Saltwater Fly Fishing Tips

Are you a seasoned freshwater fly fisherman or a saltwater fisherman looking to add a new and fresh dimension to your angling pleasure? Why not take up saltwater fly fishing? It is a wonderful pastime although it can be challenging.

If you are already doing freshwater fly fishing, be prepared to gear up for a different type of fishing. You will in all likelihood need a heavier rod, reel, and line. What is the reason for this? Well, unlike fishing freshwater, the ocean or bay tends to be windier and you need more weight to slice through the wind. Additionally, the fish tend to be heavier in the saltwater.

For example, the best models for all around use would be a rod 8-1/2 to 9 feet long. Line weight? Again, for all around use a 7, 8 or 9 weight line would be ideal. It goes without saying that you need to use a rod and reel balanced to your line weight. Of course these are just average weights. If you know you will be fishing in primarily low wind conditions, you can bump your line weight down three notches or so and for high wind, you can bump it up three notches. Since fly fishing equipment is expensive, do your homework and buy what will work for you.

The fly patterns used in Saltwater are different than the ones you would use in fresh water. This makes sense when you think of it because the food available to the fish is different. Remember, match the hatch. Some popular patterns are crabs, shrimp, baitfish, and marine worms. Just as with fresh water, what works splendidly on one day might be a total wash on the next.

How does the fisherman find the most productive water? Consider that tidal activity is the device that modulates the entire living environment of the shoreline. Let's consider the Gulf of Mexico since that is what I am most familiar with.

Passes and estuaries bring in fresh saltwater from the Gulf and approximately six hours afterwards return a more diluted mix of water back to the Gulf. Flats and estuaries go through a cycle of being flooded and almost drained. This serves to provide the food eaten by the baitfish and other prey that attract redfish, drum, trout, and other gulf game fish.

This constant flooding/flush cycle generates natural channels. All life forms use these channels as "roads" on which they travel. These channels are any number of sizes, depending on local conditions. They can up to a hundred yards wide and several inches or a few feet deeper than the surrounding bottom. Phytoplankton languidly float in the prevailing current and your baitfish come along next, because phytoplankton is their primary food source. The game fish you are after navigate these "roads" and feed on the baitfish, crabs, and other prey. You, as a fly fisherman, use these same roads to find and flush out your prey, which is of course the game fish.

So you see, you are just another part of the natural cycle of life. By becoming familiar with the local tides (you can buy a chart or just reference the newspaper) and the whereabouts of your channels, the fisherman can find the areas where game fish are active and the when their feeding is most likely to be aggressive.

Now let's take a few moments to consider how you are going to get to the fish. If you are fishing close to shore, say on a pier or on the shore, you can just find a spot where you judge the fish to be and where you can make a good presentation. A popular alternative to this is wading. If you are wading, stingrays can be a real problem. Fortunately, some of the newer waders on the market are made of a material that deals with this very effectively. One case of stepping on a stingray's tail will ruin potentially a month's worth of fishing as you recuperate.

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Source: http://www.pcwriters.com/Article/Saltwater-Fly-Fishing-Tips/100508

General Saltwater Fishing Regulations

Saltwater fishing regulations vary depending not only where you are in your country, but where you are in the world. Nations claim a certain number of miles offshore before international waters commence and it is in these national waters that a country may regulate. In addition, in the United States, each state may have its own regulations.

For example, in the state of Texas, restrictions may be enforced from shore to within nine nautical miles from shore and on any fish that is taken within two hundred nautical miles of Texas shore and brought onshore into Texas. You should consult your local regulations to be able to have the information to remain compliant.

Saltwater fishing regulations generally restrict both weight and daily bag limitations of the indigenous species that are found off its shores. This is regulated by the sales of saltwater fishing licenses that must be renewed on an annual basis. On certain species, the limit might be so restricted that an additional stamp must be purchased in addition to the standard license.

What decides the size and bag limit each year? The authorities for each responsible region conduct periodic studies of species populations and propagation rates and calculate how many fish can be taken in the next season to keep the total fish population in balance. This is a very good example not only of conservancy, but of man controlling nature to ensure an adequate food supply, both for commercial and recreational purposes.

There was a time when redfish were so abundant that sport fishermen would catch as many as they could and sell the excess to local restaurants for a handsome profit, since it makes such a delicious meal. Those days are gone now although there is still some bootlegging and poaching going on. Not only that but neighboring Louisiana has much laxer laws and their fishermen catch the same fish out of the Gulf and transport them across state lines.

Red snapper is just another species whose bag limit has been reeled in in the past couple of years. The problem has been that since red snapper is such a good table fish that party boats have long gone offshore and used such devices as electric reels to net the maximum number of fish. This is not exactly the definition of sportsmanship. It would be better defined as "personal commercial fishing."

The end result is that these irresponsible fishing trips have resulted in such a decimation of the species that they are really in trouble and strict limitations have been imposed. Even so, the numbers have not rebounded as predicted. Some speculate that things in the food chain are just too out of balance. This is precisely why saltwater fishing regulations need to be predictive in nature and not a knee-jerk reaction which always comes after the damage is done.

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Source: http://www.pcwriters.com/Article/General-Saltwater-Fishing-Regulations/100504

Deep Sea Fishing - It's All In The Weight

Whether you fancy deep sea fishing in Orlando or anywhere else in the world, knowing a little about which weights and baits to use can make a huge difference when looking for that big catch.

Certain fish feed at different times of the day, if there is a particular fish that you are hoping to catch, then it is worth finding out what time of the day these fish are most active and timing your deep sea fishing trip to go out at that time of day.

As well as the right time, it is important that you use the right weights to meet the weather conditions.

You can't always tell what is happening with your line once you have cast it out into sea, but you can tell by the surface what kind of current you might expect underneath.

The way your bait moves underwater can also determine whether or not you are likely to get a bite, so using the right weights are important.

There are a number of different weights you can use, and here are just a few to give you an idea what to look out for.

Pear Shaped
Pear shaped weights are the more commonly used weights. These weights are great for normal weather conditions. They allow the bait to move around to help things look more normal to the passer by fish that are looking for a feed. However, these will not be much use in stronger currents.

Grip Leads
Grip leads are great for stronger tides when a Pear shaped weight just isn't strong enough.

Watch Leads
Watch leads are like flat rounded weights which are similar to Pear shaped weights but they won't roll around so hold the bottom of the sea bed better.

Ball Weights
Ball weights are not like the other leads. Ball weights slide onto the rod rather than being tied. As well as being used as normal weights, people also use them to give more weight to the rod.

When choosing the right weight for weather conditions you should also take into account how those weights will act underwater. It is always better to have a weight that is too heavy than a weight that is too light.

Weights that are too light will make the tackle move towards the river bank. This looks un-natural and will likely give you fewer bites than a heavier weight.

If you are on a deep sea fishing trip and you have cast out and you are not getting many bites, it is always worth experimenting with different weights as well as different bait.

You could cast out 2 rods and leave one static and experiment with the other. If you are not getting a catch in a long period of time, then it is definitely worth experimenting.

Using fresh fish as bait is always better and likely to get more bites. Bigger fish are attracted to fresh bait, so if it means you have to spend a little more on your bait, the reward that will come from it will be worth it.

If you are the kind of person who enjoys night fishing, then using a luminous bead with a torch will enable you to see where you have cast out for at least 20 seconds.

As well as this, using a head torch will ensure your hands are free when a big fish comes along.

It may sound a lot to take in for the new deep sea fisherman, but well worth taking note of to give you a better experience on your fishing trip.

Nicky Bullimore has been writing articles on different topics for a number of years. To find out more about Deep Sea fishing in Orlando visit the Pastime Princess website.

Source: http://www.postarticles.com/Article/Deep-Sea-Fishing---It-s-All-In-The-Weight/116684

Tips and Tricks for Catching Walleye in Rivers

Many people who fish the rivers, fish by the dams and mouth of the rivers in the spring, but some of pros suggest that there are even better places to hook the walleye instead of being bunched together by the dams and the mouth of the river.

Some of the pro walleye anglers like to head about five to ten miles downstream were they find the walleye that have not even made it up to the spawning waters yet. This is true because not all walleye spawn at the same time nor do they always spawn in the same place as other walleye.

If you find a river area that has rock structures, springs, and rubble flats or has a deep transition shoreline, you are going to find some good walleye fishing. In order to find the perfect place on a river to fish for walleye, you need to look for the area that has something that is characteristic of the walleye. Sandbars, a ledge or current break are habitats for the spring walleye. Do not try to fish a big area, fish sections at a time. If you start out big, you will lose the best spot and maybe the big walleye.

Another good tip for fishing the deeper rivers is that when the walleye are trying to fight the current upstream, they sometimes take rest in the deep holes underwater. Here you can use a heavier weight with a three-way swivel and a crankbait to drop into the deep holes where the walleye are staging. You will find the more walleye on their way upstream will be found in these areas if you are not finding them in the other areas of the river. The current in these staging holes is slower than that of the top water current.

Every river you fish is going to be different as well. You might fish with a crankbait in one river and find out that another river you are going to need a jig with a small minnow. The size of the minnow is going to depend on the time of year you fish the walleye. Before spawning, a tiny minnow is best, but after spawning when they are replenishing their food intake, you can start using bigger minnows. Right before winter, a larger minnow works because the walleye are gorging for the winter months and are going for the bigger baits.

If you find that the weather is slightly colder on a given day, you might want to give up the lake fishing and head to the river. Walleye will stay on the river side if the temperature cools down. The river water temperatures are slightly higher at this time and the walleye move around more in the river water than they do in the colder water. If you find some weed beds, you want to try using a tub bait, which will allow you to fish the weeds for the walleye. Using a three-sixteenths to a half ounce jigs works the best for this in the river.

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Source: http://www.pcwriters.com/Article/Tips-and-Tricks-for-Catching-Walleye-in-Rivers/100542