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Fishing offers a way for outdoors enthusiasts to enjoy nature while providing food for themselves and their families. Depending on what area of the country you are from there are several fishing options open to new and old anglers alike. Pan fishing, saltwater, freshwater and fly-fishing are some of the most popular fishing styles among modern anglers. There are a few tips that anglers should know regardless of how long they have been enjoying the outdoor sport of fishing. These tips are designed to help the angler enjoy their hobby while still keeping an eye on good fishing practices for conservation.
Switch Fishing Spots
A leading concern for many fisheries is the practice of overfishing. Overfishing a certain area can cause a complete depletion of natural fish life within that lake, river or bay. In fact, this problem has become such a concern for many wildlife departments that public fishing areas have started opening their fishing areas on a schedule. Anglers are allowed to use the fishing area only on certain days, for certain months or certain time slots to prevent an overfishing issue. If your area does not have any rules in place for overfishing then a good rule of thumb is to rotate your fishing spots every week or every other week.
Educate Yourself on Your Catch
One of the biggest mistakes that many new anglers make is to pick a fish type and start fishing without any education on the fish itself. Different fish require different bait, tactics and even timing. Most anglers already know that. However, what some do not consider is that the bait or method used to catch one type of fish may in fact be harmful to another type that is in the same waters as the chosen catch of the day. With that in mind, it is a good rule of thumb to look up the fish you have your eye on and make sure that the lures, bait or nets will not harmfully affect other fish in the surrounding area.
Gather all your Supplies
Before and after you go fishing it is always a good idea to gather up any supplies, gear or tools that you use for your fishing trip. It makes sense to take only the supplies you will need fishing but many anglers may forget to gather up supplies when leaving the fishing area. Leaving behind hooks, lures and tangled fishing line may result in the area wildlife being harmed. It may also result in another individual being harmed or even a child being harmed. Make sure that you bring a trash container like an old coffee can with a lid or some other re-sealable container for lures, tangled line and hooks. This will keep the fishing are clean of debris, animals out of harms way and harmful items being left behind that may cause injury for other anglers and their families.
How to Catch BIG FISH?
Fly fishing varies quite a bit from other forms of fishing, mostly because you’re using a much lighter lure, which requires different angling techniques, different rods, different fishfinders and different types of line. But different doesn’t always have to mean “more difficult.” In fact, even the most inexperienced of fishers can get a hold of fly fishing and have a good time with it if they consider a few points and tips before casting. Here, I’ll quickly go over some of the unique things about fly fishing, and what one can do to make their fly fishing experiences a little easier and more fun.
Step 1
Before fly fishing for the first time, one should realize that simply the act of casting a fly lure is vastly different from casting lures in other types of fishing. As a matter of fact, it’s not even called “casting lure” in fly fishing, as fly lures are often much more light. Rather, one casts line when fly fishing, as it’s the weight of the line that carries the lure across. Fly fishing requires line specifically made for fly fishing, as fly line is often more dense and heavier than other types of line. Considering casting techniques is also just as important, and there are a number of casting techniques out there, each designed for different types of situations. The important thing to consider here is that one’s fly, line, rod, and casting technique plays a part in presenting the fly as organically as possible, making it seem lifelike. Fish will snap up bait that most resembles the types of bugs and prey they typically eat, so it is important to have your bait reflect this.
Step 2
Of course, considering all of this, is very important that you know what kinds of food your fish eat when fly-fishing. Bass will often go for lures tied with synthetic fur, which keep those lures floating above water and attractive to bass. Trout will often go slow-moving aquatic bugs and grasshoppers when looking for something to snap at. Crappies and sunfish will often seek out minnows, and so respond the best to lures that mimic these smaller fish. The important thing to consider is just looking into what your preferred fish is eating, and how to best imitate their prey with your bait.
Step 3
Considering the location of your fish is also quite important when considering fly-fishing. For example, trout will often be found in water filled with vegetation and weeds to look for their prey. Bass are often found around boat docks and tree trunks, or near rocks in places of flowing water. They are often found preying on panfish, which can also be found around the same places bass can be found. Seawater fish will often move with the tides to find their prey, and fish will often be found around docks and beaches. Movement on the surface will typically indicate the presence of fish in saltwater bodies.
Final Note
Keeping all of this in mind, and doing a fair bit of research and practice on your own, you’ll have success in fly-fishing in very little time. The most important thing to consider when fly-fishing is your preferred catch’s source of food, and being able to imitate the behavioral patterns of that food source. Take into consideration what kind of fish you want to catch, where that fish resides, and how to imitate their food with your line, and you will have the basics of fly-fishing down. After all, no amount of instruction can make up for consistent and persistent practice. The only way to truly become better at fly-fishing is to simply do it!