Thursday, 8 May 2008

How To Choose The Fishing Trip Destination That's Right For Your Group

Try doing a web search on the words fishing lodge and you will come up with hundreds of thousands of matches. Visit any major sports show and youll find dozens of outfitters, each offering promises of the trip of a lifetime. How on earth do you narrow it down and find the fishing destination thats just right for you?

Identify Your Priorities for you fishing trip...

The first step in selecting a destination is to sit down with everyone else going on the trip and discuss what it is that you want out of the experience. Its not enough to decide you want great fishing, because that can mean very different things from one person to the next.

One person in your party might be delighted to catch 20 fish per day, while another might expect 20 fish an hour. This is the time to be perfectly clear and up-front, because the more honestly you communicate your wishes, the better the chances you will have a great trip.

Some important things to decide right from the beginning include:

What species of fish do you want to catch?
This sounds like a no-brainer, but it definitely needs to be discussed. If one member of your party really wants to catch lake trout and the resort you pick has lousy fishing for them, that person will be very disappointed. If the place you pick has fishing for multiple species, you should decide how much time and effort you want to apply to each. What matters most, and what matters least? Do you want to catch walleye, northern pike, bass, char?

Do you want lots of action? Or trophy fish?
Does great fishing mean catching a fish on every cast? Or would you go all day for one bite, provided that fish was a giant? Of course we would all like fast action with trophy fish, but its important to keep your expectations realistic. So between the two, which is most important? And what honestly constitutes a big fish for you? Would a 20-pound salmon make you smile? Or would it have to be a 50?

How are the fish caught?
Can you sight-fish? Or is it primarily deep trolling? Imagine how disappointing it would be to spend all winter watching people on TV fishing shows hammer big pike on topwaters, then find on your trip of a lifetime the only way to catch them is by deep trolling in 60 feet of water?

What is your realistic budget?
Lets face it; money is a deciding factor for all of us. You need to be honest about what youre prepared to spend, and also how you want to spend it. If you have $1,000 to blow on a trip, do you want a week at Lodge A, or three days at Lodge B which might offer more upscale accommodations or a better shot at a trophy fish?

Once you have decided exactly what kinds of fish you want to catch and how you want to catch them, you need to discuss the accommodations.

In order to get the kind of fishing your group wants, are you willing to rough it in a tent camp where you have to prepare your own food, or is a certain amount of creature comfort also a priority?

How important is a hot shower at the end of the day, or having someone else deal with the cooking and cleaning up? Can you live without a flush toilet? Would you rather bring your own boat?

Again, its important to be honest and realistic right up front.

Once youve established clear priorities for the fishing and the accommodations and set a rough budget, its time to start looking at what different lodges have to offer.

The species of fish you want to catch, the amount of time you want to be away and the amount of cash you have to spend should help focus your search to a general geographic area, while the priorities your group collectively identified should allow you to narrow your search within that geographic area fairly quickly. It's everyone's fishing trip ... so plan it well.

Now, its a matter of contacting fishing lodge operators within that region, and seeing what they have to offer.

Call The Government
State or provincial tourism departments are the best way to find fishing lodges within specific areas. If youve decided your group wants to go to Alaska to fish for salmon and steelhead, then start with a call to the Alaska department of tourism. They can send you all sorts of information on outfitters, general fishing information, plus stuff on license requirements, fishing regulations and such.

Selecting the right fishing trip destination is probably the single most important aspect of planning your fishing trip. Well, choosing the right fishing buddies is pretty important, also.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dave Cushion is the author of the comprehensive manual "The Ultimate Fishing Trip Guidebook!" For more tips on planning your dream fishing trip, or to just learn how the experts catch more fish, go to http://www.fishing-trip-advisor.com and check out our other articles.

The Thrill of Trout Fishing

The thrill of trout fishing! It is the best, isnt it? No matter where you plan to go trout fishing, you know you are more than likely going to enjoy your trip. The sport is a sport of its own, set aside from other types of fishing. Some believe trout fishing is the most difficult of any type of fishing. Regardless of if you believe this or not, there are many reasons to love trout fishing.

To begin with, trout fishing is all about being smarter than the fish! You need to know how that fish is going to react long before it does. How do you know this and do this? For one, you need to know about the animal itself. Trout are very smart animals. They know that they are prey, so they will avoid anything they think is going to harm them. So, you, the fisherman, need to be smarter and catch the trout unaware. That is why when you are trout fishing, you will more then likely cast from quite a distance. Trout come up to the surface to feed. If they lay their eyes on you, they are gone. No hope of catching it. Instead, casting from a distance is important to keep you out of the picture.

Trout fishing is also a demanding sport because it takes knowledge. Its not enough to know about how the trout react, but you have to know what equipment you need. When you go to your local sporting goods stores or tackle shop, you will find that there is often a large line of products designed for trout fishing. The lure that you use will need to be something that will enter the water unnoticeable and without causing a splash. The trout fishing line you use will need to be pretty much clear, but strong. There is much more equipment specific things you can invest in to help you with your trout fishing. Simply look around the store to see what jumps out at you!

Some of the best things about trout fishing are the trips you can enjoy. You can plan a trout fishing trip to last a day, a weekend, or a week. You can book your trout fishing trip to be in a nearby lake or river. But, think about booking a trout fishing trip out of the country! If not, perhaps you would like to consider an out of state trout fishing trip. Not only are these the best ways to enjoy the sport and all types of trout fishing, but you get to see some of the most beautiful places in the world!

It goes without saying that trout fishing is one of the best sports out there. If you are a beginner looking to learn, the best knowledge you can obtain is experience. Yes, you can purchase all that equipment, but nothing will teach and help you more then experience in trout fishing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken Austin
http://www.1stdiscountshopping.com http://www.1stinroses.com

Put Away That Fishing Pole And Haul Out The Net

Are you still using a fishing pole to build your
downline?

Whenever someone talks about building a downline, we
automatically think in terms of Network Marketing. The
fact is, the same principles apply to two tier affiliate
programs.

The first rule to succeed with two tier programs or mlm
is to build wide fast.

Why?

If less than 5% of new marketers ever succeed, that
means 95% or more of those you sign up will join and not
do anything.

If you're sitting on the bank using a fishing pole,
you're on the slow boat to China. You'll end up
frustrated and more than likely throw in the towel
before you've even given yourself a chance.

You must haul out the net and start thinking like the
heavy hitters. Cast your net and gather as many new
sign ups as possible.

You're like the old miners panning for gold. You'll
sift through a lot of silt before you start hitting
those rare nuggets that are inspired enough to do
what it takes to succeed.

Once you find them, work with them as if your future
depended on it.

It does!

A good affiliate or first level downline member is
worth more them their weight in gold.

You future profits depend on them. Teach them how to
use their net and you'll both be rewarded.

If you truly want to succeed with affiliate programs
or MLM, put that fishing pole away and haul out the
net.

You'll be glad you did.

Gone Fishing,
John Colanzi
Street Smart Marketing

John publishes the "Street Smart Marketing" newsletter.
To subscribe mailto:streetsmart@rapidreply.net
If you'd like to see how John uses this strategy to
make money visit: http://mydtmm.com/5979

A Marketers Minefield - Why The Fraudsters Are Targeting You.Emily Robinson

They want your talent, your network and most of all, they want
your marketing capabilities. Fraud. It's the crime of the times,
so what does that have to do with you?

The United States continues to be plagued as the investment
fraud capital of the world. Savvy network marketers and
MLM'ers continue to be caught in the under currents of the
investment fraudsters wave. Have no doubt in your mind
these people are pros. They are charming, charismatic,
intelligent and very 'likeable'.... that is until you realize what
they have done to you.

Network marketers and MLM'ers are being targeted by these
Pros in order to market and sell their financially appealing
'opportunities'. Investment opportunities in FOREX trades, High
Yield Investments, Trading Programs, Promissory Notes and
Certificates of Deposit - all "secured" and guaranteed" at no
risk to the potential investor. They seek the more liberated
audiences, the risk takers, those on the free enterprise path,
those in search of financial independence.

They want you to get out there and spread the magic. So you do.
I mean after all, they were offering huge commission checks,
and you are not adverse to some free thinking and non-regulated
investment - the commissions alone would set you and your
family up for life. This is it, this is the one... the opportunity you
have been waiting for. You knew that if you kept on working hard,
the right opportunity would come your way. And here it is,
at last...

It is because you are so good at what you do that you have been
targeted to play in their game. They need someone who can
really sell, some worker bee's to go and generate more honey
for them. Everything looks in order, they have the flashy car, the
money and a $5,000 suit to match. They also say they have the
contacts in the financial world that everyone wants to know.

There are a multitude of ways they will drag you in, all
involve substantial financial reward for you... don't be tempted.
Check them out, see who they are, at the very least run a
background check on them... do they come from where they say
they come from? Follow up on those stories they told you, and
put together the inconguencies for yourself. Keep an open mind.

And most of all be prepared for their answers. They have
answers, for everything. They'll tell you that you are too
suspicious, 'do you know how lucky you are to be a part of this?
It's only open to a select few'. If you start to bang the drum too loudly, they'll kick you out of their set-up...You're too much
trouble.

Being alert and listening to your instincts, those nagging doubts,
can save you immeasurable heartache down the road.
The reality is that these people will create a whirlwind, gather
the money and disappear. They leave you to face the FBI,
the civil suits, the angry investors who have lost their entire
savings. You even got your parents to invest their 401k, and
they lost it all... and you, well not only do you suffer the financial
devastation of being looped by the con, your reputation is mud
and the network you have cultivated over many years no longer
trusts you. You end up in the marketers graveyard.

Be alert, check them out and follow up... then confront them with
your findings. Most of all, listen and really "hear" the answer.
You are investing in yourself, and your future...
don't see what you want to see - see it as it is.

Emily Robinson is a co-founder of The Virtual School Of Investigators - educating investigative professionals, marketers and consumers in the growing issues of fraud. Join their LIVE tele-class training "Extreme Profits?? How To Keep Your Investments Safe From Fraud" by visiting www.thevsi.com

Going Fishing

Every year about this time, we make our annual pilgrimage to the waters of the Atlantic to go striped bass fishing. Loading the boat with all the essentials, such as something cool to quaff and piles of sandwiches, we grab our rods and reels and sally forth. But wait - did we forget something? Sure did - we need to have bait. What are they biting on this time of year?

Fortunately there is a bait shop on the way out, so we tie up to the dock and go inside. There we talk with the owner who tells us they are biting on several different kinds, so taking his advice we buy several. At first we each use a different kind, and if they seem to favor one bait over the other, we all start using the one that is attracting the fish.

Hmm - sounds familiar doesn't it. We do the same thing when trying to lure customers into our online offers. Like in fishing, you need the essentials in your business. Our web site and email programs can be compared to the fishing equipment, but we have to have the proper bait. This is where your advertising comes in. Your ads are your bait, and you will need to use different ads to attract different customers.

Writing ads is a skill you must master if you wish your online business to prosper. There has been a lot written about writing effective ads. Sometimes what might be considered a bad ad by the pros is one that actually works. Why you might ask? Different styles appeal to different people, and you have to realize, that while the web might provide a level playing field for entrepreneurs, the likes and dislikes of potential customers are vary widely.

While "Glitz", and exaggerated earnings claims might appeal to some, to others it is a turn off. Wild claims about earnings potential might gather some prospects, but will be an automatic "click away" for others who prefer a low key approach. You must experiment with different ad copy, and keep records of what is drawing.

There are many ways to do this, and some suggest that you have multiple web sites geared towards ads that are running. In your ads, you point your visitors to different sites and by keeping statistics, you can see which ads are working.

But here is the dilemma. Depending on any number of factors, visitors could be coming from places other than your ads, and the results might be misleading. If, for example, a search engine picks up one site and not the other, you will obviously have more visitors to the site that has been indexed.

Bluntly, hits to your web site don't really count - sales do. Your first job however, is to get visitors to your site. This is done through a variety of methods, including advertising, the use of search engines and email. Once you get them there, you must then sell them on your product.

On our web sites, we have an "after sale" questionnaire and we simply ask them how they found us. Now these people have decided to do business with us, and their answers will most likely be truthful. We then log this information, which helps us determine what advertising is working.

Ads that don't appear to be pulling, we modify until we start seeing positive results. One of the best places to test your ads is in ezine publications that are highly targeted toward your potential customers. I don't recommend ads in publications that are not targeted to your prospects. Unless you have a very generalized product, the return you get in these will most likely be minimal. More importantly, you won't get sufficient information to determine if the actual copy is working.

Many people have been advertising in the same ezines for years. Remember that there is some "thrashing" that occurs, and some people drop off the subscription list for the publication, but others are added. This gives you a constant new group of people who will read your ad every time it is published.

Experienced online entrepreneurs will even keep the same copy year after year if it is pulling. It usually takes 5 to 7 exposures anyway until they receive "brand identification". When someone is willing to "bite", if they have the proper ad, they will remember them. To land your customers, like in fishing, you must have the proper bait.

Did you know that subscribers to Bob Osgoodby's Free Ezine the "Tip of the Day" get a Free Ad for their Business at his Web Site? Great Business and Computer Tips - Monday thru Friday. Instructions on how to place your ad are in the Newsletter. Subscribe at: mailto:tipofday-subscribe@topica.com

HOW TO CREATE A PROFITABLE LITTLE ADBob Leduc

A small ad can generate a greater return on your investment than any other type of advertising. You can also use it in a variety of media. For example, I often get profitable results from the same small ad in all of the following:

* Internet - posted as a classified ad at websites and in email newsletters (ezines). * Print - run as a classified or display ad in magazines. * Direct Mail - printed on a postcard and sent to targeted mailing lists.
* Email - added as a "signature" to the bottom of my email messages.

A small classified or display ad doesn't provide enough space to generate sales directly from the ad. Instead, use the ad to generate inquiries from prospects seeking more information or to generate visitors to your store or website. Apply your usual selling procedure to close sales when you get the inquiry or visitor.

A SIMPLE 4 STEP PROCEDURE

By trial and error I developed the following 4 step procedure for creating successful little classified or display ads. You can follow this same simple procedure to successfully create your own profitable little ads.

STEP 1: PROMOTE ONE PRODUCT TO ONE TARGETED MARKET

Select one product or service to promote and tailor your ad to one targeted market. You can develop ads for many different products and target them to many different markets. But each ad will be most effective when it promotes one product to one targeted market.

STEP 2: DEVELOP A HEADLINE WITH YOUR STRONGEST BENEFIT

The headline is the most important part of your ad. It captures the reader's attention and provides a compelling reason to read your ad. The most effective headline clearly promotes your strongest benefit to readers in your targeted market. For example, "How To Build Your MLM Downline Fast" will immediately attract the attention of most network marketers. It offers the solution to their biggest problem... how to build their downline sales organization.

STEP 3: REINFORCE YOUR HEADLINE WITH BODY COPY

Keep your body copy brief. Include a few power words to reinforce the benefit promoted in your headline. For example, "Quick! Easy! Immediate results guaranteed!" could be used as body copy to reinforce the sample headline in Step 2.

End your body copy by telling the reader exactly how to respond to your ad. Keep it simple and make it easy. For example, "Call 1-800-123-4567 for FREE information TODAY!"

STEP 4: REVISE AND TEST -- OVER AND OVER AGAIN

Keep trying to increase the number of responses from your ad. Test different headlines, different body copy, different media. Test even minor changes in your ad. I've seen ad responses jump dramatically after simply enclosing the headline in quotation marks. I've also seen ad responses to a different ad drop after making the same change. The only way to know if something works is to test it.

Test only one change at a time or you won't know which change produced the new result. Be sure to code each version of your ad so you can track the results from it. Whenever a new "test" version of your ad produces better results than your standard version, make it your new standard version. Continual testing enables you to gradually increase the response rate and profitability of your little ad. I once built the response to a recruiting ad printed on a postcard from 3 percent to over 20 percent this way.

Use this simple four step procedure to create your own small ads. If you already use small ads, apply this procedure to your existing ads to increase their effectiveness and profitability. The results will surprise you.

Bob Leduc retired from a 30 year career of recruiting sales personnel and developing sales leads. He is now a Sales Consultant.
For more information...
Email: BobLeduc@aol.com Subject: "Postcards". Phone: (702) 658-1707 (After 10 AM Pacific time) Or write: Bob Leduc, PO Box 33628, Las Vegas, NV 89133

Icefishing-For Beginners

Have you ever tried fishing in the winter months? This is the time everyone gets out on the lake. Even if you dont own a boat you can fish those places you always wanted to.

Here are a few tips on ice fishing. First of all, you dont need a lot of fancy equipment.A set of five tipups and a hand auger are all you need to get started.

A set of basic tipups with line will cost around seventy-five to a hundred bucks. Tipups are a simple affair where you set the cross sticks on the ice with your spool below the water line. Unless there is a lot of snow on the ice this should not be a problem as the
water will even out to the top of your hole. I know youre saying, how do you keep the line from freezing? This is accomplished through the use of braided line, sometimes called squid line. Theses lines are usually 18-25 pound test. Fill your spools to within 1/4 inch of the rim, for that big one that wants to run. After you have done this its time to add a leader. I normally use 8-14 pound test monofillament. If you are on a lake with a lot of
large fish go with heavier leaders. I use a swivel between my squid line and leader. This gives the bait a chance to move around without twisting the line. It also makes it easier to change hooks, just buy the pretied leaders and hook them on your swivel and youre ready to go fishing.

Finding Bait
Dont know what the fish are biting on? A stop at your local bait shop will get you some pretty good tips on what is working. Its a good idea to pickup a couple different types of baitfish. You never know what they are biting on today. Pick up a dozen of two different
types to get started. When hooking the bait on the hook I like to hook them just behind the dorsal fin. Most fish will take the bait from the rear, so you want the hook where it
will do the most good.

On The Lake
Now youre on the lake with your traps in hand and you need to get to the fish. This is where your auger comes in. Whether you opt for a hand auger or a power auger, you need
to find a place to fish. A good place to start is around points, as fish use these spots to find bait fish year round. If you know of a deep hole within walking distance, head out
there without further delay. Fish will hang on the edges of the hole looking for baitfish all year. Get that auger powered up and lets drill some holes. Drill a couple to start with and
after you get a couple of traps set up drill the other three. Be sure to check your states lawbook as some places restrict the number of traps. If you dont get any flags after a while, dont be afraid to move.
Thats just about it for getting started. Make sure you are dressed for the weather to make your day more enjoyable. Dont forget the kids, they make good runners when the bait bucket is out by the last trap in line.
Stay warm and good fishing.

About the Author
Written by Ron Shannon; contact at hobbit@midmaine.com
Outdoors With Ron at www.outdoorswithron.com

The author lives in central Maine and spends much of his time in the outdoors.

Wednesday, 7 May 2008

LOCKPORT CATFISHING EXPERIENCE!

You have permission to publish this article in it's entirety
either, electronically or in print, free of charge, as long
as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your
publication would be greatly appreciated! Thank You.

Title: LOCKPORT CATFISHING EXPERIENCE! Author Norb Wormald

"LOCKPORT CATFISHING EXPERIENCE"

I will say this a good number of the huge Channel cats shown on the IN-FISHERMAN video tapes are from the Red River area of Lockport Manitoba. One of the tapes includes Stu McKay the owner of "Cats On The Red." He is also a fishing guide and has lodge rooms and boats for rent. He will treat you right in all his dealings. I strongly believe that stretch of river holds the largest concentration of huge Channel cats in North America.

Lockport is about 20 miles north of the Winnipeg airport. It takes on about 30 minutes in a car you can rent at the airport. The highway is expressway for about 10 mile and a good 2 lane highway until the last mile. Then it become more of a residential street to Stu's place.

Buy the Conservation license for it is about half the regular license. That is a catch and release of all catfish caught. So by all means take your camera to take photos of these cats as proof. Your pals back home will not believe your stories without the pictures.

You have to use BARBEDLESS hooks up there and can only fish 1 pole at a time. Take plenty of hooks 2/0 - 4/0, flat sinkers 2-3 oz. Take some Styrofoam or cork slip bobbers. Plastic bobber can crack on the rocks in the shallow area by the dam. I learned that lesson the hard way on one of my trips. 20-30lb test line should do the job. A rod with some backbone to help hold the fish in the strong current.

The best bait up there is cut Goldeye. The problem is you have to catch them yourself. They CAN NOT be bought at any bait store for it is use for food up there. They can be caught like skipjacks a jig or curly tail or piece of night crawler with a bobber. There is a limit of 10 per day allowed. That should
provide you with plenty of bait for the day.

Shrimp comes in a good 2nd choice. It is on the expensive side and is cheaper when purchased at the supermarket in Selkirk. Selkirk is a small town about 4 mile north of Stu's place. You can load up on supplies of food and whatever drinks you need in Selkirk as well.
I August a great bait is leopard frogs. They can be caught along t the brush area on the EAST bank of the river in the evening. You have to hold onto your pole when using them for the cats just smash them. It is the cats gets the bait or you hook the fish, there is no little tapping on the line. You can put a small section of plastic worm over the frog's hooked leg to help keep the frog on the hook.

The river is shallow by the dam to about 1 mile north of Stu's place. The deepest spot is only ft. in that area. That is really the main reason you can land those big cats, for they cannot go deep at all. The current is very strong. It really can wear your arms out trying to bring in a 20lb cat with such a strong current. I suggest taking some Bengay rub and aspirin to relieve the sore muscles you will get from fighting those cats. Stu's boat seats if he has any left are not great for support of the back either.

If you are going to be up there more than 3 days I suggest fishing at a steady pace. Fish from around sun rise till around noon. Rest up till around 4p.m. Go back out and fish till dark. Stu's boats do not have running lights so they have to be back at the dock by dark.
If you want you can fish a night from the bank and catch cats. My brother and I caught some right in front of out lodge rooms one night. The boat dock is right by the channel so is a spot to check out. My brother caught his largest cat off the dock a 28 pounder!

I hope this has been of some help to anyone thinking about experiencing hooking into the largest Channel catfish of their life. For more information contact Stu McKay at "Cats on the Red." Fishing season opens around May 20th.

Please visit my web sites: nlcatfish@aol.com webmaster for
CINCINNATI CATFISHING www.cincinnaticatfishing.com & SHOP
WITHOUT DROPPING www.cincinnaticatfishing.com/Shop1.html

Have been catfishing around the Downtown Cincinnati area of the Ohio River for over 40 years. Have gone catfishing to Lockport 5 times over the past 10 years. It is the greastest place to catch lots of huge channel catsfish in North America!!

Alaskan Halibut Fishing

If you are looking for a Great Fishing Adventure then you must go to Alaska and fish for Halibut. As you will see its more than just a fishing trip.

I recently went to Alaska (for the first time) to go Halibut fishing, and got much more than I had expected. After flying across the country in big jumbo jets, when you leave for the lodge from Juneau you go in a Float Plane or Sea Plane, as they are commonly known. I went in a single passenger Plane, just the Pilot and me sitting side by side. The flight to the lodge takes you over and between many Mountains that are always Snow capped. You take off on the water and land on the water, if you have never done this before its a great experience all by itself.

Once at the Lodge (always Saturday) within a half-hour you have your License and are on the boat heading out to sea. Besides the Halibut I caught Coho and King Salmon, Ling Cod, Red Snapper. The largest Halibut I caught was 140 pounds, King Salmon was 40 pounds, Coho Salmon was 15 pounds and the Ling Cod was 44 pounds. Work your muscles before you go because you will definitely be sore after the first days fishing, you can use the Hot Tub to relax after you return.

If you want to go Stream Fishing with either Spinning or Fly-fishing gear thats also available. We encountered Bears also fishing in the stream.

Besides the Bear along the Streams you will also see Bald Eagles, Seals, Sea Otters, Sea Lions and if youre lucky as we were you will see a Whale or two. Bring cameras and/or camcorders.

The food is fantastic. Full breakfast, eggs, pancakes, omelets. Lunch on the boat, sandwiches, soda, beer, smoked Salmon. Dinner is mainly the fish caught that day but served like youve never had fish prepared before, we also had a Steak dinner.

The fish that are caught each day are fillet and frozen in separate vacuumed sealed packages. Each package is a pound of two and you choose the % of each type of fish caught you take home. I took 75% Halibut and 25% Salmon and had about 100 pounds of frozen fish in two ready to take boxes.

As you can see this is a very professional operation and I guarantee when you go that you will agree that its more than just a fishing trip, its an Alaskan adventure. For information please visit the web-site of the very best Fishing Lodge in Alaska: http://Tanaku.com

I am not a professional fisherman just a Webmaster that needs some downtime. My web-site is Digital Cameras, Free Shipping. We sell a complete line of Digital Cameras, Scanners, Printers, Free Cell Phones, Free Satellite Dish Systems, Cable Descramblers. We accept most Major Credit Cards and have Free Shipping.
Visit the site at: http://rayboptions.safeshopper.com
Rayboptions@netzero.net

Faith For Dummies--Fly Fishing With Dub

Years ago I lived next door to the perfect neighbor. His name was Dub. He was an avid sportsman and often included me on his Saturday adventures into the woods and wilds of Northern Colorado.

Dub has since gone on to his eternal reward, but I think about him often. My favorite memories of Dub center on the occasions when we grappled with spiritual matters. He often surprised me with his well thought out answers to my many questions. He made sense out of deep and profound concepts. Dub answered questions without making a person feel dumb and embarrassed for not knowing the answer.

I discovered this one fall morning on the first of many fishing expeditions with Dub. We loaded up his old truck with fly rods, waders and tackle. By 5 AM we were rumbling toward The Poudre canyon and the great fishing spot he had told me about.

The first light of dawn sliced through the canyon to meet us as we donned our gear and began making our way down to the treasured "s" curves of the river below. Dub stopped and pointed silently at the river. Looking down at the dark water I saw a small triangular shaped patch of light playing on the surface of the river. The outlines of four fish were illuminated by the sudden splash of sunlight. Dub turned to me. His voice just above a whisper, "Isn't that the perfect picture of how God works?"

"I guess I'm not sure what you mean."

"Those fish were there all along, but we didn't know it. A higher source, in this case the sun, had to do something to help us see." He looked at me to gauge my reaction. My face no doubt belied my lack of understanding. Dub persisted. "Don't you see? The truth about God is all around us, but we don't have a clue. We can't see it until God opens our eyes and then suddenly he reveals himself and we see the truth."

It was my initiation in to what I call Dub's Bible Basics for Dummies Like Me. That Saturday as we fished together standing waist deep in the frigid water of the Cache Le Poudre River, Dub began to teach me about God and His creation. Woven into the memory of that day is the joy of catching a lot of fish and having a great deal of discussion about the nature of God.

At one point I asked, "Dub, are you saying that God actually reveals himself in nature?"

"Sure, its what the theologians call general revelation."

"You'll have to explain that one, Dub."

"Its simply the idea that a man can figure some things out about God just by looking at the things God created. The Bible puts it like this." To my surprise Dub reached into his pocket and pulled out a little book which I supposed was a Bible. He began reading. "because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."

Dub put the tiny Bible back in his pocket before continuing. "Although we can't possible fathom everything about an infinite and divine being like God, it is clear that we have been given enough information about God that we have no excuse not to acknowledge Him."

"But aren't you making an assumption that there is a God and that he created everything?

"You're right on both accounts." Dub conceded. "But what if, for the sake of argument, we decided to proceed under those assumptions?" He stopped to collect his thoughts. "After all, didn't we sort of do that this morning before we left the house?"

"Sorry, Dub, you lost me again."

"Well, I told you that I knew about a great fishing hole, right?"

"Right."

"So, did you know for sure that you would catch fish here?"

"No, but I had a pretty good idea that I would."

"So you made an assumption. And I'm betting you're glad you made that assumption." He winked at me as I nodded affirmatively. "But let me ask you this." Dub stopped talking momentarily to adjust the tension on his line. "What if you had made the assumption that there were no fish and therefore decided not to make the trip this morning?"
I could see where he was going. "I would have been wrong and..."

"You would have missed something really great wouldn't you."

Suddenly as if on cue the tip of my rod dipped violently toward the water. I instinctively lifted my rod and gripped the line to keep it taut. The fish broke the surface exposing his white belly, and flared gills, revealing the red intricacy within. Twisting and bucking he cleared the water by his own length or more. I struggled to keep the tension on the line, but the Herculean leap toward me had too much power and velocity behind it. The elk hair caddis that had been lodged in his mouth was suddenly free and the fish was gone. For a moment the only sound I could hear was the rapid drumming of my heartbeat in my ears.

Dub continued talking as I inspected my leader. "So why can't we talk about God from the assumption that there actually is a God? If we're wrong, no harm done. But, if we are right Well, we might just find something good."

It was a reasonable proposition. We fished and talked until the sun slipped behind the western peaks. Exhausted and fulfilled we made our way back to the truck. As we drove home I thought of one last question I needed to ask. I found the right words as the headlights of Dub's truck illuminated his driveway.

"Dub, today while we were talking about God." He looked at me over the rim of his glasses. "You said a lot of things that came out of the Bible. Right?"

"Yeah, you're right."

"Well, I don't mean to be hard headed or anything, but what would you say to the man who is not so sure he believes in the Bible?"

Dub smiled and said, "Well, I would say to him, 'You know, I read about this great fishing place up on the Big Thompson. Why don't we go check it out?'"

Ken is a pastor, writer, composer,web designer,promoter living in Greeley Colorado with his wife and two children. His articles and poems have been published in various magazines. He writes a monthly column for the Greeley Tribune called "Faith For Dummies" which features spiritual insights gathered through outdoor sports and recreation

Fishing for Fortunes. Scam!

Spelt phishing, but pronounced as above, this despicable act is an effort to batter your bankroll or commandeer your cash.
To put it simply, you can get emails from account administrators, which strongly urge you to update details attached to that account.
The issue, though, is the pretence of such mail.

You may not even have such an account as referenced.
It doesnt come from the account provider.
It can use false S.S.L. references, to present an illusion of trust and security.
It can prompt for immediate action on your part, alleging false log-ins by persons unknown, and from countries unknown. If action is not taken, they can impress on you, that the account will be suspended or closed. Indeed, anything likely to work can be fabricated, to get you to the webpage suggested in the link or hyperlink. Note the word suggested.
Likenesses to company logos are used to re-enforce credibility.

In fact, these phishing attempts actually look pretty good or realistic. So much so that any qualms of guilt or stupidity, experienced by a conned party are groundless.

Experience, specific education or forewarning, is all that prevents this type of charade from widening its base of victims.

The goal is to get you to type in your details, complete with credit card number and the rest can be guessed.
Some damage is also absorbed by the organisation or company being misrepresented and they can do little about it but warn their customers what to watch out for, and issue security instructions. Indeed, it is from accounts at reputable companies that most passing trade learn the correct or most secure procedures. It is therefore important to read any material that they offer.

Generally though, reputable companies with a mind to preserve their integrity will tell you to log-in at their main page and proceed from there. Not through a link specific to your account!

Hyperlinks can mask the true domain that youll be brought to, with the text linked to www.anydomaindotcom (example, only), a replica or fake page. Only going to secure pages where one believes that https will do it, will always help but wholly unreliable. The s is an indication of a secure page, but are you at the right domain?
Place your mouse over the link and the domain attached to such a link, should show itself. Viewing the source code is another way but some knowledge of it is necessary.

Another ploy, sometimes deliberate and sometimes convenient, is inserting a reference to the legitimate company anywhere after the domain name. Ex. https://www.anydomaindotcom/ebay/aagle/. Unwary victims may overlook the fact that ebay is not the domain, but see it anyway as a directory or file name. Anyone, anywhere can have a file or directory named like that of a company.

To make matters somewhat worse from an easy to identify viewpoint, the source code of the link can be represented as an I.P. address rather than its named counterpart. There are some tools that you can use at http://centralops.net/co/ which you can use to type in the I.P. address and cross reference it with the official account domain presented in the e-mail, or web page for that matter. Opening a second window for investigative purposes and re-sizing both to be side by side can be revealing, and comparisons be made between the alleged source and that of the source code.
www.ebay.com can be put in one window and www.suspiciouslyspurious.com can be put in the other. NOTE; you should be checking domains and ignoring everything that comes after the forward slash at the end of the domain.
A similar test can be done for email viruses, where suspicious email addresses can be searched for some degree of authenticity.

If you are phished, try to learn as much as possible about it as phishing attempts and email viruses have some aspects in common.
Incorrect spelling is one of them. You must understand that the authors can be from anywhere and not necessarily have degrees in English. Legitimate companies can also be from anywhere, with different primary languages, but do perfect their spellings and general grammar.

Attention to upper and lower case can be another giveaway. This is especially true where particular portions of the text are the design of the author, and not just copied and pasted. Typically, these portions are customised to be customer specific in a general sense, and fonts may even be different or out of place. Such special additions are to strengthen the sense of urgency and call to action.

Should you be the recipient of phishy mail, you can forward it to spam@uce.gov

Seamus Dolly and phishing samples are at www.CountControl.com

Big Opt-In Lists, Trade Secrets & Fishing Trips

How To Create a Huge Opt-In List
Big Opt-In Lists, Trade Secrets & Fishing Trips

Last weekend, on a beautiful Saturday morning, I went fishing with a friend on the Pecos River here in New Mexico. We had been fishing for a couple of hours when my friend decided he would carefully approach the subject of getting more opt-in subscribers for his newsletter. He knew I had over 400,000 opt-in subscribers for T-Shirt Kings newsletter and he wanted to know how I did it. He was afraid that it was a trade secret and I would brush him off and continue to fish. That was my reaction initially.

You see, I get this type of question all the time. When it comes at a time when Im fishing, a simple answer like that is the easiest, and it keeps us fishing instead of talking. However, this morning I was a softy and, after some prodding, I gave in.

To begin with, let me quickly explain that there are two sales tools that all online retailers should use regardless of what you sell. You should have a newsletter and an affiliate program. My friend already had a newsletter and an affiliate program and Im going to assume you do too. If you need one - http://www.manzanomarketing.com/Resources/ultimateaffiliate.html

We put our poles down and sat on the edge of the river to discuss how my friend could build an opt-in list of over 100,000 this year. He had a lot bigger expectations for his opt-in list than he did for this fishing trip. He never did get back to fishing.

His first question was about getting people on his site to opt-in. He had an opt-in subscription box on his site already and it was prominently placed. But, with over 5,000 daily visitors, he was only getting about twenty subscribers. It was a real disappointment.

So, my first suggestion was to set up a contest. He could give away just about anything he wanted to from a free t-shirt to a free fishing trip. I use a free t-shirt a day on T-Shirt King. To join the contest, you just have to join the newsletter (opt-in). Check it out http://www.t-shirtking.com/

The next suggestion was to use a pop-up to promote the contest and the subscription offer. Of course, my friend immediately groaned at the thought of adding a pop-up to his site (for a minute there, I thought we might get back to fishing). However, I told him about using a cookied pop-up that occurs only once a day for each user. This way it minimizes the annoyance of pop-ups. Plus, anyone that really hates pop-ups already has pop-up blocker software. But the proof is in the results. When I added our contest and a pop-up, we did better than quadrupling our subscriber rate. For my fishing buddy, it would take him from 20 opt-ins a day to over 80.

Note - Free Pop-Up Generator: http://www.manzanomarketing.com/popup.html

The investment for a contest can be minimal when compared to the cost of gaining subscribers any other way. You know that you can find companies that will sell you subscribers for fifteen cents a piece or more right? Why pay such a high price for poor quality subscribers when you can make a smaller investment and get more subscribers of much higher quality?

At $.15 per subscriber, thats $15,000 for 100,000 subscribers of questionable quality. Using these methods can cost you less than a hundred bucks for 100,000 high quality, targeted subscribers!

Alright now for the big guns. Uh, er, the heavy tackle - since were fishing. Lets take your list building operation and put it on hundreds, or even thousands, of other websites. There are two methods. Building a newsletter co-op and arming your affiliates with a secret weapon.

These methods use two inexpensive pieces of software that will become a key to selling your product successfully online. Of course, they help you build your opt-in list, but the true end result of a big high quality list will be increased sales. Youre going to love the feeling of sending your newsletter out and watching the sales immediately begin to come in! Its a great feeling. So is waking up the next morning and checking your sales before you take the day off to go fishing because you can.

These tools take some effort to set up but once theyre established, they run on auto-pilot which leaves you the time to go fishing. Your co-op members and affiliates do the promoting and list building for you.

The first tool is Opt-In Explosion. This is a newsletter subscriber co-op. Youve probably seen them run by other people. You could join one of these co-op programs and you would substantially increase your subscriber rate. Or, you could start your own co-op and build your opt-in list at hyper speed.

You see, when you join their lists, typically, you get your newsletter subscription offer shown four times for every time you show the co-op subscriber box. Not bad. But start your own co-op and its your members that get four exposures for every one time they show the subscription offer. You get your newsletter offer shown on every exposure, on every website, to every visitor every time. If you even get a small number of members, your subscription rate will explode!

To see this tool, visit: http://www.optinexplosion.com

At this point, my friend was so excited, he wanted to leave this beautiful Saturday morning, quit fishing (hes obviously not making enough money) and start right away. However, I saved the best for last.

Newsletter Syndicator! How about putting your subscription sign-up box prominently on hundreds, or even thousands, of websites? And, you can offer the webmaster credit for the sales of your product generated from their list? What a great idea! This little program allows you the ability to give out subscription boxes to your affiliates. They can put them on their site and begin building opt-in subscriber lists specifically for your newsletter.

Using Newsletter Syndicator, when you send your newsletter out it will automatically replace your standard url with their affiliate url. Your newsletter with your url and the affiliates get your newsletter but with their unique affiliate url. Its easy for you to set up and its easy for your affiliates to set up. Makes you money and makes your affiliates money. Even if you have a small website with very little traffic, one good affiliate can sign-up more opt-in subscribers in a month than you would get all year.

To find this tool, go to: http://www.newslettersyndicator.com

At this point, my friend was no longer interested in fishing. When I was done talking, he packed up and headed for the car to get back to his website. I was glad we drove separately. I settled back in to a nice day of fishing. I could afford to because I knew that I was getting a whole lot more opt-in subscribers during that day of fishing than I was fish. In fact, theres a limit to the number of fish I can get in a day. Theres no limit to the number of opt-in subscribers.

You can get both programs for under a hundred dollars. At fifteen cents per subscriber, thats only 667 subscribers. Youll get more than that in no time. With some honest effort, 100,000 high quality opt-in subscribers this year is very possible.

Its not rocket science and its a lot easier than catching those Pecos River Browns. Give these three methods a try and you will get to know the excitement of sending your newsletter out and watching the sales roll in. Theres nothing like it.

2003 by Bill Broadbent ----------------------------------------------------------- Written by Bill Broadbent Free eBook Available Affiliate Detective 1.0 Visit: http://www.affiliatedetective.net -----------------------------------------------------------

About the Author

Written by Bill Broadbent http://www.ManzanoMarketing.com Free eBook Available Affiliate Detective Visit: http://www.affiliatedetective.net

Tuesday, 6 May 2008

What Are You Fishing With? Lure, Bait and Gear

A 10-step exercise for services professionals to evaluate
clients...

Fly fishing -- it doesn't work, does it? When I first
watched someone fly-fishing, they released the line and
fling it far out into the water. No sooner had the fly hit
the water was it being reeled back in. Even today, I still
don't understand how this method catches any fish. Yet it
does. The results had an opportunity to occur because
the line was pitched.

Fly fishing looks like so much more work compared to the
worm, bobber, sitting on a camp chair, day dreaming, an
occasional inconsequential conversation, sipping on a beer
(okay root beer for family friendliness), relaxing and
waiting for the bite. The energy is more comfortable yet
the results less active -- maybe, maybe not.

If you talk to a fly-fisherman, they claim there isn't
anything better. And the same is uttered from a by-the-seat-
of-the-pants fisherman as well (cute description huh?).

Doesn't this sound like one marketing pitted against the
other.

What makes the two different? Technique? Yes. Water type
-- salt or fresh? Yes. Type of fish? Yes. Equipment?
Yes. Supplies? Yes. Or is it the bait? Yes.

The right answer is "all of the above."

You can also throw in the temperature, weather, and time of
day. Everything depends on the right combination in the
right order. You don't want to toss out the fly before the
line. Well, I guess you can. But you miz-as-well kiss it
goodbye.

Or as my Grandmother used to say: Don't throw out the
bath water before the bath.

Marketing is not any different than fishing. If you are
tossing out the wrong hook to the right fish, they are not
going to bite. If you have the right fish and hook, and the
wrong technique, maybe a prayer or two will work. The
results might trickle now and then. Yet, not the results you
need.

This is why marketing experts emphasize the importance of
knowing your target market. If you don't know who you are
trying to catch, you are forever going to be trying
different lures, hooks and techniques. Eventually, wearing
you down and keeping you chasing the next best thing to come
along that just might work.

You can't catch flounder in fresh water or blue gill in salt.

Stop throwing out the fly without the line. Start knowing
what bait they like to eat, what line spooks them, what is
their timing for buying, and especially what type of fish.

Start with this exercise for service professionals:

Start the exercise by hand to get the "feel" of it. Then
move the process into a spreadsheet to continue its growth
and your clarity.

Step 1: Grab a blank sheet of paper. Turn the page sideways --
landscape.

Step 2: You are going to making many vertical columns so write
small.

On the left, create the first column. Record the name of
each one of your clients that you remember off the top of your
head. Keep it simple and write just the name you remember. It
could be just their first name, company name, or a nickname or
label you privately gave them. Don't be kind be truthful.

Step 3: Second column, title it "M/F." You guessed it, "male
or female." Now, proceed down the column and write the
answer.

Step 4: Third column, title "M/S/D/U"=married, single, divorced,
unknown. Continue down the column.

Step 5: Continue making columns for additional categories
you know about your clients. Create a column for age or age
group. Location, US, UK, Australia. If all the same, skip
the column. Number of children. How long a client. Total
revenue for the past year. Service type. How did they find
you?

Step 6: Add new distinctions and details over the next few
days or week as you remember. Set aside the first five
minutes of the day to add to the list or as you remember.

Step 7: If you find some information missing, contact the
client or past client and ask.

Step 8: Look for similarities, for instance, 90% males, single,
or divorced. Some of these patterns are going to be obvious
and some aren't.

Step 9: Place a "*" or highlight your ideal client or clients.

Many times, and without knowing it, because you are just glad
for the business, the fish pick you.

Step 10: If you couldn't find "the ideal client" then for
some reason you aren't attracting them. There are some
things you need to change, either inside yourself or out,
probably both. Find the gap between the two? What do you
need to do or be differently in order to attract the
preferred type of clients?

Describe the type of ideal client you want. Place as much
detail to them as possible, including revenue. What do they
want that you aren't expressing you have? What do they want
that you don't have and need to change?

At some point during this process you will want to convert
this to a spreadsheet for ease of use. Start when the information
feels it needs too.

This isn't a requirement, you may want to stop as soon as
you see that you aren't expressing what the client is
willing to buy or some characteristics or type of service
you don't provide that the client must have in order to do
business with you. If this is the case, you can stop here
and work on what needs to shift or change.

Feeling some reluctance in taking the time to do so? You
will not be the first.

Jim, an insurance agent from Arizona, sent me an e-mail
after his attendance on a teleclasses with this exercise.

"Darn, Catherine, you're good. The exercise ate at me all
night. I gave in and did the exercise this morning, even
though last night I was convinced that I already knew all
the answers. Today, I discovered major holes in my
marketing. Just by closing one of these holes today sales
increased. I look forward to continuing the exercise.
Thank you for your patient e-mail and letting me move
through my denial and seeing that thinking its all in my
head and writing it down is two different things."

This exercise deserves repeating regularly. You can use
the results of this exercise as a measurement when reviewing
your yearly goals. Or comparing one year to another.

For first year businesses, I recommend completing this
exercise once every three months. After the first year,
shift to twice a year. After three, once a year. Or
before and after a new service or product is introduced.
clients...

Fly fishing -- it doesn't work, does it? When I first
watched someone fly-fishing, they released the line and
fling it far out into the water. No sooner had the fly hit
the water was it being reeled back in. Even today, I still
don't understand how this method catches any fish. Yet it
does. The results had an opportunity to occur because
the line was pitched.

Fly fishing looks like so much more work compared to the
worm, bobber, sitting on a camp chair, day dreaming, an
occasional inconsequential conversation, sipping on a beer
(okay root beer for family friendliness), relaxing and
waiting for the bite. The energy is more comfortable yet
the results less active -- maybe, maybe not.

If you talk to a fly-fisherman, they claim there isn't
anything better. And the same is uttered from a by-the-seat-
of-the-pants fisherman as well (cute description huh?).

Doesn't this sound like one marketing pitted against the
other.

What makes the two different? Technique? Yes. Water type
-- salt or fresh? Yes. Type of fish? Yes. Equipment?
Yes. Supplies? Yes. Or is it the bait? Yes.

The right answer is "all of the above."

You can also throw in the temperature, weather, and time of
day. Everything depends on the right combination in the
right order. You don't want to toss out the fly before the
line. Well, I guess you can. But you miz-as-well kiss it
goodbye.

Or as my Grandmother used to say: Don't throw out the
bath water before the bath.

Marketing is not any different than fishing. If you are
tossing out the wrong hook to the right fish, they are not
going to bite. If you have the right fish and hook, and the
wrong technique, maybe a prayer or two will work. The
results might trickle now and then. Yet, not the results you
need.

This is why marketing experts emphasize the importance of
knowing your target market. If you don't know who you are
trying to catch, you are forever going to be trying
different lures, hooks and techniques. Eventually, wearing
you down and keeping you chasing the next best thing to come
along that just might work.

You can't catch flounder in fresh water or blue gill in salt.

Stop throwing out the fly without the line. Start knowing
what bait they like to eat, what line spooks them, what is
their timing for buying, and especially what type of fish.

Start with this exercise for service professionals:

Start the exercise by hand to get the "feel" of it. Then
move the process into a spreadsheet to continue its growth
and your clarity.

Step 1: Grab a blank sheet of paper. Turn the page sideways --
landscape.

Step 2: You are going to making many vertical columns so write
small.

On the left, create the first column. Record the name of
each one of your clients that you remember off the top of your
head. Keep it simple and write just the name you remember. It
could be just their first name, company name, or a nickname or
label you privately gave them. Don't be kind be truthful.

Step 3: Second column, title it "M/F." You guessed it, "male
or female." Now, proceed down the column and write the
answer.

Step 4: Third column, title "M/S/D/U"=married, single, divorced,
unknown. Continue down the column.

Step 5: Continue making columns for additional categories
you know about your clients. Create a column for age or age
group. Location, US, UK, Australia. If all the same, skip
the column. Number of children. How long a client. Total
revenue for the past year. Service type. How did they find
you?

Step 6: Add new distinctions and details over the next few
days or week as you remember. Set aside the first five
minutes of the day to add to the list or as you remember.

Step 7: If you find some information missing, contact the
client or past client and ask.

Step 8: Look for similarities, for instance, 90% males, single,
or divorced. Some of these patterns are going to be obvious
and some aren't.

Step 9: Place a "*" or highlight your ideal client or clients.

Many times, and without knowing it, because you are just glad
for the business, the fish pick you.

Step 10: If you couldn't find "the ideal client" then for
some reason you aren't attracting them. There are some
things you need to change, either inside yourself or out,
probably both. Find the gap between the two? What do you
need to do or be differently in order to attract the
preferred type of clients?

Describe the type of ideal client you want. Place as much
detail to them as possible, including revenue. What do they
want that you aren't expressing you have? What do they want
that you don't have and need to change?

At some point during this process you will want to convert
this to a spreadsheet for ease of use. Start when the information
feels it needs too.

This isn't a requirement, you may want to stop as soon as
you see that you aren't expressing what the client is
willing to buy or some characteristics or type of service
you don't provide that the client must have in order to do
business with you. If this is the case, you can stop here
and work on what needs to shift or change.

Feeling some reluctance in taking the time to do so? You
will not be the first.

Jim, an insurance agent from Arizona, sent me an e-mail
after his attendance on a teleclasses with this exercise.

"Darn, Catherine, you're good. The exercise ate at me all
night. I gave in and did the exercise this morning, even
though last night I was convinced that I already knew all
the answers. Today, I discovered major holes in my
marketing. Just by closing one of these holes today sales
increased. I look forward to continuing the exercise.
Thank you for your patient e-mail and letting me move
through my denial and seeing that thinking its all in my
head and writing it down is two different things."

This exercise deserves repeating regularly. You can use
the results of this exercise as a measurement when reviewing
your yearly goals. Or comparing one year to another.

For first year businesses, I recommend completing this
exercise once every three months. After the first year,
shift to twice a year. After three, once a year. Or
before and after a new service or product is introduced.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Coach, specializes
in infoproduct development. Newsletters and additional
articles available: http://www.abundancecenter.com
blog: http://abundance.blogs.com/inthelight

Spring and Pawl Drag Fly Fishing Reels

The first type of drag system is the traditional Spring-and Pawl-drag. Just because this drag type if traditional doesn't mean it's outdated. In fact, spring-and-pawl fly reels are ideal for trout fishing, particularly when using light tippets. When line is pulled out of a quality spring-and-pawl fly reel, it is pulled out very smoothly indeed. There is no "jerkiness" or "unevenness" in the tension that is applied to the line. The line instead leaves the reel at a very smooth rate, without any variations in the amount of tension. By getting rid of the unevenness in tension, the fly reel goes a long way towards protecting the tippet.

Try to think about it this way. You have a large fish on line. The fish starts pulling out fly line at a good rate. Then, the tension on the line suddenly increases then slackens again. What happens? If you're using a light tippet, you're fish is gone, that's what. The sudden increase in tension in the rate the fly line came out of the reel parted the tippet material. Its not much different than giving a good jerk on the fly line when you want to break the fly line because of being hooked on underwater logs or rocks.

So, the moral of the story is this. A quality spring-and-pawl drag system is excellent for most trout fishing situations, particularly those where you will be fishing using light tackle and tippets.

What's the drawback of a spring-and-pawl drag fly reel? They are not designed for very large fish, like large bass, steelhead, salmon or saltwater species. While they work, they don't work as well as the newer disc-drag models discussed below.

Disc Drag Fly Fishing Reels

The second type of drag system is the newer disc-drag system. This type of fly reel uses various materials that essentially act like a brake on a car. A pad inside the fly reel is adjusted up or downward (by the drag adjustment on the reel), which in turn applies more or less tension to the fly line. Disc-drag fly reels are all the rage in fly fishing. Even the cheapest of the cheap fly reels tout their disc drag system.

Disc drag reels excel in large fish situations, like when catching exceptionally large trout, large bass, steelhead, salmon or saltwater species. The disc drag reel is designed to exert a smooth but hard pressure on the fly line without seizing up and is ideal when large fish that strip out hundreds of feet of line are caught.

The drawback to a disc drag reel as far as fly fishing goes is that in comparison to a quality spring-and-pawl reel, the tension can be just a bit more uneven. This is not a problem in most fishing situations that a normal trout fisherman will encounter. However, if you are using 6x and 7x tippets and fishing for wary trout, even the slightest hesitation or change in tension pressure can cause a tippet to part ways with the trout.

Now that you know more about the drag system on fly reels, it is now time to turn our attention to the quality of the fly reel.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Who else wants to pull in a bounty of big fish - Every time!
Here's how to AMAZE your friends (and maybe even make them
a little bit jealous) In 'Fly Fishing Secrets' we show you how.
To get your hands on these amazing insider secrets, Click Here:

http://www.fly-fishing-scerets.com

Lots of Fun with Crab Fishing

Crab fishing is popular because of three reasons:

(i) Crabs are very tasty to eat
(ii)It 's a sport which can be enjoyed by each member of the family
(iii) It doesn't involve much money as it is quite cost effective.

However, before setting out on a crab fishing trip with your family, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. The favorite crab for crab fishing is the blue crab, which is called Callinectes sapidus scientifically. And like its name,the blue crab comes in shades of blue, olive-green, and red.

Other crabs that are caught are mud crabs and spanner crabs.

2. There are different methods of crab fishing, which are quite cost effective and others that need a lot in terms of money and time. You can use a dip net to catch the crabs. Or there is the handline method, which is inexpensive, simple and fun.

3. If you plan to go crab fishing onshore, then the best time is when the tide is rising. For onshore crab fishing, you'll need a dip net, long string and some type of bait, like eel, chicken necks, or small fish.

4. Always be careful when handling a live crab, especially while transferring it from the net into the container.

5. If a boat is used to catch crabs, you should use and drop cone nets with the bait tied to the bottom center of the drop net. This technique can also be used if fishing from a bridge.

6. The crabs that you catch should be stored in a closed container and kept packed in a freezer.

About the author:
For more great reading about your favorite hobbies visit the authors website at: http://www.hobbyarticles.com

Planning a car rental Jeff LakieWith rising gas prices, driving causes more headaches than it used to. When traveling, though, you may need to rely on a car rental. There are ways to save money if you plan well. Next time you're looking for a quality, affordable car rental, consider the following:

1. A car rental at the airport sometimes costs more than at a nearby agency. Compare prices ahead of time; it may be worth taking a taxi a few miles to pick up the vehicle at a different rental location.
2. Choose a no-frills car rental. Many less-luxurious cars get better mileage.
3. Car rental agencies usually have better deals on compact cars. If you don't need the space, why pay for it? Compact cars also get better mileage.
4. A car rental is usually more costly if you pick up the vehicle at one location and drop it off at another. However, consider the price of returning to the original locale. Is it cheaper to pay for the gas or for the drop-off? This might sway your decision a little.
5. Car rental agencies offer prepaid fill-ups when you return the vehicle. Compare their costs with the gas pump prices and decide ahead of time which is a better deal.
6. A weekly car rental usually costs less than paying for five or six days alone. If you're staying just under a week, you may want to pay this rate and return the car early.
7. Avoid purchasing insurance from the car rental company if possible. Many credit cards cover car rental insurance; in the event of collision or theft you'll be taken care of. Check your credit card agreement ahead of time.
8. Save the extra driver cost by choosing a designated driver. Some car rental agencies charge more to add a driver.
9. Look for car rental coupons in travel magazines or an Entertainment book. Agencies also give discounts to AAA and AARP members. Be sure to inquire about available deals.

Keeping these factors in mind before your car rental, you can save a substantial amount of money. Shop wisely, and know before you go!

About the author:
Jeff Lakie is the founder of Car Rental Resources a website providing information on Car Rentals

Friday, 2 May 2008

Women and Fishing -- Not Just A Man's Sport

More and more women are learning to enjoy fishing each and every day. And, why not? Fishing is a sport that doesnt require exceptional strength, stamina or height quite the contrary, fishing is a sport of agility, finesse and patience, skills many women already possess. So why dont more women fish?

Successful fishing requires knowledge of various types of fishing gear, tackle, and an understanding of the quarry. Fish have a variety of feeding habits, behavioral patterns, etc. and these characteristics influence how to go about fishing for them.

Traditionally, men learned how to fish when they were boys from fathers and grandfathers. Even if this training was lacking, its no big deal for a guy to hang out with other guys who enjoy fishing and learn the ropes from them.

For a woman, though, the process is apt to be somewhat more difficult. In my family of all girls, we learned the thrill of fishing as children from our father. Fortunately for us, our dad was an equal-opportunity fisherman...and he was a very patient man.

We learned to bait our own hooks, remove fish from the line, and clean the fish as well. We were rewarded with many an enjoyable Sunday on the lake competing for top family fishing honors of who caught the most and the biggest fish.

For women who werent brought up fishing as I was, all is certainly not lost. Although learning from a boyfriend or spouse is not out of the question, a significant other may not be the best place to get your first fishing pointers.

Your honey may not have the patience that you will need to learn proper fishing technique and he may be a bit condescending as wellnot exactly conducive to an enjoyable learning experience.

Try instead local womens fishing clubs. Check online for groups in your area that are specifically organized by and for women. Many groups are primarily centered on fly-fishing but not all are.

Also see if your community college or local university offers any fishing courses. Often fishing classes are offered in the adult education, physical education or recreation departments.

Of course, you can also start at your local library, checking out books on fishing and learning a few basic techniques that way.

Your local fishing outfitter or marina may have more information as well and would also be a good place for information and to network with other fishing women.

Another option is to go online and search for websites catering to women and the outdoors or, more specifically, women and fishing. One such website is www.ladiesletsgofishing.com.

Founded by Betty Bauman of Ft. Lauderdale, FL in 1997, LLGF promotes networking among women anglers and emphasizes mentorship between novice and experienced members.

Other groups, both national and state, promote fishing for women. There are seminars, fishing adventures and special fishing events scheduled year-round in many areas of the country which are organized especially for women anglers.

Yet another reason fishing is a great hobby for women is because beginning your fishing experiences need not be prohibitively expensive. Especially when compared to other hobbies, start-up costs for spin or bait-casting fishing equipment are not tremendously high. Generally speaking, $200 or less can buy more than enough basic quality fishing gear for a beginner to get started. To start up a fly-fishing hobby will cost a bit more as the gear tends to be more expensive.

This, of course, doesnt include a boat! But, many fishing locations can be reached without a boat. Again, do your research to find areas accessible by car.

More women should consider fishing for an enjoyable and challenging hobby. Learning the basics of fishing is easy but perfecting those angling skills can take many hours of sometimes peaceful and sometimes extremely exciting time at the other end of a line.

About the author:
E. A. Edwards is a free-lance writer with a variety of professional and personal interests. You will find more information about fishing and fishing gear on www.fishing-rod-guide.info.

Some Fishing Safety rules every fisherman should know

By Rebecca Blain of
http://www.discount-hunting-supplies-and-tips.com/discount-fishing-supplies.html

When you are going fishing, whether nearby your home or on a long distance trip, there are many fishing safety rules that you need to keep in mind.
These rules can help prevent injury to yourself and others while shore and boat fishing.
There are several different areas of fishing safety that you should be aware of. These include the following:

- Equipment Safety
- Pier Fishing Safety
- Offshore Fishing Safety
- Shore Fishing Safety and Noodling
- Ice Fishing Safety

Equipment Safety

Before you go fishing, you need to make certain that all of your equipment is in safe working order. This should be done before you even consider going out to any waterfront. You need to check several things while looking over your various pieces of equipment.

First, you need to check your fishing rod and reel. Both of these pieces should be in top condition, with the rod having no cracks or breaks. If your rod separates, you need to make certain that it is very secure when it is built together. The reel itself should operate smoothly, with the line coiling without tangles. If the line is tangling quite a bit within the reel, you will need to unbind the line and replace it with new. If this behavior continues, you should consider a new reel.

The type of line that you use should be a consideration as well. Dependent on the conditions you are going to be fishing in, you will want to use different line. With rocky bottoms, where your line is going to get caught easier, you will want to use a lower line rating. If you are fishing for larger fish, the test on the line should be increased to match what you are planning on catching.

The final fishing safety check that you should make is on your tackle, sinkers and lures. If any of these are rusted, you should replace them with new ones, as rusted equipment can change a mild injury into tetnis or a worse illness.

Pier Fishing Safety

One type of fishing that many people enjoy is pier fishing. When you go fishing off of a pier, there are several fishing safety rules that you should keep in mind. First, you should only place your feet into the water if you know that there are not vicious fish, such as Muskie, in the water. Muskie, as well as other types of vicious fish, are renown for biting off the toes of unsuspecting fishers off of piers. For this reason, you should avoid doing this. In addition to this, you should never run on the piers, especially if you are carrying any sharp equipment. The most important thing to keep in mind when pier fishing is to use your common sense. Falling from the pier, especially taller ones, can be life threatening. Leaning over the pier edge, as well as being careless, can put yourself and others in danger.

Offshore Fishing Safety

When you go on a boat for a session of offshore fishing, you need to be extra careful. Out of all of the forms of fishing, this is the most dangerous. You need to be aware of the weather and potential weather changes at all times. In addition to this, you need to make certain that you are always wearing a life preserver. While these may be uncomfortable, or ugly to wear, they can make the difference between life and death. You should always make certain that you know you do not hit anyone with your hook when you are casting. This is the most dangerous aspect of offshore fishing, as you are most likely fishing in close quarters, which requires a higher level of skill when you are casting. Hooking yourself or a companion is a real likely hood in this style of fishing, unless you are extremely careful.

Shore Fishing and Noodling

Shore fishing is the style of fishing that most people participate. During fishing seasons, hundreds of people gather around oceans and rivers and ponds to take their hand at trying to catch the largest fish possible. Lures are constantly flying through the air, and lines get tangled more often than not. When you are shore fishing, you need to make certain you are aware of all of the people around you, and that they are aware of you. Taking children to crowded beaches for fishing can be extremely dangerous, as they can get hooked while running and playing. Injuries sustained in this manner can be severe. As long as you are careful, and you do not run or dart across the path of someone casting, shore fishing can be the safest of all types of fishing.

There is one form of shore fishing, however, that is extremely dangerous. This is called "Noodling". Noodling, or another term for "Idiot", is the practice of wading out to waist or chest level and bending down to search holes, logs and other hiding holes for catfish. Then you wiggle your fingers. If there is a catfish - or another type of creature in residence - they will attack your bare hand. Then the fight begins, and the Noodler needs to bring the fish to shore. Many lose their lives yearly to this extreme sport, and it should be avoided, as it is not safe.

Ice Fishing Safety

When you are going ice fishing, there are a lot of safety rules that you need to follow at all times. Unlike the other forms of standard fishing, ice fishing presents a lot of health risks. First, you should never go ice fishing without a well built shack. The shacks provide you shelter while you are ice fishing. Without this shelter, you will be susceptible to hypothermia and other health related problems.

The second thing you need to keep in mind at all times is the condition of the ice and the weather predictions. Falling through the ice while ice fishing, especially alone, is a death sentence. Being trapped on the open ice during a blizzard is also extremely dangerous, even with the shelter of an ice shack available. When you are stocking your ice shack, you need to make certain that you have enough wood for the wood stove, or heating device within the shack. This device should also be cared for and watched over at all times, so the ice beneath the shack remains stable or that the shack does not burn.

If you keep these fishing safety tips and rules in mind, you should be able to have an enjoyable time fishing without high risk of injury to yourself or others, no matter which form of fishing you choose to participate in.

About the author:
Rebecca Blain is a professional and hobbyist writer who enjoys taking care of her Siamese Fighting Fish and educating people about discount fishing reels & supplies and cheap hunting supplies. Check out the new hunting and fishing blog at: http://www.discount-hunting-supplies-and-tips.com/blog/

Fishing Around For Wealth

In Feng Shui, water symbolizes wealth. The word "fish" in Mandarin is pronounced the same way as "excess". That's the reason why rearing fish is one of the most effective ways to bring you wealth so that you can enjoy a life of excess.

To be able to activate the wealth energies in your home, shop or office, you'll need to learn how to set up an aquarium in the right way.

When I'm talking about setting up your aquarium in the right way, I'm neither talking about water temperature nor am I talking about ammonia and nitrite levels. I'm talking about how to set up the aquarium based on the principles of Feng Shui to attract wealth.

Where do you place your aquarium?

The location of your aquarium is very important since you want to place it where it's most ideal to accumulate wealth energies.

Of the four sectors of your house, the front and the back have the biggest impact on your wealth. It's not advisable, however, to set up your aquarium at the back of your house.

The back of the house, where the bedrooms are usually at, is a sector that should be kept peaceful and quiet. Since there's too much activities and movement generated by the aquarium with the fishes swimming and the filter pumping away, it's recommended that you place the aquarium in the front sector near the front door.

What's the shape of your fish tank?

You may not know this, but the shape of your fish tank is an important factor that you need to pay attention to when setting up the aquarium.

Buying a fish tank of the wrong shape may actually adversely affect the health of the people living in the house (or working in the office) instead of attracting wealth.

The best fish tank (strictly from a Feng Shui perspective) is a circular fish tank.

Why are circular fish tanks the best?

First, circular fish tanks do not have sharp corners (or "poison arrows") which can be detrimental to your health.

Second, a circle belongs to the Metal element. And according to the Cycle of Birth of the Five Elements, Metal melts into a liquid state when subjected to intense heat. Hence, Metal is said to give birth to Water (Wealth).

The conventional rectangular tank (with 90-degree corners) is considered neither good nor bad so if you can't find a circular tank, go for the rectangular ones.

How many fish should I keep?

The number of fish you should rear will depend on your element.

If you belong to the Water element, you should have either 1 or 6 fish.

If you belong to the Fire element, you should have either 2 or 7 fish.

If you belong to the Wood element, you should have either 3 or 8 fish.

If you belong to the Metal element, you should have either 4 or 9 fish.

If you belong to the Earth element, you should have either 5 or 10 fish.

It doesn't mean that the more fish you have, the more wealth you'll attract. The number of fish you keep should depend on the size of your fish tank. Afterall what you want is a thriving aquarium.

What types of fish should you keep?

In general you can keep any kind of fish although the arowana, flower horn fish (Luo Han) and goldfish are good for attracting wealth.

About the author:
Logan Wong is a writer for Feng Shui Metaluck http://www.metaluck.com, a weblog offering free Feng Shui tips and resources.

New to Fishing?

If you are new to fishing, you will need to do some simple research in order to succeed. There are many types of fishing including fly fishing, bass fishing, and ice fishing. You will need to learn about fishing knots, fishing tackle, and even fishing lures. Sound like a lot of information? To be successful, you can do some simple research and gain valuable information. The Internet or the library can be great ways to get this information easily.

You will need to find out what type of fishing you want to do. Do you want to learn to fly fish? Fly fishing is mainly done in rivers. Most of the time, a fisherman will stand in the water while fishing. You will need to use a specific fly fishing pole which is longer then the average fishing pole. It is also more flexible to withstand more pressure.

A different type of fishing, is bass fishing. In bass fishing you are fishing specifically for bass. It is traditionally done from a fishing boat rather then standing in the water. Obviously, you will need to research locations which will provide you with this type of fish. Ice fishing, as it's name implies, is usually done in cold weather. You may purchase additional equipment for ice fishing, such as huts which are small ice fishing houses that will provide shelter.

Once you choose which type of fishing you would like to learn and eventually do, you will need to invest in the proper equipment. Items you will need to consider include large items like fishing boats and small items like fishing lures and fishing tackle. What you chose will have an effect on how well your fishing adventures will be. You will need to learn trades of the fishing as well. Learning to tie fishing knots is an example of this. Many people find that experience is the best tool to learning, but you can learn a lot from research as well. Consider researching locations and license requirements too as this information is vital to success in fishing.

About the author:

Mike Yeager
Publisher

A Toddler Halloween Costume for your Toddler.Mike YeagerToddler Halloween Costumes are absolutely cute and can be very unique. They can be manufactured and purchased or they can be created at home using imagination. When purchasing a toddler Halloween costume, consider safety as well as comfort. Also, check out the wide selections available online, in department stores, and craft stores.

With so many options out there, finding the right toddler Halloween costume should be a snap! First consider whether you wish to purchase a pre-made design, purchase materials to make one, or even to find the things you will need around the home. Depending on the level of creativity, work you wish to do, and time allowable, creating a toddler Halloween costume should be fun!
Another important thing to consider when choosing a toddler Halloween costume is safety. Safety is, of course, the most important aspect. Bright colors and reflective textures will help to keep them visible in the dark on Halloween night. Adding a flashlight or glowing necklace or bracelet are other options. While considering safety, remember that the pieces the costume can be safety hazards as well. For instance, check to make sure button are sewn on properly and that there are no long strings that can catch around a child's neck. All pieces and parts must not be able to be torn off. While considering these things, remember to that comfort is important as well. Nothing is worse than an unhappy child who is comfortable and being made to walk through the neighborhood. Soft textures and fabrics will help this as well as making sure the toddler Halloween costume will provide the right temperature as well.

To find a great toddler Halloween costume, check out the online markets as well as department stores. Many kids this young will not have much of an opinion in what they were so take advantage of this short period and choose something you as a parent would like as well. In many craft stores, you will find designs of many toddler Halloween costumes. Fabrics, accessories, and make up are all widely available in all colors and styles.

Toddler Halloween costumes is great ways to show a child's interests and personality. Whatever you choose for your child ensure that all pieces and parts are secure and safe. Keep children visible with glowing sticks and flashlights. Safety is most important. But, have fun choose or making a toddler costume that fits your child!

About the author:

Mike Yeager
Publisher

The key to fishing...fishing lures!

Fishing lures are one of the most fundamental aspects of fishing, yet are one of the most talked about. What type of fishing lure will you need? Maybe its an antique fishing lure? Maybe you are trying to use bass fishing lures? There are many, many types and most are commonly found in your average sporting goods store. Yet, having a knowledge of what these lures do is key. Some things to know are what sizes, styles, colors, and shapes will attract your fish. Will it bob or float? Does it need to plunge deep into the stream to catch the eye of your catch?

Antique fishing lures are among the most collected fishing equipment out there. Collectors pay top dollar for lures with high grades and quality wood lures. This hobby has many anglers hooked! Another well established hobby is lure making. Many people have gotten into this hobby whether through scouting or just out of a love of fishing. There are many websites and books that will teach you lure making using plastics, metals, and even wood. You can find lure making materials pretty readily as well.

As widely available as they are, there are several lines of lures that are well known for their quality and abilities. Among these are Storm lures and Muskie lures. Each have their own special characteristics, but both of these are tried and true product lines. Find the type and style you need and you can trust in their ability to attract the fish you want. Bass lures will attract bass, obviously.

If you want to learn more about which individual lures you will need, speak with an experienced fisherman. Each will have a wealth of knowledge to give. You can also find out a great deal online in your favorite fishing websites. Many online communities offer a great deal of information to help the beginner and even enhance the advanced fisherman no matter what type of fishing lures you are looking for.

About the author:

Mike Yeager
Publisher

The Importance of Having the Proper Fishing Equipment.Mike YeagerWhile learning to fish, it is important to learn what the proper equipment is and how to use it. There are many different kinds of fishing, each with unique equipment and unique ways to use it. You need to have this information to be successful. Researching this information will take you only minutes using the Internet or even making the trip to the library to take out a few books. The time you invest will only benefit you in the long run.

Whether you are learning what fly fishing equipment you will need or what ice fishing equipment you will need, it is important to invest some time and energy in learning this. You need to learn about things like hand rods, reels, floating line, leaders and flies. You need to know the different types and degrees of which you need for the different types of fishing. The strength and quality of the items you purchase will depend on how serious you are and how much you want to invest. For instance if you are looking to learn how to fly fish, you need to know what type of fishing hooks you will need. Should they be large, colored, dull? What about fishing line? If you are ice fishing, what strength should that line be?

Fishing equipment can be bought at any sporting goods store or even your local department store. Again, quality and expense will vary. Ask questions and know what you are looking for. Many areas have specialty stores which can provide you with an infinite amount of knowledge and selection. Be sure to purchase the types of equipment you know you will need such as a strong, reliable rod, the right strength line, the proper tackle box to store all of your equipment in. Buying the most expensive equipment does not guarantee better results. Again, research here is invaluable.

Fishing equipment comes in all types of sizes and shapes. It ranges from the smallest items likes lures to large, expensive fishing boats. Take the time to learn what your needs are.

About the author:

Mike Yeager
Publisher

The Many Types of Fishing Reels!

To the beginner fisherman, finding the proper fishing reel can seem overwhelming. With all the different types, styles, and brands there really are many to choose from. Some basic research will provide the proper information though. Many brands, such as Penn fishing reels and Shimano fishing reels are widely available. Other names include Quantum fishing reels and Okuma fishing reels. Each has their own characteristics and styles.

Penn fishing reels seem to be one of the most popular brands of saltwater fishing reels and rods in the industry. The offer innovative and some of the finest fishing rods available. They offer many different "series" or types of reels. You can check out there specifications and availability online as well as in most sporting goods stores. New lines are available this year. To locate a Penn fishing reel dealer online, simply search for them using a major search engine.

Shimano fishing reels are know of their quality. They also provide a wide range of equipment from reels for beginners to the most advanced anglers around! They are also a widely available line that can be found online or in your local fishing equipment store. Their line includes reels such as round bait-casting, low profile, spinning, saltwater spinning, and saltwater conventional. They have ample products available to suit just about every need.

Quantum fishing reels and Okuma fishing reels are two other good sources of reels on the market. You can find them, as well as several others, in your local sporting goods store or shop hundreds of outlets online. Simply search for the items you are looking for and several options will be produced. These two lines are also well know and widely available.

Taking the time to look into which type of reel you want is important when purchasing reels and fishing poles. Although widely available in most cases, you can find additional information and very detailed descriptions of them online. The reel you need will enhance your fishing experience when purchased for the type of fishing you plan to do.

About the author:

Mike Yeager
Publisher

Thursday, 8 May 2008

How To Choose The Fishing Trip Destination That's Right For Your Group

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Thrill of Trout Fishing

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Put Away That Fishing Pole And Haul Out The Net

Going Fishing

Icefishing-For Beginners

Wednesday, 7 May 2008

LOCKPORT CATFISHING EXPERIENCE!

Alaskan Halibut Fishing

Faith For Dummies--Fly Fishing With Dub

Fishing for Fortunes. Scam!

Big Opt-In Lists, Trade Secrets & Fishing Trips

Tuesday, 6 May 2008

What Are You Fishing With? Lure, Bait and Gear

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Spring and Pawl Drag Fly Fishing Reels

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lots of Fun with Crab Fishing

Friday, 2 May 2008

Women and Fishing -- Not Just A Man's Sport

Some Fishing Safety rules every fisherman should know

Fishing Around For Wealth

New to Fishing?

The key to fishing...fishing lures!

The Many Types of Fishing Reels!

Fishing tips & Tactics

Interest Site

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