most important factor for the fishes to survive.

Knowing the specific places where to find the target fishes is important for successful fishing. There are several factors that affect the place where fishes most often stay. These are salt level, oxygen level and water temperature. Fishes are all different and have different needs too. That is why, knowing about these different factors to find the area in the water where they live is important for anglers like you.

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