Why Fishing Report is Necessary

After a long hard day at work, you might get a chance to go fishing if you are lucky. Most of us are occupied at work all day and by the time you reach home you are dog tired to be doing anything let alone fishing.  But it does not apply to fishermen at heart. No matter what we do not miss an opportunity to wet our lines. We pack all our stuffs, right tackles, lures, and head out looking for some great times ahead. 

For seasoned anglers, it is piece of cake. We know what all we need and what exactly are the fish biting on, where the fish can be found, where they have been stocked, what is the most active time when the fish are biting and so on and so forth. No, experience over the years is not the reason behind being good at fishing alone. There are certain other requirements and tools that when combined together, makes you a better angler.

When you are going fishing, you obviously have a particular spot in mind; say a lake or a pond or a pier.  But if you don’t know what type of fish there are in that spot how will you decide what tackles to use, what lures, baits etc  to use that would increase your chances of catching a fish or two?  This is when fishing reports come into the picture. This report has all the basic info you would need before going fishing.  What kind of fish is in the water, when they are biting, what are they biting on – lures and baits that would be the most effective and where exactly you can find these fish etc.  

You have gone fishing in a lake, say a few miles away from home and you have caught some decent size bass- your day is made.  There must be some other anglers looking for some fishing spots close to home and if you write a fishing report, with the types of fish, when is the most effective time to be fishing in that particular spot, what  lures or baits they are biting on etc can help a fellow angler. Just as you found out about the spot from another fishing report, so will a fellow angler be benefited from your latest report.  

One thing about these is that it has to be current.  You cannot refer to a report on the same lake but years older- that would not help. The information in order to work has to be up to dated. The information has to be authentic.   For some fishing reports. Before heading out on a fishing trip, we always refer to a report and that gives us a fair idea about what exactly can we expect.  It also helps you to get all your fishing tackles organized. You already know what is working so instead of carrying all that you own, you take only as much as you need for the day. 

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Kayak Fishing Safety Guidelines for a Successful and Safe Trip

Kayak fishing is a very thrilling and enjoyable experience but it is risky too. You get to be on the water, fish with absolute stealth, get a chance to witness the action from a much closer angle, take the kayak out for a short fishing trip and whenever you want. You do not have to worry about gas, insurance, strict maintenance rituals and many more. It is an angler’s delight in the truest sense of the term. But it is of utmost importance to not to compromise on safety when on a kayak. Below are some tips that you ideally should pay heed to in order to have a safe kayak fishing trip.

If you are on a kayak and fishing in a large body of water, safety should be your prime importance. You can take kayaking lessons from an expert until you are confident enough to maneuver the watercraft alone. You might flip your kayak, hit your head on a rock or can be run down by a careless boater. You never know what might happen so to be on the safe side wear your life vest.  Getting a bright orange flag along with some metallic reflective tape for the flag pole will help other boaters notice you a lot easier.

If you are buying a kayak for the first time, opt for a sit-in model. It requires the angler to sit inside the kayak and is more stable. The more modern sit-on-top model kayaks are a little difficult to handle. Make a wise choice. There are some essential items that you would need on the kayak with you. Rod holders, fishing crate, fishing tackle, bottles of water, paddle leash, anchor trolley, tackle box and lunch box will ensure that you have a successful time on the water.  

Certain tools like a lip gripper and needle nose pliers are a must have when you are on a kayak fishing trip. Reaching down into the water to grab a fish you have just hooked may sound exciting but not if the sharp hook goes into your own skin.  Lip grippers thus will solve this problem. Then again it becomes very difficult to use teeth to cut the tag ends of the fishing knots on a braid line. A needle nose plier with sharp cutters will help break through thicker lines or remove the hooks from the fish’s mouth.

When fishing from a kayak, casting accuracy is the key to catching fish.  A little practice beforehand is going to help.  Sight fishing is not as easy as it looks from a kayak. There is one technique that guarantees 100% solid hook sets every time.   Make sure that the nose of your kayak is pointing towards where the fish is at.

This allows the energy in your hookset to travel the length of the boat without being dispersed into the water.
 Bring along a cooler packed with ice to keep your fish that you catch. Avoid keeping them out in the open as the sun will dry them. In saltwater take care to properly store the fish to keep the blood draining into the water-it attracts sharks easily.

To make your fishing trip more successful and enjoyable and safe all at the same time, Abide by hese guidelines. Good Luck and Tight Lines!

Fishing For Carp at Night- How to Do It

How to Be a Better Fly fisher

 For someone who has never been down a beautiful clear stream in the early mornings to cast a fly line with a nymph for a trout has no idea what joy fly fishing actually brings. And it is not about the catching- the fishing itself is so beautiful and perfect- no wonder many fishermen has actually fallen in love with it.  The birds chirping, the mistiness of the trees and bushes around, the stream whooshing by, the chill in the air, the serenity, peaceful ambiance and if the catching happens to be as good as the fishing, nothing like it! Here are some tips that will make you a better fly fisherman.  

 This not only is applicable for fly fishing but any type of fishing all together. It is a common courtesy to take your line of the water for an angler who has a fish on the line.  This is to give them enough space to land their fish especially if fishing down river from another angler.

 Silence is golden when you are fly fishing- you do not want to spook the fish and also the other fly fishers around. You are here to fish in peace and solitude, better to leave the dog and the radio back at home.

 What could possibly go wrong in a beautiful place like this? But you never know. In order to reach those otherwise hard to reach places, we often prefer to wade, but remember never fish by yourself on an unknown lakes, river or streams, always wear a good pair of wading boots, use a strong but flexible wading staff and know the area where you are wading.

 One of the most important fly fishing etiquette is to be a helping hand – from lending something they need like an extra line to retrieving something that has floated down river. It is only going to make your fishing trip a more pleasurable one – getting to know some new people and more.

 Next, the tackle box- keep your soft plastic baits and worms in a small container away from your other lures. Buying separate small tackle boxes also helps a lot. For instance-one for your worms and the other for spinner baits.  There are also seasonal tackle boxes that you can use at a particular time of the year.  
 
 When you know are going on a fly fishing trip, gets your things organized. It helps a lot when you have things kept in order and can reach for them quickly when you need them.  Carry your wading staff when fishing in those unfamiliar waters, a good pair of wading shoes for a better grip, your sun block- you would be glad at the end of the day that you did carry it!  Wear your polarized glasses – it enables you to see beneath the water and keep an eye on your fish. Do not wear clothes that are re, yellow, black white or navy blue – to discourage the insects and bugs.

Cairns: A Fishing Paradise Waiting To Be Discovered

The city named after William Wellington Cairns, the then current Governor of Queensland, the provincial city is situated in Far North Queensland. The tropical climate attracts several tourists to Cairns- also known as the gateway of the Great Barrier Reef. This is an ideal location for the fishing buffs looking for a great place to indulge in some adventure and adrenalin rush.   

This is the home of marlin fishing in Australia. So, if you are into big game fishing, there are some great charter companies that offer a one day to week long ocean trips. And June to August and then September to the middle of December are the most productive times. 

The Great Barrier Reef always has been one of the best attractions of Australia. And fishing in these reefs is a delight. From Spanish mackerel, coral trout, red emperor, nannyagai are in plenty. Hire a marlin fishing charter and head out to have a gala time on the water. 

There is also estuary fishing to try your hands at. Just a 5 minutes travel by boat The Trinity Inlet is a key location of estuary fishing. The lush greenery, the mountains, mangrove forest is home to a number of species like the famous barramundi, mangrove jack, fingermark, trevally, gold spot, salmon grunter. Watch out for the saltwater crocs relaxing in the muddy bank. Head out to King’s Park for some squid and big fingermark.  

For some barramundi and other fresh water fish, try Atherton Tableland, and Lake Tinaroo, if you are here around the right time, you can also be a part of the annual Fish Stocking Barra Bash with more than thousand people involved. 

While you are in Cairns, you also want to try out river fishing. The local tidal systems, the physical and structural and features of the sand bars weed beds, tidal flows etc paves the way for dome fantastic fishing. The Russel River, Daintree River and the Mulgrave River are the best places to hook the picture perfect fish. Barramundi, grunter, mangrove jack, fingermark tarpon are most common. Salmon, queenfish, whiting, bream, estuary cod, trevally are found in the cooler months. But in accordance to the rules, the fish caught must be released.   

And not only that, once you are cairns, you can go deep sea diving, snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming and more, the kids just love it. The beaches, the sun and the sand makes it a dream come true holiday destination. 

Before you are going for a fishing trip, make sure you are well aware of the fishing rules and regulations and also have a fishing license. The size and bag limits must also be adhered to. Check the concerned website for all up to date fishing information: season, catch and bag limits, catch and release policy, tackles, baits, lures and more.  If you want to look up for more spots, visit marinews.com. 

Amidst the Raging Waters: How to Deal with It

It only looks good in movie when you see a boat capsizing in the middle of the sea in heavy weather and the daredevil protagonist fighting all odds to rescue the lives of everyone on board! Outside the 90mm screen, the scene is horrifying and the worst nightmare of boaters. It is a thumb rule to be weather wise if you are into sailing and boats. Before you take your boat out, you are to check the weather forecasts and even once on the water, keep a constant check on the weather with the help of the VHF radio. The last thing you need in the middle of the sea is to be in an unfriendly weather condition, raging and towering waves and shell shocked passengers. Boat capsizing in heavy weather is one of the top reasons for boating accidents.

Had there been a special skills criteria for boaters, having developed a ‘weather eye’ would feature on the list. The best way to avoid heavy weather is to get to shore immediately but that is not a feasible option if you are on an extended tour. Thus you should prepare yourself and the vessel and the crew for what is to come.

Weather conditions vary in severity and boat sizes vary in size, type, design etc. It is thus obvious that the laundry list of precautionary items would vary too. Below are some things to do in case of approaching heavy weather. 

What to do as a good skipper:

• The best thing you can do is to consult the weather forecast before leaving port.

• The crew must be aware of what to do when extreme weather arrives. Meet the crew, explain the situation to them and reassure. Keeping low in boat, not moving around excessively and avoiding going out on deck unless absolutely necessary must be followed.

• It is important to determine the position of the storm, speed, wind direction and estimate time to your location.

• All ports and windows must be closed and all hatches secured.

• Sloshing of water in the bilge can affect stability and thus it is important to pump them dry.

• It is important for the skipper to know the boat in and out. The operations, handling, maneuvering is the key in such adverse conditions.

• All the lose gears above the decks and below must be secured.

• Certain emergency items that you might need like hand pumps, first aid kit, emergency bailers sound signaling device etc must be kept ready.

• Make everyone wear their PFDs if they are not wearing it yet. As a skipper it is your duty to see to it that this has aspect of safety precaution has been taken care off.

• Plot your position on your chart. Also make note of the time, the direction you are heading and speed.

• The life raft must be kept ready to be deployed and the emergency food and water are in the raft.

• Be ready, you might even have to abandon the ship; review the procedures.

• Turn on the navigation lights.

• Keep an eye on floating debris and other sharp objects.

• If you have a choice, better not to operate the boat from the flybridge.

• Before taking the boat out, a boat test is mandatory. The boat review will help to pinpoint any malfunctioning of the vessel that can be immediately attended to.

Maneuvering the boat in the adverse heavy weather conditions is one of the toughest tasks the boaters have had to deal with. Caution is the key word here.