Fishing Tackle is Important to Get Right So Make Sure You Do Some Research Before You Buy Anything

One of the most important aspects of fishing is getting the right fishing tackle. If you don't have this right then everything else will be wrong as well. There are various kinds of tackle available on today's market but you'll need to do some research if you want to find the right options for your needs. Just make sure that you take your time and don't be afraid to ask for advice if you need it.

There are a lot of fishing forums on the web these days and plenty of online communities that discuss everything related to fishing. If you are a beginner or if perhaps you are just looking to join a fishing community then you should consider joining a forum and asking questions and getting advice.

The forums on the web are probably where most of the information you learn will come from so use them wisely. Fishing tackle does come in a range of different sizes, shapes and styles and depending on where you're fishing you'll also need to consider what sort of tackle you need.

The products you need will more than likely be available on the web and this means you can save quite a bit of money. Buying online is quite easy these days and you can find a range of brilliant products. You shouldn't have any problems finding what you need but it may take some time to find what you need at a price you can afford.

Most of the time, fishing items are widely available so finding the right fishing tackle is simple. Once you've found the right tackle, you'll then need to compare a few prices and get yourself a good deal. Remember that you're doing this for fun and the minute you rush into a purchase, you're risking that fun by maybe ending up with something you don't want or need.

Overall, buying fishing tackle on the web is really easy as long as you ensure that your research is thorough. Don't rush into anything and make sure that you join some sort of fishing community. You will be surprised at how many friendly people are available to talk to when you fancy a chat.

Spider Grubs - A Bait for All Seasons

Delaware and Maryland Ponds, Lakes, and Rivers are receiving more and more pressure as each year goes by, not just from weekend anglers, but tournament fishing as well. If you apply some new tactics with these Spider Grubs, you can be more productive in your recreational and tournament fishing alike.

Surprisingly, this deadly soft plastic bait is not a staple in everyone's tackle box, but in many other states, it is a long time favorite lure when the going gets tough. Several companies makeSpider grubs, but I prefer the ones made by "Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits" the best. The grubs come in a variety of colors and sizes, from two to five inches long. They are absolutely deadly on spring largemouth and smallmouth bass alike.

A Spider Grub

Most anglers like to use them on jig heads, and this is an extremely effective method, but I also like to rig them Texas style. The grub resembles a darting crawfish depending on how you fish it. It is the most effective in clear water, but also produces bass in stained and muddy water also. The lure is compact like a jig and pig, as versatile as a worm, can be fished vertically or horizontally, fast or slow. You can pitch it, flip it, swim it, hop it, or drag it on the bottom. Here are some of the ways I like to fish it in Delaware and Maryland waters, and elsewhere throughout the country, that really produce bass well.

Search Tool
When searching for bass, you want to try to cover the water quickly. The Spider grub is a great search tool when you're looking for bass that are feeding on crawfish around scattered weeds, and rocks on shallow flats like the Susquehanna, or similar shallow areas. You can fish it faster than a jig, cover the water quickly, and trigger more reaction strikes, The earth tone colors are easy to match with the forage and blend in well with the surroundings. This is critical in clear water, when the bass rely more on sight. Sometimes I like to fish it fast, with an erratic, jerk bait type motion. The lure is always moving, but on or near the bottom.

When I fish the open flats with scattered grass, I rig it on a light jighead, or if the cover is thicker, I rig it Texas style. I found that I land more fish If the hook is exposed, and if it becomes hooked on weeds occasionally, I jerk it free, sometimes causing a reaction strike. I like to use 1/8 ounce or 1/4 ounce jigheads, depending on the depth of the water, wind, currents, or how hard it is to keep on the bottom. I also prefer to fish them on a 61/2 to 7 foot spinning rod with a medium action soft tip, in graphite. Using 6-8 pound test Stren line. Sometimes you can go to 10 pound line, depending on the cover. The light line gives the bait more action, and is less likely to hang up in the weeds. I have used these successfully on the grass flats in the Potomac River and on the Susquehanna flats. Working it the right way takes some practice. You want the lure to scoot along in short bursts, on or near the bottom, without making excessive hops. Don't pull it too hard, or you will lose contact with the bottom. Keep the rod low to the water, and on the side of the boat so the wind doesn't bow the line, and ruin the action of the bait.

Keep contact with the bait at all times, because many of the strikes will feel mushy or heavy like it is on grass, but most of the time when I set the hook, it is a bass. If it is just weeds, it pulls free and sometimes triggers a strike.

Different Techniques
Swimming the Grub-sometimes I swim the grub like a jerk bait. Once in a tournament the bass were ignoring the jerk bait, so I switched to thespider grub, and fished it erratically over the weeds, stopping it occasionally. This triggered the strikes that I needed to win. 15 pounds of bass slammed thespider grub while ignoring the other jerkbaits and crankbaits that were being worked in the same area.

Dragging the Grub-sometimes when I am fishing on a long, sandy, gravel point, I use a stand up jighead and just pull it slowly on the bottom. I work it very slow, and maintain contact with the bottom all the time. Also, I Carolina-Rig the bait, and when I feel it hit rocks or heavy cover, I start shaking the line, and this cause strikes to occur much of the time. This has been working reel well in lakes in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, but I have used it with success all over the country.

Suspended Fish-Frequently after a cold-front moves through, bass will suspend over some structure. When this occurs, You can rig itTexas style , on a very light weight, or with no weight at all, and let it float down to the bottom. When conditions are tough, this works wonders at times by keeping the bait in front of the fish longer. I have even tried Drop-shotting this bait with success. There are more prone to strike the bait with this method, over a bait that moves quickly by them When you are searching for fish, and the going gets tough, this is the bait to try. I like to use a good spinning rod, such as G.Loomis or St.Croix, and a good reel like a Shimano or Daiwa. Sensitivity is very important, and a combination such as this improves your chances of catching them when they strike. This technique has worked well in clear lakes all over the Midwest, and in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. I caught a lot of nice bass using these methods at Table Rock Lake, in Missouri also. Whether it is spring, summer, fall, or winter, this is a bait for all seasons.

Swimming Lessons

“In places where we used to throw spinnerbaits, we’re now swimming a Slurpies Rock‐R
Minnow swimbait with mind‐boggling results,” stated Team Northland tournament ace Jeff Gustafson. “Especially in tournaments, we’re catching a lot of really big bass.”

The West coast sensation of pitching supersized swimbaits for hulking largemouths is far from
new, of course. More recently, however, anglers across North America have begun to embrace
a swimbait subcategory: 4 to 6‐inch hollow‐bodied swimmers sporting wide, flat paddletails.

Yet while most of these hollow‐bellied swimbaits yield a distinct side‐to‐side roll that certainly
attracts fish, anglers have also discovered that the baits don’t hook bass particularly well.
Indeed, many of the hollow‐bodied baits have shown a tendency to ball up inside a bass’s
mouth. When this happens, the hook point inevitably buries itself back into the thick‐walled
plastic, rather than the fish’s jaw.

Slurpies Rock‐RMinnow

Fortunately for anglers, vital design innovations have produced an extraordinary, singular
design, similar to the original hollow‐bodied baits, yet superior in nearly every respect. “Since
we introduced the Slurpies Rock‐R‐Minnow several months ago, my phone’s been ringing off
the hook with anglers demanding more packs of these things,” said Northland Fishing Tackle
Brand Manager and bass pro, John Crane. “These are top‐shelf fishermen, too—some of the
best bass anglers in the Midwest. I don’t think fish have seen anything quite like these Rock‐RMinnows
yet.”

Crane continued: “What we wanted was a bait that was easy for anyone to fish, and simple to
rig, even while traveling fast in a boat. It had to be weedless, too. And we knew we had to make
this bait hook bass much better than the hollow‐bodied versions.”

The solution, according to Crane, was to give the bait a slotted, open belly, including a notched
dorsal opening for allowing the hook to effortlessly slide through and penetrate jaw flesh. At
the same time, Crane said, this special dorsal slot insets the hook point slightly during the
retrieve, yielding a clean, snag‐free presentation.

In addition, the bait features a tough, semi‐rigid head that holds up well with a variety of rigging
options. Married to Northland’s 6/0 screw‐lock Lipstick hook, for example, the Rock‐R becomes
a pretty durable softbait. “We’ve had anglers tell us they’re catching over a dozen bass on a
single bait,” Crane relayed. “For a softbait, that’s pretty impressive.”

Unlike original hollow‐bodied baits, whose portly, tubular shapes aren’t specifically imitative of
anything in nature, these new generation swimbaits feature a lean, baitfish‐mimicking profile,
complete with distended gill covers, supple, rippling fins, and other anatomically‐correct
features. In a lure category renowned for realism, swimbaits like the Slurpies Rock‐R‐Minnow
are apparently proving worthy of the name.

Moreover, they’re among the only paddletail swimbaits available whose shape closely mimics
the soft‐rayed preyfish preferred by predators: shiners, ciscoes, alewives, shad, blueback
herring, and gobies. Even the bait’s material is softer and more pliable, relative to hollowbodied
baits, whose plastic often feels slightly rigid to the touch. Of course, the real difference
lies in underwater action, performance, and ultimately, fish appeal. “The Rock‐R‐Minnow’s
naturally soft texture yields a fluid yet seductive wobble that really appeals to big bass,” offered
Gustafson, who won the highly‐competitive 2008 Kenora Bass International (KBI) event on Lake
of the Woods, Ontario.

“We discovered during development that the slotted body of the Rock‐R‐Minnow produced a
much more dynamic swimming action than the hollow‐body versions. Not only that, but the
bait held up to many more strikes and fish catches. That’s critical in North Country waters
where all kinds of toothy predators swim—walleye, pike, muskies, plus smallmouths and
largemouths. They all love these swimbaits.”

For working the bait faster over shallow cover‐laden flats—places you’d normally throw a
spinnerbait—most anglers prefer a 3/16‐ounce weighted swimbait hook, as opposed to a
lighter 1/8‐ounce. “With the added weight, it’s possible to rocket out some pretty long casts,
Gustafson offered. “Still, to fish these baits effectively, you have to use the right equipment. I
like a 7’2” medium‐heavy Shimano Cumara casting rod teamed with a Shimano Curado reel,
which has a 7:1 gear ratio, and 20‐pound fluorocarbon. Lighter 15‐pound test works for
openwater and smallmouths.”

Cast and simply begin reeling at a steady rate, pausing to “kill” the bait near high spots on the
flat, or close to cover objects such as stumps or weed clusters. “When bass strike these baits,”
Crane said, “they usually engulf them entirely. Just drop your rod back toward the fish, reel up,
and sweep the hookset until your rod loads into a deep bend. Lots of times, these are really big
fish.”

“Some of the region’s top anglers are using Slurpies Rock‐R‐Minnows in competition, but they
haven’t been telling anyone. Well, other than us, that is,” Northland’s Crane recalled with a grin. “And they’re only telling us because they need more baits.”

Are Piranhas Dangerous?

Question: Are Piranhas Dangerous?
Answer: A really hungry Piranha will bite most anything, even his own kin. However, Piranha normally feasts on other species of fish or wounded animals -- not humans. In fact, more piranhas are eaten by people then people are eaten by piranhas. Although I haven't had the pleasure of eating piranha myself, people in some areas of South America eat them regularly and say they are quite tasty.

How Dangerous Are They?
Fish expert, Dr. Axelrod, once stated on network television that piranhas are not dangerous to people. Later he was dared to prove it, and prove it he did. He waded into piranha infested waters wearing only swim trunks. Placing a large piece of meat on a fishhook, he dangled it in the water and waited to see what happened. The piranha tore into the meat but not Dr. Axelrod. Although I wouldn't recommend reaching in the tank to pet your piranha, as long as they are well fed they aren't likely to bite you.

Are Piranhas Legal?
Even though piranhas are not endangering humans, they do present a danger to native fish. For that reason many states restrict importing, breeding, or even keeping them in an aquarium. Why? Unfortunately people have, and will, dump fish they don't want into rivers or lakes. A piranha tossed into river or lake an easily fish that are supposed to live there, thus damaging the ecology.

Should You Keep Them?
Piranhas are not the most ideal aquarium fish. They can't be kept with other fish, because they would eat them. Unless your tank is bare, you won't see them out and about often, because they are rather skittish and hide a good deal of the time. Feeding time is when you will see the most action, and even then they may wait for you to leave the room before they feed.

If you are serious about wanting to keep piranha, study what they need to stay healthy. Piranhas are carnivores that prefer their food live. They need a quiet habitat with places to hide, and should not be kept with other fish, even their own species. Because of the danger they present to local habitats, piranhas are not legal in many states, so check your local laws before trying to bring one home.
By Shirlie Sharpe, About.com

Piranhas

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There are many varieties of carnivorous Piranhas, from the large greatly feared Pygocentrus piraya found in the lower Amazon, the aggressive Pygocentrus cariba found in the Rio Orinoco and Lago del Guarico, Serrasalmus spilopleura in the Amazon River and its tributaries, Rio Parana, and Rio Paraguay, to the everchanging Serrasalmus rhombeus of the Amazon Basin, Orinoco Basin, and Guianas, and others.

They are known by their colors: red, white, yellow, lime, violet, blue and black. They are fresh-water fish, live and hunt in packs, and are known for their sharp teeth, feeding frenzies and food-capturing techniques. Piranhas are also kept in aquariums, with care.

Legend and lore proclaim piranhas will attack a human, or anything bleeding in the water. It is true they feed on injured animals and fish, attacking in a pack and consuming flesh rapidly. Some species reach up to to five pounds.

RED Piranah

This mounted red piranah was bought on the Amazon River.

Red Piranha (Pygocentrus nattereri)(picture) are a native fish of the Amazon River Basin in South America and are notorious for their feeding habits.

• Red Piranha Description - Oval shapped body with a blunt head. The lower jaw sticks out and both jaws have a sinle row of teeth. They have a red belly from which they get their name.

• Red Piranha Size - Average size is six to ten inches long weighing 1/2 to 2 pounds but some have been caught that weighed nine pounds and were 13 inches long.

• Red Piranha Distribution - Native to the Amazon River basin and the Parana River Basin in South America

• What Red Piranha Eat - Carnivores, they will eat any kind of meat from insects to animals in the water.

• Eating Red Piranha - Red Piranha are very good to eat and are highly sought after as a food source.

• Catching Red Piranha - They will hit a variety of live and artificial baits, often attacking plugs bigger than they are.

• Red Piranha Problems - they are a danger to swimmers and livestock in the rivers but not a serious problem. It is rare for them to attack a big animal or person unless there is blood in the water.

Piranha are shown in movies running in big schools and eating everything in the water. That is true, to some extent, but people in the areas where they live swim in waters with them. Unless there is blood in the water they are not likely to attack a person. There are several kinds of piranha but the Red Piranha are the ones of movie fame that eat everything in the water.

Information About Red Piranha:By Ronnie Garrison, About.com

The Secret About Night Fishing Line

Here is a topic that is often debated between night fishermen. Depending on how you like to fish at night, here is what you should look for in general:
Sidebar: There is a device discovered in 1947 that will keep your night line tighter than anything else. The "Evening Secret" is amazing, and you should at least check it out. (http://www.eveningsecretfishing.com/specialsecret/night-line.php)
If you are going to be fishing with a blacklight, you will want to be sure you spool up a clear blue fluorescent line. The clear blue is especially made to work well with blacklight night fishing, so it is highly recommended.
When you go night fishing, never use a line that is less than 20lb test. 20lb is the minimum weight you should even think about. You won't be dealing with those wimpy "day fish".
Ideally, if you are blacklight fishing, you will want to use the 20lb clear blue fluorescent line. When the blacklight hits that line, you will be amazed at how well that line shows up.
Of course, if you do not need to watch your line closely (such as when you are using a spinnerbait) then the color is not as important.
Why do you need a minimum of 20lb test line?
Simple, the fish you will be catching at night are going to be bigger! Sometimes we catch fish twice the size as those we caught during the day at the same spot.
The bigger fish feed at night, so while your buddies are catching the little guys during the day, you can come in and take the 'monsters' at night.
Berkley makes a good clear blue line for night fishing. You should probably get a spool before you plan a night fishing trip. It is called the Berkley Trilene XT Fluorescent Clear Blue. You can pick up a pony spool for about $2.50 and a filler spool for under $6.00.
If you are not blacklight fishing, the color is not as important as the strength of the line. Just make sure it is strong enough to handle the big boys you may come across out there at night.

Tips for Campings

Every person and family will for camping to enjoy the outdoor and natural environment. Especially During holidays families will pack their tent and food to travel to a remote park or natural campsite. We have a few helpful hints and information for the need for your next camping trip. Precautions and preparations during a camping trip are important and will make the trip goes smoothly, will also protect you and your family. If you are reserving a campsite, try to do it ahead of time to make sure you will have a spot to camp. Arrive with plenty of daylight hours left as well, so you can check the area and set up your tent. Trying to set up a tent after the sun goes down will quickly turn into a long and cold ordeal. It is also good to make sure there is no glass or food lying around the campsite before you set up. You should arrive during the day also lets you find a great, level spot to set up your tent and help you find some trees to protect you from the wind and any rain. Try to remember to check for poison ivy and poison oak before the sun goes down. When you set up an area to have a fire, make sure the fire would not spread. Always have someone nearby to watch the fire and keep water close in case of emergency. When you put out your fire, be sure to use water and throw soil onto the area, just to make sure any burning embers you cannot see are cut off from oxygen and would not spread. Try to avoid making the fire too large, this will increase the chance for it to be out of control and spread around the campground. Dispose of all your trash safely in trash bins, or take it with you if the bins are not there. The food should not be left around to attract animals, this is very important in camping areas that have large predators like mountain lions and bears. Leaving trash around is also very harmful to the environment and could hurt wildlife. It is also inappropriate for the campers that will come after you. There are many tips for traveling at http://www.fidetips.com/travel for you to read. Bring a first aid kit with you when you go camping, this will probably come in handy if you go hiking or swimming or come into contact with poison ivy. You should also bring any personal medications for anyone coming on the trip, along with these things like sunscreen, bug repellent, bee sting kit, tweezers, scissors, antiseptic wipes, roll bandages, adhesive tape, sterile gauze, cotton swabs, compresses, ipecac, fresh water, blankets, snake bite kit, burn ointment, poison ivy cream, band aides, antibiotic cream, and pain reliever. When you are walking or hiking keep a look out for any wildlife, avoid approaching them under any circumstances. Even animals that are normally non-aggressive may carry diseases or behave unexpectedly especially with their cubs. Always be on the lookout for snakes, spiders, warps and other animals or insects around the campground. You should also wear bug repellent to keep ticks and mosquitoes away from you. It will be a present and happy camping trip for yourself and the family, if you follow the advice and precautions.

Making Fishing Lures: Basic Tools Required - Part 1

Lets start with the basics, you need a clean solid work surface such as a bench, table, or desk, you will need a vise which will hold the various lures for drilling, filing, bending, and other operations. Almost any bench vise of good size will serve the purpose. Unless you have a permanent workbench, this vise doesn't have to be fastened to the table or desk until needed.
A small anvil is also useful if you plan to make many metal lures or parts for such lures. It is used for cutting, bending, punching, and riveting. However, if you get a big bench vise of the machinist's or utility type you can use the anvil surface found on such vises. Or you can use a small block of iron with a smooth surface as a makeshift anvil.
A hammer, of course, is a basic tool for any kind of work, and for making fishing lures, about two or three hammers will suffice. If you already have a claw hammer, you can use it for many lure-making jobs. However, you should also get at least one ball peen or machinist’s hammer which can be used for shaping metal, driving punches, cold chisels, and other uses. A 12-ounce ball peen hammer is a good size for all-round work. Another type of hammer which is good to have is a soft-faced hammer. These are made of plastic or have rawhide, fiber or lead faces. The soft-faced hammer is used for bending and shaping metal and leaves no tool marks. A wooden mallet is also needed if you plan to shape your own metal spoons or spinners.
At least two saws will be needed. If you already have a hand saw, it can be used for working with wood. Since most lures are small, however, a back saw which has a thin blade and fine teeth is even better than a large hand saw with coarse teeth for accurate cutting. The other saw which is needed is a hacksaw that is used for cutting metal and other hard materials such as plastics. There are many types of hacksaws on the market, but the adjustable frame with a pistol grip is best. You will also need several kinds of blades to use with the hacksaw. These blades have from 14 to 32 teeth to the inch and come in all-hard or flexible tempers. Each type is best for a certain job, depending on the metal or material you are cutting. If you have one or two blades of each kind you'll be prepared for any cutting job.
Some kind of drill is needed for drilling holes in wood and metal. If you have a home workshop with a drill press you can use it for most of the work to be done. It is especially useful when drilling holes in metal. A portable electric drill is also a big aid when drilling, metal, especially if you have to drill many holes. However, when making fishing lures most drilling is done in wood or softer metals such as brass and copper. Here an ordinary hand drill will serve the purpose. Such a hand drill will usually take drills up to ¼ in. in diameter. When buying a hand drill it's a good idea to get the best you can get. A cheap hand drill may not work properly or will soon break or wear out.
You also need a set of twist drills to use with an electric or hand drill. For the drill press or electric drill you will need a set of high-speed drills. The high-speed drills can be used for fast drilling without losing their temper. For drilling wood or soft metals, carbon drills which are cheaper than high speed drills can be used. You should get a complete set of drills up to about ¼ in. in diameter. The smaller sizes are the ones you will use most often. It's a good idea to buy two or three twist drills of the same size in the smaller sizes so that if you break one you'll have a spare.