Tag Archives: Fishing

Crappie Fishing Basic Gear

There are some bare essentials that every crappie fisher needs: pole, reel (although truly optional I think you will want one), fishing line and a hook. I hope those are somewhat obvious but let us look at the basics first. Crappie poles are generally long, slender poles reaching lengths of 18 feet or longer. I do not recommend a super long pole for someone that is just getting started or not ready for them. Longer poles have their advantages such as reaching into tight areas and also extending your reach from a central point. This is an advantage when employing a technique called spider fishing, using varying length poles you can create a blanket of hooks, often in a semi-circular pattern.


Longer, and often more slender, poles provide amplified sensitivity as well. Most crappie specific poles would be poor poles for catching catfish or large carp. When choosing a pole consider your application such as how are you planning on casting. Long poles work for just dropping a line in the water but slightly shorter poles will help you when bait casting.


If you have a good idea of what you want for a pole you will now need a reel. There are as many reels to chose from as there are crappies, not really but almost. There are three main components of a reel those are a barrel, crank and a guide or eye. There are two types of spinning reels, an open face and closed, these are easily distinguished. If you can see where the line is stored it is open faced if you cannot it is closed faced. Both types also vary greatly in operation, one you must flip the bail back while holding the line and the other uses a simple push button on the back of the reel which is loosely egg shaped. I like the first one because you can see what is happening with your line and the general feel is better. The later is very popular with kids and the very casual fisher.


There are two more types of reels, a bait caster and the fly reel. The later is not extremely popular with crappie fishers but should not be excluded especially in the spring where fly fishing can be a great weapon in your armory. The first reel has been around in some form for hundreds of years and is very popular with bass fishers and for good reason. Theses reels are easy to recognize as they are the only ones where the axis of the barrel, the part that holds the line, is perpendicular to the pole where all others are parallel to the pole like a spinning reel.


Of course there is an exception with the fly reel but the size of the barrel often gives it away. The bait casting reel gives the user the greatest control over the feed of the line and is also one of the most difficult to master. Simple answer for this is pick a reel you can use and become familiar with all of its various adjustments as I’m sure there will be many such as brakes and clutches.

Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is committed to providing the best crappie fishing information possible. Get more information on basic crappie fishing gear here: http://www.askcrappiefishing.com

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Fly Fishing in Cincinnati ? Come and Join the Fun!

Spend a day learning to fly fish and open up the door to a lifetime of angling adventures and memories. Upon completion of this full day, comprehensive school, you will be skilled and confident enough to pack up your fly fishing gear and head out to enjoy a trip on the water of your choosing. The elements of the sport we feel are essential for beginners and cover in the school are as follows:

· Equipment Knowledge and Selection

· Casting Techniques & Presentation

· Reading Water

· Wading Techniques

· Fishing Knots

· Fly & Leader Selection

· Fly Presentation

· Proper Fish Fighting Techniques

· Lots of time spent fishing!

The setting for our fly fishing schools is a sportsman club in Manchester, Indiana. The location is a short drive from Cincinnati, Ohio. The club is comprised of 1000 pristine acres of rolling hillsides housing 14 ponds and a man-made trout stream. The waters are home to largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, panfish, trout, carp, and catfish. In addition to the breathtaking scenery, a newly remodeled lodge with full amenities is at our disposal.

The fly fishing schools run from March-August. The cost of the school is $175 and includes all fly fishing equipment, a hearty lunch, and beverages. Accommodations at the lodge or nearby casino hotels are available, and we would be happy to make those arrangements for you. The schools are limited to 4 or 5 participants, ensuring a lot of personal attention.

2008 Introductory Fly Fishing School dates:

March 29th

April 5th

April 12th

May 10th

June 7th

June 28th

July 12th

August 2nd

The following items are recommended items for the beginning flyfishing school:

· Flyrod and reel if you own one. If not, one is provided as part of the class.

· Sunglasses-Polarized sunglasses are strongly recommended as they help cut the glare on the water allowing you to “see through” the water.

· Sunscreen

· Hat

· Hiking shoes or similar. Recommend against wearing open-toe shoes

· Bug Spray-usually not bad but you never can tell.

· Camera

· Any personal medications

· Clothing recommendation is long pants (lightweight) and a short sleeve shirt (no bright colors)

· Rain gear if appropriate.

(If you have any questions regarding what to wear or bring, please do not hesitate to call and ask us. We will be more than happy to review the checklist with you.)

To reserve a slot for an upcoming school, please call us at 513-871-3474. If you cannot attend any of the available dates above, you can email or call us and we will place your name on a list and contact you if we open additional school dates. Private schools are also an option if the dates above do not fit your schedule.

For more information, feel free to contact the school instructor, Brian Barnard, at Brian@BestGear.com.

Brian Barnard is a Federation of Fly Fishers licensed instructor at Best Gear, an online supplier of field and stream apparel and Kentucky fly fishing and Ohio fly fishing experts.

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Flathead Catfish Fishing Secrets Of Bring Up The Big Guys

When seeking out various types of fish, it’s good to have some general knowledge about not only that particular species’ preferred habitat but also about its habits, food preferences, and lifestyle in general.


While it’s not common for humans to think about animals and fish having a “lifestyle”, the idea is quite important to determining the best tactics to use in hunting or fishing for a species. This is definitely true of certain types of catfish, especially flathead catfish. Fishing for catfish is a popular sport throughout the United States, but tactics for catching different types of catfish vary greatly.


For example, most catfish are considered to be opportunistic feeders. This means that they are literally scavengers, seeking out the easiest meals they can find. They’ll eat other hunters’ “leftovers” – pieces of dead fish and other bits and bobbles – to avoid having to hunt down food. They’ll survive off insects and invertebrates native to their waters, and they’ll even eat plants to satisfy their hunger.


However, flatheads are different, meaning that flathead catfish fishing requires a different approach.


Flatheads, which may also be referred to as mud cats, shovelhead cats, johnnie cats, yellow cats, Mississippi cats, and Opelousa cats, are not simply scavengers. While they would not turn down an opportunistic meal, they are predators and prefer to hunt down live fish.


They are also one of the largest breeds of catfish around, growing regularly to sizes of three or four feet in length and weighing up to 100 pounds. Therefore, unlike many smaller species of catfish, you’ll need heftier equipment and specialized bait to attract these monsters.


Flathead catfish fishing requires live bait. In fact, the live bait you use should be sizeable in order to attract the flatheads because they do not appreciate a small meal. While you can use invertebrates, like worms, you will have to stuff your hook with several night crawlers to increase your chances of drawing in a flathead.


More useful bait would consist of large minnows or small shad and carp, as these are typically included in their diet anyway. If you choose not to use live bait to attract a flathead catfish, fishing with stink bait is probably the only way to attract your catch. This works on occasion because catfish find food mostly based on smell rather than sight, and large chicken livers or other rotting stink bait foods will permeate the water and drawn in your prey.

Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is commited to providing the best catfish fishing information possible. Get more information on flathead catfish fishing here: http://www.askcatfishfishing.com

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After the lifting of water pollution in Harbin Public Jiang fish aquarium business back on track

Some time ago, affected by the pollution of Songhua River, Harbin many fish pavilion to the struggling, the mere mention of the public mention of fish, many fish management museum bleak, and some out of business. January 24, the State Environmental Protection Administration, not the second Songhua River water pollution, river fish can be safe to eat. February 8, reporter known to eat fish more than the North Song Museum to see the fish, the fish hall traffic surged, the fish business has finally entered the track.

River water hurt fish and Museum

Some time ago, the Songhua River water pollution, Harbin section of Songhua River ban on fishing, selling fish, fear of eating fish contaminated river erosion of the public have to mention the mere mention of fish, Harbin southern and northern parts of many aquatic fish management museum Abnormal dismal business.

Some time ago, the fire was very widespread in Harbin wok Dunyu business plummeted. Daoli District Harbin, a wok Dunyu shop owner told reporters that the first two months, affected by the Songhua River water pollution. Weekday full of hotel guests dining table every day to have even good. Water into the river after the hotel has no fish, and yet still very few people eating, and occasionally people come to eat, something else would simply dishes.

Similarly, battered by the Songhua River pollution, but also a very famous song of all fish, the North Hall, past bustling front of the hotel has become desolate. According to Hall Jiangbei head of a fish, say, two months before the next file in the hotel a la carte office, fish, shrimp and other basic non-human-chun, and even the fish have followed the falling out of favor.

Fish Museum authoritative business information saved

After the relevant departments and Tsinghua University, Jilin University, Northeast Agricultural University, Jilin, Heilongjiang provinces more than 40 scientific research units of hundreds of scientific researchers argued, frozen into the ice this spring and will not sink into mud of nitrobenzene secondary pollution problems along the two sides can be assured underground drinking water, aquatic products and agricultural and livestock can also be safe to eat. Meanwhile, the study shows that levels of nitrobenzene in the Songhua River fish consumption safety levels quickly fell under the standard, you eat.

January 24, the State Environmental Protection Administration released the news clearly, Harbin Hall of many fish, boiled fish shop business improved rapidly, the reporter learned that, until now, many aquarium business returned to normal, Step one on the right track.

9, Tiger Park, Jiangbei road reporter is a very famous fish house?? Old at the first hotel to see inside the front of the hotel car park full of vehicles, hotel dining consumers with the past as full. The hotel’s official told reporters that since the State Environmental Protection Department issued the Songhua River fish safe to eat the news, come to dinner for the public and proliferation of tourist groups, business is now back to the previous best time.

In fact, no longer a star fish Jiang

Water pollution in Songhua River before Museum Harbin many fish are all war fighting operations in the wild, authentic Songhua River fish this brand. After the first section of Songhua River pollution incident, many fish because of this hall is what the marquee name, plunged into an unprecedented crisis. Interview, many fish house owner told reporters, in fact recent years, production of fish in the Songhua River has become less and less, but more and more light weight, the Songhua River fish are not always already operating in the fish museum play a leading role, and many business and carp fish main hall of fish, the main producing province of the major reservoir of self, others or from Shenyang, Liaoning, Tianjin and other places long-distance traffic in the past.

Fishery Department of the Kazakh Agriculture Commission staff told reporters, Harbin is now registered fishing vessel 2980, the urban section of the river in Harbin, more than 500 fishing boats within. In recent years, the Songhua River caused substantial damage to fisheries resources, fish species has increased from 79 down to less than the current 40, and there were fewer, smaller individuals, the quality of a downward trend. In the Songhua River fish fought for decades fishermen Lee Tien also told reporters that he was fishing in the Songhua River has been nearly 30 years, river fish in a year than a year, fewer and fewer varieties of fish, the last two years is enough to eat a living by fishing.

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Matt Hayes Carp Fishing Part 4


the fourth part to the carp fishing episodes part 5 on my account enjoy !

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