Carp Fishing Equipment

Carp Fishing Equipment: What Do You Need?

Are you interested in carp fishing? If so, you are probably interested in carp fishing equipment. Like many other hobbies and sports, fishing is one of those pastimes where the amount of success you have will depend, in no small part, on the equipment you use. Not that you can't catch a fish of one kind or another with a pole and whatever you can find in your kitchen that can act as bait. But to catch the big fish, like a 10 or 20 pound carp that can be counted on to put up a fight, you need good tools.

If you are going fishing for carp, here is some carp fishing equipment that you will want in your arsenal.

The Right Rod and Line

Carp are big, heavy and strong. And, well, they don't really want to be caught, so you can almost count on them to put up quite a fight as you try to pull them in. The result? Many people who go after these fish without the right equipment find that, after hours of work, all they have to show for it is a broken line, broken rod, and no fish to speak of. So your first step is to get yourself a quality rod. You also want to use a 15 pound test line.

The Right Flies

Many who fish for carp have great success using flies. But not just any flies. There are many flies on the market now days, all of them promising they will help you catch more fish than you ever imagined possible. Some of these flies look like little works of art. But, when fishing for carp, you want to choose flies that look as much like actual carp food as possible. Otherwise, the fish will just ignore your fly and go on about its business.

Use a Net to Make Things Easier

After fighting with a carp for a while you will, if you're lucky, scoop it up and officially declare it caught. Because carp are so heavy, you more than likely won't be able to hold it up by the rod. Instead, you will have to take it directly from the water. Using a net is the easiest way to get this done. However, if you do want to take the carp out of the water by hand, be careful. Holding a carp incorrectly can harm or damage your catch.

Fishing for carp is both fun and challenging. And the best way to guarantee success is by using the right carp fishing equipment.

Written by Glen Buchanan, Keep-Fishing.com, Carp Fishing Equipment.

Big Pikes Makes Water Trouble

By fish out large cannibal pikes can provide cleaner water and fewer environmental toxins in both small pikes, roach(Rutilus rutilus)og perch. That shows results of a doctoral thesis at the University of Life Sciences. Large pikes = trouble. By fishing out large pikes can change the dynamics completely in a fish community, and both contribute to cleaner water and fewer environmental toxins in fish. Chhatra Mani Sharma has in the past four years been studying the significance of top predators in fish communities, by manipulating stocks in the lake Aarungen,Norway. Large pikes in the lake was the victim of hard pike fishing, and the effects of the water ecosystem did not take long to see.

Changed population structure -Small pikes had a much higher survival when the cannibal pikes was removed” said Chhatra. -We set nets throughout the year, and fishing out the pikes over 26 inches. The number of small pikes increased significantly. -This suggests that the population recruitment in the lake is strongly controlled by the cannibalism, says the Nepali student. At the same time, with he increased catch of small pikes the number of roach went down, while the frequency of large perch went up in the nets catch.

Diet determines the visibility Aarungen is a lake with large supply of nutrients, which creates good growing conditions for the algae. Algae contributes to low visible depths in the water, and poor water quality.

-Fish affects both directly and indirectly the amount of algae-eating plankton in the water, said Chhatra. The results showed that the diet of roach and perch changed in step with the out fishing of cannibal pike. Roach and perch had significantly increased consumption of zoo plankton in the diet. Large perch eat roach, and roach are often regarded as a slightly problematic fish. Roachs eat zoo plankton, and zoo plankton eats phytoplankton -Roach also freeing phosphate by eating the organic bottom sediment. A reduction in the amount of roach will help provide better water quality, underlines the doctoral student.

Environment toxic content of the fish were lower. The content of hazardous substances in large fish-eating fish are often high,because hazardous substances pile up at the top of the food chain. The results of Chhatra showed that mercury levels in both pike,roach and perch decreased significantly after removing the cannibal pikes. -Increased individual growth rates among the three investigated fish species have probably led to a “bio dilute” of mercury content,”said Chhatra. The level of chlorine organic hazardous substances in the fish went down sharply. -In 2006 we made pike-cakes of our catch,and it taste really good. We need not to worry about hazardous substances in the pike that year, smiles the student.

Long term work is crucial. -The top predator has a significant effect on the entire ecosystem in Aarungen, with both cleaner water, better water quality and lower environmental toxins in the fish as consequence of good governance,concludes Chhatra. But fishing in Aarungen has not continued after the Ph.D. programme, so the big cannibal pikes are on the way back.He mentioned several places in both Sweden and Denmark where the successful management has led to the restoration of contaminated lakes.

Harald Hoel, expert of pike fishing.
Pike Fishing
Pike Lures
Musky Lures

Go Northern Pike Fishing

In May, when one go northern pike fishing the pikes move into shallow waters to spawn. It is now pikes are at their heaviest, and now the really big ones are at the easiest to get in touch with. A large female pike 22 lb or more may have as much as 2,2 - 4,4 lb of eggs. We recommend that the big pikes must be released  to maintain a sustainable high pike stock. What pike fishing lures freshwater to choose can be different from one fisherman to another, but for me pike flies , shallow moving wobbler or  shallow moving pike fishing spoons may now be the right medicine. Are you interested in northern fly fishing and want a visual fishing - try a pike popper.

After spawning , pikes moves to deeper water, and now you can really enjoy good catches of pike. This is because they use a lot of energy and loose a lot of body mass during spawning and have to “eat” up fast. In this period anything from pike angling, throwing wobblers, trolling and fly fishing will do. Try a jerk bait, that is hyper effective for pike. Jerk bait will guarantee raise your pike fishing to a higher level. With jerk bait you can fish shallow,deep or between layers of water. Fishing with it will often lead to spectacular and hard attacks.

Fishing with so-called pike poppers are really exciting as they move forwards in the surface. Preferably near weed-lines and/or underwater vegetation. Pike attack these with deadly force and with huge splashes. Extremely fascinating !

In June and July pike prefer to enter deeper water , 10-30 feet and are harder to get in contact with. Pike trolling and pike bait fishing will in this period be the most effective way because it will the easiest method to enter these depths. A useful thing to take advantage of are installing a fish finders lowrance. In the evening and morning pikes moves in to shallow waters, and may be possible to find through other methods.

In the summer months pikes can be harder to find and northern pike fishing for big ones demands that you have to fish in deeper layers of water. With no wind it can be a challenging task and with this conditions it is best to fish in the evening  and the morning, while windy and grey weather often activates pikes in the middle of the day.

When it comes to fishing techniques for the summer pikes you may want to fish fast and variate, in other words combine fast and slow winding. Big baits often attracts big pike, especially after the spawning period when the pike need a lot of food after the intense spawning period.

When the water becomes colder in September and October the pike come into shallow waters again, like 6 - 18 feet, and allows capture of most methods in the right depths. The autumn is with spring considered as the best season for fishing large pikes. And as the water is colder it may be an advantage to fish a bit slower.

Hope you have got some useful tips in choosing fishing lures pike when are out northern pike fishing and if you need pike lures just click the link and check out my huge collection of pike lures.

Harald Hoel, expert of pike fishing and pike lures.
Pike Fishing
Pike Lures
Musky Lures

Teach a Child how to Fish

Teach a Child how to Fish

Get Them on Fishing, not drugs

 

Children should all grow up fishing. Dad or Mom starting them out and teaching them what to do so they are hooked, on a positive sport and not drugs or bad habits. Some where along the line, families forgot about generational teaching; Grand Dad teaching Dad, Dad teaching you and you teaching your children.  Fishing is such a positive way to spend time together and share ideas on moral issues and other aspects of what it means to have real fun without going against the ways of nature. Children love to fish if they are started off with a positive fun experience; we see it every day here at: FISHING at Country Cove Village although, not unlike most of us, work and family situations prevent fishing as much as the Children would prefer to

So, what was it that Dads can do to make a difference? Let me give you a few tips.

First off, start them young. Get on the bank at as young an age as you possibly can. Obviously though you need to exercise parental consciousness about their safety. Whatever you do, DON’T plan on any fishing yourself, because here at FISHING at Country Cove Village that's just what parents do or at least one of you will tend to the children baiting, helping them learn to cast and play it in and then unhook the fish. If fishing is going to happen, the fishing will be done by the kids with your help! This lets you pay attention to them and not ignore them while you fish. I see too many parents getting frustrated with children who are “getting in the way” of their fishing; but once the child has learned the basic it quickly become a fun competition for all of you. 

Secondly, make sure you plan the first trips to someplace that you can actually catch a lot of fish such as: FISHING at Country Cove Village. At this point, it does not matter what kind or how big, just make sure they can catch some. A small child’s patience is very short, and waiting 30 minutes for a bite will turn them off in a hurry. You may need to go to a small pond where the Bluegills are biting on just about anything and everything and remember, this is for them, not for you. At least not at the start, but then stand back and soon they'll be teaching you, ready or not, it's in their nature.

As they fish, Brag and Cheer about every fish they catch. Make an exciting experience out of it. Take lots of pictures.

Once you do this several times, they both boys and girls will be trying to take you fishing; like just about every day.

Remember though it is your parental responsibility to make sure that in that day of excitement, they do not get to hot or have too much sun; that will turn them off of fishing for it will make fishing equal discomfort in their minds.

As your child grows older, make sure they get their very own fishing gear to fish with. They need “their own" rod and reel, tackle box, and fishing hat, you know how important yours is to you. Of course, as he ages, those items will escalate in price, but it is worth the money, believe me.  Then one day they will start buying their own special need gear!

We see on the news every day about kids of all ages doing really stupid things and getting in trouble with the law because their parents are just too busy for them.  Get your children hooked on fishing and you will never have to worry about them or what they are doing because they will be fishing.

Greetings,
I am Pastor Brady C. Harness and own FISHING at Country Cove Village and write articles for our web site and emails sent out to our guests that have requested them.

Fishing For Walleye From The Shore

Fishing for Walleye is very common and especially if you live up in the north. This kind of fish is very fun to fish for and is great to eat.

In the following article you will find some fishing tips that will show you how to catch walleye from ether the shore or from a boat.

Hooks and Lures

The first thing that we can work on is lures. When it comes to fishing, usually you will want to make sure that your hooks are sharp at all times. This is important as it will help you snag the lure in the fishes mouth so they will have a hard time spiting it out after wards.

The way colors work is very simple, use bright colors whenever the water is very unclear or if it is a cloudy day outside. If it is a sunny day and the water is very clear stick to more dull colors as this will attract the fish more.

You must also take into consideration that what works one day will not work all the time. Fish are very picky and one lure will not work all the time. You need to be versatile and try different things in order to see what will work the best for you.

The types of hooks then generally do the best with Walleye is Jigs and Spinners. These seem to work fairly well no matter where or what your fishing conditions are. If you also strap on a minnow it will be very hard for the fish to ignore your bait.

So that is the basic lure selection guide, it’s nothing advanced but the fundamentals are very important nonetheless. I hope next time you go fishing you will be able to snag as many Walleye from the shore as you can.

Learning how to fish is very important. If you still need some help visit this website that will show you more about fishing from the shore.

How to Bass Fish: Understanding How Temperature Changes Will Help You Catch More Bass

Weather has a very profound effect upon bass fishing. This can be the seasonal changes from spring through fall then through winter to spring again or in the day to day variations in temperature, cloud cover and barometric pressure as well as the temperature changes between periods of daylight and darkness. This article will look at the role temperature changes will play in your success as a bass fisherman. 

 As winter turns to spring and the water temperature begins to go up, the activity of bass will begin to increase also. As the water reaches the 50 degree range bass will begin to be found along the edges of channels in the 10 to 15 foot range. As the water temperature approaches 60 degrees Bass will move from the deeper regions of the lake where wintering occurs and begin to gather along the drop offs near the more shallow 3 to 5 foot depths where spawning will occur. As the temperature reaches the low 60's the males will prepare the nesting areas. The majority of the spawning season will occur when the weather has warmed the water temperatures to 65 degrees. Spawning will continue for several weeks until the water temperature begins to reach the low 70's.As the water temperature begins to move into the 70's the bass begin to move back along the deeper channel ledges. 

As spring moves into summer you should keep in mind that the ideal comfort zone for bass is a water temperature of 65 degrees to 75 degrees. When fishing, look for structure and cover areas which lie in this temperature range to find the greatest concentration of bass. During the summer water temperatures will also determine at what time during the day or night bass will be most active. When water temperature is in the low 70's 60% of the bass activity will occur during the day. However, as the water temperature enters the low 80's the daytime activity will drop to near 30% with 70% of activity taking place at night. As summer heats up you will have more reason to fish in the cool of the evening! 

When thinking of water temperature you should avoid the common mistake of many fishermen when they consider only the surface temperature. Bottom and mid depth temperatures are more important in determining where bass might be found than is the temperature on the surface. As stated before, the ideal comfort level for bass is water between the temperatures of 65 degrees to 75 degrees. A hand held unit that permits you to lower a temperature probe can be very helpful when trying to determine the depth were bass might be found. As the seasonal temperatures change the surface temperature the depth of the ideal comfort level will change. 

When fall and winter temperatures lower the water temperature an interesting phenomena occurs as the water temperature approaches 40 degrees. Water has its maximum density at a temperature of 39.6 degrees. When it reaches this temperature it begins to sink. This sinking of the denser water will displace the water below. This "turning" of the water will cause the depths at which bass will be located to change. Once again a drop probe will be the best way to locate the depth where you should expect to find bass. When Bass are unable to locate water in their favorite temperature range (65 to 75 degrees) they will move to the layer of water closest to that temperature. As the air temperature drops from fall through winter the depth of this preferred layer will change. 

You should also keep in mind that as the temperature drops the level of activity for the bass will be reduced due to his slowed metabolism. This means that you should allow a bit more time for a response to the bait you present.

 

Ken Garrett
The author maintains a houseboat and fishes year round on Dale Hollow Lake in southern Kentucky. For more Bass fishing information and additional tips to help you catch more and bigger bass go to http://gonebassfishing.com.

How to Fish for Bass Using Crankbaits

If there is such a thing as complete opposites in bass lures, fishing with a crankbait could meet that description when compared to fishing with a jig. While effective fishing with a jig can be described as slow and covering only a limited area. Fishing with a crankbait is fast paced and permits you to cover large areas of water. While a jig depends upon the anglers to create its action, the crankbait has built in action as a result of the "lips" or bills on the front of the lure which cause diving to occur as the bait is retrieved. By using lips of different sizes the angler can control the depth at which he is fishing. The larger the lip the deeper the crankbait will dive when retrieved. The lips cause the front of the lure to tip downward as it passes through the water. This downward tipping will help to protect the treble hooks that are usually present on a crankbait and help to prevent snagging as it passes by cover. 

The crankbait is basically fished as the name implies. The lures is cast out and then cranked back in. This permits a large area of water to be covered in a short period of time. You should choose a crankbait according to the depth of water you are fishing. When retrieved the lure should dive deep enough to bump off the bottom and other structures it may pass. This will cause the lure to appear to be prey trying to evade capture. Varying the speed of the retrieval will also add to the action of the lure with the idea being to create evasive type movement which might trigger an instinctive strike from a fish that is not actively feeding. 

 Most crankbaits have the diving depth labeled when purchased. It is best to test the bait it in a known depth. If it hits bottom move into deeper water and test for contact with the bottom again. Continue to test in this manner until you no longer bump off the bottom. This will determine the true diving depth range for you lure.   

Crankbaits should be paired with a slower action rod. This will give you added distance when casting and will not tend to tear the hook away after being set when your fish makes a sudden turn. 

A very versatile bait, crankbaits can be used in a wide variety of situations and bass habitats. It can be used in and around brush, shallow grass beds and rocky ledges and drop offs. In short, if you select a crankbait with the proper characteristics you can fish it in just about any situation.

Ken Garrett
The author maintains a houseboat and fishes year round on Dale Hollow Lake in southern Kentucky. For more Bass fishing information go to http://gonebassfishing.com.

Fishing in the Everglades

Fishing in the Everglades

If you've decided to go fishing in the Florida Everglades then you are in for the treat of a lifetime. A popular area to fish is along US 41, east of US 29 and west of Krome Ave, there is a canal on the north side. You can catch all fresh water fish and several exotic species from it. The ciclids and oscars are pretty easy to catch using crickets or small beetle spinners; good to eat too! They also give a decent fight. Bass, Bluegills and Crappie are popular in the nets as well as Sheepshead and Drum. The saltwater fish migrate into the Everglades via the Tamiami Canal that parallels US 41. If you do end up fishing along US 41, remember not to feed the gators. It's against the law and causes them to lose their fear of people.

A 7" medium to heavy spinning rod and reel with PowerPro or Stren Super Braid in 4-6lb diameter (15-20lb strength), and a 12-15? leader of fluorocarbon, (Berkley "Vanish"), in 12lb works great for any saltwater application.

There is no magic bait for the bass, they will take shiners, top waters, spinners and plastic worms, just like in any other Florida waters depending on weather conditions. They get pretty big out there and double digit bass is the norm. Use a float or free-line them near a structure (lily pads, logs, sunken trees, etc.) and hold on tight. Large shiners are a bit expensive (depending on area, can run up to $12 a dozen) but worth the money for a memory of a lifetime. Your basic freshwater lures will work for both salt & fresh fish. Make sure to "juice" your lures up with either Pogey scent aerosol spray or YUM, Bang, or your favourite scent.

Other areas of the Everglades will be difficult to fish without a boat. You may also consider hiring a guide as local knowledge can be the key to a fishermans success.

Great saltwater fishing can be had off the old Skyline Bridge out of St. Petersburg. This is now a state park in remembrance of the many people who died when a ship hit the bridge. Don't worry, that can't happen any more, just great fishing.

Florida does have fresh and salt water fishing licenses. You are required to have a license if fishing from a bridge or pier but are part of the fee if hiring a boat. Stop in at Wal-Mart and check on fishing license requirements in the sporting goods department.

Written by Glen Buchanan, Keep-Fishing, Fishing in the Everglades.

How To Catch Catfish

How do I Catch Catfish? You will find Catfish in most ponds, lakes and streams. You won't need to cast more than 30ft out to hook a decent size fish. Catfish search for food using their scent glands so you can pretty much use any bait that gives off a decent smell. The more stinky the meat, the more success you will have.

Shrimp and Mackerel are popular baits to use. If you leave them rotting in the midday sun for a few hours before heading out, they will smell awful and irresistible to the Catfish. When you bait shrimp, make sure that the point of the hook is still protruding out so whenever you strike after the initial bite, it will still embed itself into the mouth. Mackerel works great too because it's salty and the Catfish love it. When you bait Mackerel, make sure the hook is through far enough so that it won't come off when you cast.

Liver is another favourite among anglers. Chicken, Turkey or Beef, it doesn't really matter, whatever is readily available in your local supermarket or fishing store. There are several ways to prepare your liver to better attract the Catfish. Leaving the liver out in the sun for a few hours will give it a good smell and, as you know, the Catfish can't resist meat with a pong! Garlic Salt is another trick that many fisherman use to give the liver a more intense taste. The fish hold on longer giving you more time to strike. Drain the liver well making sure all the blood and water is out. Add a pile of garlic salt to the liver and mix it well using your hands. If you don't want your hands to stink afterwards, use a pair of rubber or PVC gloves. Place the liver in the fridge overnight and the garlic will soak into the meat. The Catfish won't be able to resist the taste when they sink their teeth into it.

Using the correct hook for your bait is crucial. If you choose a hook that is too small, your bait will fly off during cast and you won't catch anything. Treble hooks will hold the bait better and there will be less chance of it coming off. You can buy treble hooks with little springs that hold the bait on but these can be expensive. If you bait the hook correctly, a normal no.5 or no.6 treble hook can achieve the same results.

Written by Glen Buchanan, Keep-Fishing, How To Catch Catfish.

Fish Farms in Asia

The word “Kelong” originated from the Malay language which describes house on sticks. These houses can be found in the Asian countries mainly at sea and they are used as traps station to bring in fishes. Kelongs are used to do aquaculture thus they are usually accompanied by Floating Farm (Floating Platform), these are the Fish Farm that are used in Fish Rearing.

The Kelong is not self sufficient, it has no water pipe lines or electricity lines laid to the Kelong. The Kelong runs on diesel generators and water are broad onboard by jerry cans. Provision is also replenished weekly. Transport to the Kelong and Fish Farm is by boat although there are certain Kelong in Asia is by the shore.

The Fish Farm would rear saltwater fishes like grouper, snappers and sea bass. Catches of crabs and Lobster are also common in certain Fish Farm. The farms are usually self sustaining as the fish foods used are provided by the Kelong’s catches.

The Technology used to catch fishes and shellfishes are still very tradition but efficient. The Kelong makes use of current flow and vertical sticks stuck to the seabed to guide shoal of fishes into the Kelong where a main Fishing Net resting at the seabed awaits. The net would be lifted by machine to catch the trapped fishes. Fishing Nets holes are fine thus small fishes are also caught. Other methods of catch are by the Fishing Traps, designed to be favourable hiding environment for fishes where easy entry but difficult exit is designed.

Working in Kelongs involves routine work, where the work runs 24 hour and daily routine has to be split into shift works. The workers would harvest fishes, clean nets, repair and maintain the Kelong and fish farm. In the presence modern world less people were willing to have these life style thus these workers found on board the Kelongs would turn out to be the owners.

Over the years, some Kelongs transform into a tourism attraction in certain countries where people can have a retreat from the urban life but there still Kelongs that retain their function in the seafood industry as there are an important source for fishes.

To learn more about Kelong and Fish Farms in Asia visit http://www.fengshunli.com

Low Eng Koon

Best Lures to Use in Fishing

Best Lures To Use In Fishing

The evolution of fishing gear and accessories, along with the growth of the fishing industry, brought about the development of various lures specifically used for different fish species.

There are many types or class of lures and they all depend on what type of fish works for them. Many only work for specific types but some cover a wide range of species of fish.

Below are some of the typical lures used for fishing.

Light Standard Casting Lures

For Standard casting lures, they are mostly able to attract a wide range of fish varieties from albacore, bluefish, bonita, oho and crappies. These lures are also excellent for certain species of bass and work best when recovered from water at low to medium speed. They can also pass through water with undetectable synthetic material. Their sizes are excellent for lightweight fish and a host of freshwater species. They range from 1/16 oz. to 3 oz. The hand painted eye is enticing enough for catching schools of fish. This feature allows for more chances of trapping one of the target fish in the water.

Heavy Standard Casting Lures

Heavy Standard Casting Lures are excellent for heavy fish specifically, walleye and bass. While the lightweight lures are used in most circumstances, it was shown that heavy counterparts provide more reliable fishing. Also, the heavy standard lures are able to catch fish rather than using diamond and light standard casting lures.

Long Casting/Jigging Lures

Perhaps the most popular among the fishing lures are the long, tapered jigging lures. They are perhaps the most commonly used fishing lures among the fishermen. Just recently, it was found out that the long casting lures work best for catching trout and pike. They were also found to successfully catch stripers, bluefish, tuna and walleye in a breeze! Unlike heavy standard lures, this gear won't produce good fish-catch output up to 180-200 feet under water so be sure to effectively match your lure color, bait and related accessories to maximize performance.

Deadly Diamond Lures

These lures are one of the smallest with sizes ranging from 1/8 to 1 oz. They can seamlessly attract the attention among fish and could form a school of fish in a minute! The reason is it lies on its structural surface formation and cut. The top handle is cut like a diamond and causes reflecting light striking on its surface. The diamond lures are best for catching bass fish varieties, crappie and stripers. They also work well on a small range of fish species.

Written by Glen Buchanan, Keep-Fishing, Best Lures to Use in Fishing.

You're In Hot Water

  That is, if you fish these new hotter summers in Gulf waters. I remember the old days when the heat of the sun was balanced with a cooler wind off the water. No so, in this time, at least, not in the middle and end of summer. This condition makes the fish harder to find. They're a bit like us and enjoy moderately cool temperatures.
   All this makes for a game of hide and seek. They hide and you seek. Here are some tips that will make you a master game player. The whole point of the exercise can be boiled down to one question. "Where is the water cooler, on a hot summer day?"
   When the afternoon sun really gets wound up, the clumps of shell act like little heat radiators. Their dark colors absorb heat and release it, continually heating the water. So, in the afternoon look for the reflective sandy bottom where fish cool a bit while feeding in the moss. Your bait is also much more exposed to the in and out traffic of fish that are feeding. 
   The salinity of the water controls heat because salt holds heat. Therefore, wherever a fresh water source drains into a bay, you will have an area around it that's cooler. Another good point is to find a structure in the water that tends to shade, thus reducing the temperature. It stands to reason that on a hot day, you would be under a tree or shade. The fish follow similar reasoning.
   Last, but not least, deeper water can afford cooler temperatures and on hot days fish tend to move to deeper water. This is why they feed in shallow water at night. Casting into a channel with a juicy bait on a hot summer day can get you some of the best fish caught in South Texas waters.

Captain Mike Scott is a retired Texas Gulf fishing guide and commercial fisherman. As Mike puts it “If you really want to catch your limit talk to me.” Please feel free to contact Mike for any fishing questions through AlphaLane.com or by using his site email in the AlphaLane search page. Use Mike’s CID which is 119 or simply search on category ‘fishing’.

Fishing the Florida Keys for Tarpon Offers Reel Excitement

During a recent vacation in the Florida Keys, I decided to hire a guide and go fishing for the day. We had gone snorkeling the day before in John Pennekamp State Park, the water was crystal clear from the lack of rain and I wanted to take pictures of Key West.

The clarity of the water enticed me to try fishing for tarpon before heading down to party on Duval Street in Key West. The boat captain picked me up at the dock of the waterfront lodge we were staying at around 7:30 in the morning in a 17′ Maverick, powered by a 90HP Yamaha.

When we arrived at our fishing destination our intention was to fish live crabs and sight cast to tarpon but it was a still early for the tarpon bite so we moved at little in shore for bonefish.

The Maverick I was fishing from had a forward casting platform and since there was only a slight chop on the water, I thought I’d give it a try. Now, most people wouldn’t be so worried about standing on a platform two feet off the deck of a boat that measured a mere 18″ x 18″ but for a middle aged guy carrying a few extra pounds, it was a bit of a challenge. After only a few minutes on the platform I felt confident and the extra height gave me a better view of the fish.

When we moved out to deeper water to chase the tarpon we encountered activity right away. The first tarpon I cast to was a single fish, the cast was ok but not perfect and the tarpon moved on. The next fish I spotted moved through the flats so fast I don’t even think he saw my bait, what can you do?

Shortly after that, a pod of 10-15 tarpon came swimming right at us. My first cast was a little short, as the fish moved around the boat, I reeled up and got ready to take another cast. The guide yelled “Pick out on fish and cast to it” but there were so many and my heart was pumping so fast that I ending up casting into the middle of the pod just to watch them swim around it.

Shortly after that an inconsiderate boater moved up on us and it was time to relocate so, just a short boat ride later and we had moved to a different flat.

The next flat looked just as promising as the first because we saw fish right away. Then my shot appeared, I cast the live crab to a fish about 50-75 feet ahead. The tarpon saw the bait and inhaled it. As the guide advised, I waited for the line to get tight and raised the rod tip. The fish jumped seven times in the shallow flat before making it to deeper water for the remainder of the fight which lasted about twenty minutes.

The guide estimated that the fish weighed around 45 pounds. Tarpon always look bigger in the water and I would have thought it was closer to 60 pounds, but he was the expert.

I’ve caught a few tarpon through the years and hooked many more, including a spring ocean fish that may have gone over 150 pounds while trolling live bait for kingfish, but this was my first in the crystal clear waters of Key Largo and one I’ll remember for years to come.

Key West and the Florida Keys are America’s tropical playground. With so many things to do in Key West like fishing, snorkeling and diving you’ll have an adventure to remember. So bring your camera to take pictures of South Florida.

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Privacy Policy for Hooked On Fishing

If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at kara.tolbert[at]gmail.com.

At Hooked On Fishing, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by Hooked On Fishing and how it is used.

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, Hooked On Fishing makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.

Cookies and Web Beacons
Hooked On Fishing does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.

DoubleClick DART Cookie
.:: Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on Hooked On Fishing.
.:: Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to Hooked On Fishing and other sites on the Internet.
.:: Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html

Some of our advertising partners may use cookies and web beacons on our site. Our advertising partners include ....

Google Adsense
Commission Junction
Widget Bucks
Clickbank
Chitika
Amazon


These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on Hooked On Fishing send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

Hooked On Fishing has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. Hooked On Fishing's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.