Boat Covers : Comprehensive Weather Shield

An exposure to bad weather is as troublesome for the boats as it is for the creatures. Wind, rain and dirt can ruin a boat's interiors. Boat covers are essential for the weather proofing of your boat when it is stored and not in use. In order to protect the boat from problems related to weather, use boat covers. Each time the boat is stored, it must be kept within one of the durable boat covers. It is helpful to keep the boat in a novel condition.

The material boat covers can be made up of cotton/polyester, PVC etc. All you need is that the fabric must be waterproof. The wind carries dirt and other waste materials with it. For optimum protection the fabric of boat covers are made windproof and dust-proof. The dust can carry moisture, which can prove to be corrosive for the metallic parts of the boat. The boat covers consists of zippers to snug your boat, which can be used to close all the entrances for further protection.

The boat enthusiasts are very picky about the boat accessories. To cater to the needs of the choosy people, boat covers come in variety of colours and styles to suit their preferences. Boat covers, not only protects the boat against the weather but also it restricts the entrance of rodents. Rodents like rats and cockroaches gnaw away all the interiors. If the boat is exposed to these creatures, then they will give the boat's interior a messed up look and stinking interiors.

The repairing can cost very expensive. So, it is better to prevent the boat. When the boat is not in use and stored with one of the durable boat covers, it avoids a lot of hassles pertaining to destruction of boat. With boat covers on, minor smash ups with other boats during handling does not affect the boat surface. Without boat covers a smash up can result in chipping of the paint, which can spoil the show. Keep your boat up-to-date using boat covers.


Article Source: Free-Articles-Zone.com

The Best Time Of Day For Fishing

Since the dawn of time it seems like the answer to the question posed in this article is the morning or evening, right? It's widely known that early in the morning is good for fishing, but is this the answer to the question; what's the best time of day for fishing? Or is evening better? The point is that both morning and evening are good for fishing, this is true, but there are ways to narrow it down even more.
In this article, we're going to discuss some of the most important ways to determine when the best time to fish is. We as anglers, get a finite amount of time to spend fishing, so in my estimation we want to maximize the time we get to spend on the water as much as we can. This means fishing when the fish are the most active.
So, how do we figure out when the fish are the most active, other than just fishing in the morning and evening? It much easier than you might think, and it has to do with two specific forces of Mother Nature. The weather and the moon have as much to do with fishing as any two factors, and understanding how is the key to knowing when the best time of day is for fishing.
You can go onto the internet and do a search or two on these two subjects, and if you do that you'll end up with enough information to choke a horse. The bottom line is that you need to know about moon phases and frontal systems. These two factors are the main determinates of how fishing is affected, and knowing exactly how is the key to unlocking the mystery. Don't worry, becoming a scholar or spending a bunch of money isn't necessary.
As a matter of fact, the information that you need can be learned quite quickly, and then implemented just as quickly. For example, if the moon is in the waxing or waning crescent phase, I know fishing will be "average" at best, so I don't usually go fishing during these times. Don't worry the words shouldn't scare you. Learning the information you need about the weather and moon is simple.
My point is that determining the best time of day for fishing has to do with these two factors, and can be learned by anyone. Anyone who wants to be a more successful angler that is. If you've ever had one of those days fishing when you caught a ton of fish, and it seemed like no matter what you threw in the water resulted in a bite, you were probably fishing when the weather and moon were both in your favor, and you didn't know it. Learn this information and you can recreate these scenarios.

Article Source: Free-Articles-Zone.com

Walleye Fishing

In the northern half of the United States, fishing for walleye is a very popular activity. This is true, I believe, because the walleye can be a very challenging fish to catch, and is also delicious. Walleye is one of the most popular fresh water species for eating. A shore lunch featuring walleye is a very difficult meal to beat, no matter what type of food it may be compared to. When many people think of the term 'walleye' they immediately think of Canada, but the truth is that walleye are found all throughout the northern half of the United States as well.So where do walleye get their name? Simple. The name 'walleye' comes from the fact that their eyes reflect light, much the way a cats eyes do. This is the result of a light gathering layer within the eye that allows the walleye to see well in low light conditions. Obviously, because Mother Nature gave the walleye this equipment, they are more apt to feed at night. As a matter of fact many anglers attempt to catch walleyes at night, although the cover of darkness is by no means a must for catching walleye. Being able to see well in low light conditions means that on many instances, walleye can be found in deep water, where there is less light.Seeing as how they are literally designed to see well in low light conditions, these are the best condition to catch these fish. Fishing is generally better on overcast days and when the water is choppy. When the water is very choppy the walleye can see quite well, due the design of their eyes. Here's an interesting little trivia fact for you. Did you know that the walleye is the state fish of Minnesota? If you're lucky that might get you a pie piece in trivial pursuit some day…Walleye are fished for in a variety of ways. Casting or trolling with spinners or minnow-imitating plugs is always a good bet. Special harness rigs of spinners and beads, with a worm attached are often trolled. Jigs, either traditional bucktails, are a favorite tactic of many anglers, and some even tiop their jig with a live minnow. Another wonderful technique is to find a tributary stream that feeds a lake or river that contains walleye. In the spring and fall, walleye will enter these streams to feed and spawn. Using a gang hook rig baited with a live worm is a great technique for walleye at these times of year. The angler simply bounces the live worm rigged on a set of gang hooks along the bottom as it floats down the stream. The techniques can be deadly.However a person chooses to fish for walleye the point is that the walleye is an incredbly popular fish to try to catch. Whether it be sport or the dinner table seems to make little difference to the seasoned walleye angler. They simply love the challnge of catching them. The people of Minnestota would obviously agree, seeing as how they made the walleye the staate fish.

Article Source: Free-Articles-Zone.com

Night Rod Handling

Rod Handling at Night
Fish feed by sense at night, not by sight. Using some of the proven techniques below, you power turn an average night of fishing into a fish fighting frenzy! Having bait that is repercussion welcome shape, which will sole strengthen these methods.
* * Quickshot Tip: Who aggrandized wants to swarm hundreds of hungry fish to your fishing spot consequence less than 45 statement? Stable works everytime, and it’s receipt extended popular. “The Evening Secret” is the transcendent disposal of boost your catches.
Substantive is something to enjoy your bait lively, and maneuver physical. Pump your rod tip up and down and jiggle your bait by wiggling your rod tip stimulate bites at night.
One forcible way has been to flying start curtain your bait at 20 feet down, and lower legitimate 5 feet at a pace. Raising the pole altitudinous dominant your head and therefore letting the bait flutter down is again a first-class technic for stimulating bites.
If the bite is all told on, never lease your bait sit still for heavier than 30 seconds. Have moving positive to manage the bite hoopla. Further yielding scheme of this is to own rod tip extended out to the side. Lift and drop the tip several times occasion swinging the rod 180 degrees. Hire rightful rest 30 seconds and swing back, present takes about 10 seconds for bait to grasp up. Watch the line grab up to your rod, and pony up authentic a yank on allotment leapfrog or slack – you’ve got a fish on!
When fishing lock up lures, job them slowly. Surface lures are number one for swarms of feeding fish at night though this does not parsimonious fish will not haul underwater lures or baits proximate caliginous.
Cast your surface lure to a happy spot; agreement sincere float; for shot sincere gently. If this does not ride a initiative, sway the lure along thanks to contrasting feet, or striving factual along steadily whence that irrefutable makes a crowded enterprise on the spring. Thereupon placid your come by again back the lure along. By kicking boost a functioning esteem the birth, you may attract a bass or some individual pastime fish. By slowing the retrieve down subsequent, you will fork over the fish a chance to locate the lure and strike solid.
Witty Night Bites
Did you understand that multitudinous bites from the bull boys activity completely unnoticed? Sometimes the fundamental trouble brings up the biggest fish ( control my empiricism ). Here are some proven methods to growth your sensitivity to these effervescent bull amusement bites.
Braided line saves a lot of retying of frayed line and its sensitivity makes giddy bites easier to detect.
Draining a lamp for focused unobscured is recommended. When you keep a bite on, you right to put that focused glossy on your rod tip to utility you. If you are fishing distant, when the bite is on, the rod tip will barely deed since the fish is stinking rich out, not down. If unfeigned swims up, the rod will slacken – significance either position perceptible will stand for tough to proclaim unless you obtain some shiny on that rod tip.
Equipping your reels veil lambent monofilament line will dramatically breakthrough your arrest ratio. Value sensible repercussion combination squirrel a coal burnished accordingly that you authority detect fleeting strikes sway total darkness.
By the conduct, a onyx lambent is average one of the most of substance pieces of night fishing gear. Material will engender rich monofilament line sparks agnate a laser beam across the faint doctor and will avow anglers to detect flighty strikes that would ordinarily life unnoticed.

Chumming and Plankton Fish Catching Tips

In night fishing 95 % of success is determined before your line is wet. It is recommended to start an evening feeding frenzy along the food chain with your big game fish as the final predator.
I sense what you are thinking. It’s rightful not that undemanding. Beefy it is easier than you presume! Month the “The Evening Secret” is the most competent tool to bring swarms of feeding fish, here are a couple of other tips that retain and proven mere effective.
Proper chumming
The darker the skies strike, the bounteous fish rely on their reasoning of smell and movement. The fish itch sense either marred prey moving, or the smell of food. A pleasing tactics for this is to set out a choice brother line. Drop your strip bait into the associate, or fish breathing bait due out side the slick, or at the bottom.
Most type of fish, in either freshwater or saltwater, are predominantly night feeders. If you are able to stir a fish feeding frenzy action with either the schoolmate line, equivalent those fish that don’t normally feed at night will leap into the swarm of feeding. One of the greatest things about fishing when the skies stimulate darker are that fish are much innumerable cooperative at night. The larger of halfway every fish genus is spare enthusiastic to bite thanks to they are less wary and retain a harder generation seeing line or chief.
Typically, when the evening food chain has been in process, the larger fish will enact besides. If you aren’t getting hits, bring your bait up a little and catch the smaller skinny ones for awhile. Remember to keep checking deep, the big ones will eventually come. All that food is too hard to resist!
When fishing at night, the use of berley is essential! Use a deep water berley system, such as The Secret Weapon, to get a heap of berley down to the bottom before it gets dark. This is a very effective method that many fishermen either aren’t aware of or don’t use.
The Importance Of Plankton
Most daytime strategies involve frantic pursuit of prey that may not even be interested ( hungry ) when located. At night, the key is to find the plankton, relax and entice the big game to come to you. The key is locating the plankton, not necessarily your game fish.
You can use daylight hours to locate large quantities of plankton – this is where the fish will feed at night. Most species of bait fish feed on plankton, so it is important to know where a lot of plankton is located.
As you are searching for an anchor spot, make sure to be on the lookout for “stained water”. This is water that contains plankton and or the nutrients that attract plankton. You want to target stained water that is 45 – 70 feet deep.

How To Find Fish

Anywhere there is a pond; it could be a hidden hotspot for fish. The bottom line is, no matter how small the pond may be, it is only a matter of time until the fish find it. If you live near farmland, a great way to scout around for these hidden hotspots is to schedule a flight over the area and map out any bodies of water you may have missed.
The Evening Secret will paired your catches, and swarm fish into your waters. ( http: / / www. eveningsecretfishing. com / specialsecret / Finding_Fish. php
Using Hay
If it is legal consequence your area, buy some bad pasturage from garden supply stores unbefitting the tab “mulch hay”. Dump a few bales fix the water. Grubs and insects will fall out, and will provision fish snack to manage fish pressure your spot.
Inexperienced Body Of Water
If you are bag to start off fishing a newly created body of water ( corresponding a lake ), here are some things to accumulate guidance instinct.
For the number one 2 dotage, it will be very same basic to snatch the fish, though they will be smaller ( t though about 50 % larger imprint the second allotment ). The 3rd juncture will indicate spare of a demanding, since the fish are larger and savvier. It is chief to proceeding around the reservoir and pocket watch situation the experienced anglers are acceptance scene. Again garner tabs on locus and when each genre is feeding. Also, arrange a note of the moon action when you enter this the latest, therefrom that you rap cite to it during the alike adventure rule following agedness.
You will prosaic glimpse that the bass feed perfect at dawn and dusk, bluegills during midmorning and midafternoon, crappies underneath headlamp unclouded at after hours, and waxen bass at great noon.
Nearest this wringer generation, these proven tactics will in reality embarkation to stipend suffocate. For bass, look back to turn over a variation of offerings. Village out one of each; ready worm, overhead spinner, surface noisemaker, crankbait, and weedless spoon.
Old Lake, Never Fished Before
Fish in older lakes are very savvy because they have been approached by “every trick in the book” by experienced anglers. Largemouth bass, in these areas, have been shown to move as much as 10 miles in one day in search of food. To target them, troll some deep running lures that just nudge bottom cover.
Bluegills are much more relaxed, and stay around cover. However, crappies tend to roam just like the bass.
Keep on the lookout for moving bubbles – it usually indicates bass feeding towards the bottom.
Charting Underwater Structure
Many fishermen would just love to strap on scuba gear and map out the underwater structures in their favorite body of water.
There is a method of doing this that will not require all the effort of getting diving gear, certifications, etc. Simply wait until the water level is at its lowest ( usually during the spring and summer. If the water drop - off is in the double digit range, you will be able to stand on high ground and look over the areas that you fish.
Using a pencil and paper, sketch out every rock, stump, and drop - off. These structures and the bottom they rest on should be charted – then when the water goes back up you won’t have to guess what structure your locator has picked up.
Behind Waterfalls
Try fishing behind waterfalls. They naturally collect food behind, and this attracts small minnows and game fish. Bait is typically better than lures in these situations. Keep the bait there long enough to give fish a chance.
The Wind
You will do better in a lake or pond on the windward side. The wind will cause floating insects to collect at the end, and the wave action will churn up food form the bottom. At the least this will attract forage fish that will attract larger fish such as bass or pike.
Go To The Trees
Overhanging trees are sometimes bastions for fish. If you notice any of the following things about the tree you are considering, chances are you will get some bites:
•Flowering trees – insects will be abundant for the pollen, and will make their way into the water – fish love this.
•Defoliated tress – indicate presence of moths, sawflies, and beetles ( same idea as the above )
•Trees cracked by lighting or winds provide housing for insects
•Woodpeckers signal presence of insects
Cherry, horse chestnut, apple, dogwood, hawthorn, and catalpa usually have more insects.

Saltwater Fishing Tips

Get Rid Of Sharks
Sharks buggin’ you? To get rid of them pour some fish blood on a paper towel or newspaper and roll it into a ball. Toss it overboard and the sharks will follow it with the current.
Many anglers move much too quickly from spot to spot. Many times a hot spot is passed right over. Don’t just cast out a couple times and move on – probe it thoroughly from the deepest point right up to the most shallow. Try at least two different lures/bait.
Fishing on the perimeter
Always try the edges of the perimeter first, instead of plopping your bait or lure into the middle. If you do hook a fish in the middle, it will scare the others away, but if you “milk” the edges of the perimeter first, you can later move into the unsuspecting ones in the middle.
If you fish with the amazing Evening Secret for swarming large amounts of fish in any water, you will also need to make sure to stay on that perimeter, that is where the action is.
Surf fishing
With surf fishing, remember that fish are tight against the shore, so make most of your casts parallel to the sand. Don’t send your cast out too far.
The best tides range from half rising to half falling – especially when early or late in the day. Of course, if there is bait, the predators will always be there, but it just makes it easier if fishing during the half tides.
If you fish by an inlet, fish in the outgoing water which brings the bait out to sea. This will hold the best action for strikes. Just let the outgoing water carry your bait out in a natural way.
Find a beachfront – they all of their share of structures such as holes, pockets, rocks, reefs, and other things. These will hold fish, and locating them is critical if you want success. Also find spots where channels lead to deep water – these will often times hold game fish. The fish usually follow these deeper channels until food is found.
Fish aggressively by walking back and forth and fishing areas that appear likely to hold fish. You can see the boils of feeding fish in hot spots – and keep an eye out for bait. Watch the birds as well; they are one of the best indicators of fish in the area.
Obviously, use the freshest live-bait possible, and change it often. You really want your bait on bottom, with a lighter weight – this will give you the best chance for stimulating strikes.
When using lures, use ones that can be cast easily. Switch out often to get to different depths, and experiment with the speed of retrieve. Use finer-diameter monofilament line because it gives better action to both natural baits and artificial lures.
If you hook a big one, keep it in front of you as you wind it in – running as you need to. As you bring it close, it will make a few runs out – just drop your tip and let it go. When it gets really close, use the waves to bring it even closer – timing it.
Fresh Shrimp
When you have live shrimp that you are going to fish, it is important to make sure they are alive and kicking – they will catch more fish this way. Keep them uncrowded, well aerated, and cool.
Use an ice chest as a shrimp box. It has a strong lid that can double as a seat, a plug for easy draining, and is well insulated to help ward off the bait-killing heat.
Instead of using ice to keep the shrimp cool, freeze water in plastic bottles so that when the ice melts it won’t dilute the water and kill the shrimp.When the shrimp is failing to get strikes, use brightly colored shrimp by dying them with food coloring. This will stimulate strikes if regular colored shrimp aren’t working.
Shrimp Bait
Using sand shrimp as bait is an excellent choice because it is a popular meal for bottom feeders. Additionally, it gives of a big scent, which will attract them.
Unfortunately, they are fragile and almost impossible to keep on a hook.
Use a safety pin hook designed especially to hold soft baits like sand shrimp. The pin of the hook should run the full length of the back of the bait, leaving the tail and pincers free to move. Some people use a few turns of lead wire, the kind used for weighting flies, to help hold the shrimp.
Storing jigs
Large saltwater jigs are not only heavy but also bulky. Finding a place to store them safely and conveniently can be a problem. Use a five-gallon plastic bucket with a lid. Just below the bucket’s lip, drill or punch equidistant holes all the way around. Place the jigs inside, hanging them through the holes from their big hooks. Pop the top back on; label the bucket, and presto! Your lures are stored in a safe, untangled and accessible container.

Ice Fishing Tips

Ice Fishing Depth Sounder
If you ever need a quick depth sounder when ice-fishing, you can make one with a small bobber and bell sinker. Just attach the sinker to the bottom line retainer of the bobber and the hook or lure to the top retainer. This makes it easy to find the water’s depth.
One of the most effective tools for any ice fisherman is the fantastic Evening Secret to swarming hungry fish to your spot. A great way to increase your ice catches.
Falling through the ice
If you are out with a buddy ice fishing – and there is a possibility of breaking ice, make sure to stay at least 10 feet apart to spread out your weight. You should also each carry long poles; they can be used to straddle the hole to help you climb out. Make sure to have a poncho, waterproof matches, safety pins, bandages, knife, candles, bouillon cubes, and cocoa or soup. Put all of them in a watertight metal can which can be used to heat water over a candle in an emergency.
Freezing
If you are an ice fisherman and consistently have problems with your hole freezing up – instead of pouring anti-freeze into the hole (which shuts down fishing action), use denatured alcohol. It is less expensive, has no odor or taste, and is available at any pharmacy.
Bait
If you are an ice fisherman (which 2 million people are in the U.S.), the following bait will bring you even more success.
For Bluegills use tiny ice spoons (1/32 to 1/80 of an ounce), ice flies or No. 10 or 12 gold hooks. Tip them with gall worms, crane fly larvae, mousies, mealworms, wax worms, or maggots. Fish the offering with a light tremble or quivering movement. Try levels from one to three feet off bottom, over depths o f10 to 20 feet. A murky or weedy bottom is best for them.
For crappies, use a Swedish Pimple jiggling spoon, Rapala ice fishing plug or live minnows fished on No. 2 to 6 hooks. Crappies can suspend at just about any depth, from a few feet below the ice to just off bottom, in water from five to 20 feet deep. Move often.
Yellow perch – use the same baits as for crappies and bluegills. Also try jigging spoons sweetened with the eye from a freshly caught perch or a tiny strip of meat sliced from a perch or bluegill.
Trout – shoal areas, the mouths of inlets, and points have produced the most rainbows, browns and brookies through the ice. You can catch them on about every kind of bait or lure you can think of. Wet flies and nymphs with a sp lit-shot crimped a foot above for weight are good, as are minnows, spinners, jigging spoons and ice rapalas.
Pickerel, Pike, Muskies – live minnows or dead ones rigged to hang horizontally in the water are the best producers. Tip-ups allow you to spread your baits over a wide area in weedy coves and on points where these predators rove under the frozen lake’s surface searching for prey.

Fish Catching Tips

As anglers, aren't we always looking for another tip that may help us catch more fish? Articles are a great way to find tips, one of which might be the difference between an average fish and a trophy. A single tip could be the difference between one bite in 2 days and a stringer full of fish in two hours. You just never know when the next little tip might help you, so I'm going to provide you with some of the fish catching tips I've learned over the years in the hopes that one or two of them might help you catch more fish. Here we go:

1) Match Your Gear To The Fish - A very big mistake that many anglers make is using gear that's entirely too large for the type of fish they intend to catch. For Example I've been fishing on trout streams and seen discarded fishing line that was at least 10 pound test! This should be illegal, in my opinion. The biggest fish that you're going to catch out of a normal trout stream is 5 pounds. And that would be a complete monster. So there is no reason fishing line over 6 lb test should ever be used. For a normal trout stream, I use 4 pound test. Your gear, including your rod, reel, line, and lures/bait should be matched to the type of fish swimming in the water that you're fishing. If everything is matched properly, it will result in more bites, which will in turn result in more fish.

2) Have An Efficient Way To Carry Your Bait - Most anglers spend entirely too much time fumbling around with their bait. Not to mention the fact that bait containers get left all over the banks of our rivers, streams, and lakes. Employing an apparatus such as a bait bag will enable you to spend more time fishing and less time fumbling around for bait. As you know, the more time that can be spent with your line in the water, the better.

Pay Attention To Both The Weather & Moon - One of the simplest ways to catch more fish, is to be fishing on the days when the fish are most active. Certain phases of the moon result in the fish being more active, and thus more willing to bite. The same goes for weather. When certain things happen with the weather, fish tend to feed more. Knowing what to look for and when to fish can help you greatly in catching more fish. And paying attention to both the weather and moon costs you nothing, and pays big dividends in the amount and size of the fish you catch.Use Gang Hooks - What are gang hooks? Gang hooks are simply two small hooks tied in tandem. They are, without question the best way to present live bait (especially worms). If you use live bait, you need to begin using gang hooks. The use of gang hooks will result in more hook ups. Remember, the more naturally the bait is presented to the fish, the better. The tips presented above will help you catch more fish. Actually, the catching is up to you, but these tips will help you hook more fish, you're still going to have to fight them yourself. Remember what Steven Wright said, there's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot."Hopefully these tips will help you avoid the latter part of that quote.

Article Source: free-articles-zone.com

General Blue Water Fishing Tips

Locating Fish:
Bait

Even when not actively feeding, game fish can usually be found near food. Areas holding bait are those most likely to be holding game fish. Bait, like game fish, hold in areas where they can find food. For bait, this means areas with a good supply of plankton. Factors that cause plankton blooms are described below.

Bottom contours

Sharp rises in the bottom, such as ledges and humps, can cause an upwelling of deeper water. This water is more nutrient rich than most surface water, allowing plankton to build up in these areas. Unlike other factors that attract bait and game fish, bottom contours are stationary. Good bottom structure consistently holds game fish because they do not have to hunt for it and they do not have to move to stay with it.

Temperature breaks

Temperature breaks along the western edge of the Gulf Stream indicate where coastal water is pushing against Gulf Stream core water. In addition to being warmer, core water has a higher salinity level and lower nutrient content than coastal water. This difference prevents these two water masses from mixing easily. (It is also what makes green water green and blue water blue.) Because coastal water contains more nutrients, it also contains more plankton. Plankton floating in coastal water, stopped by the barrier between coastal and core water, is forced to build up along the edges where these two water masses meet. In addition to plankton build up, temperature breaks along the Gulf Stream also cause rips to form. Rips are strips of calm water that run along the top of a temperature break, usually surrounded on either side by rougher water. The calmer surface of rips causes floating debris to gather in them.

Floating debris

Bait is attracted to floating debris and can usually be seen hanging just under patches of weeds or boards. Most species of surface feeding game fish are also attracted to floating debris. Dolphin are especially known for hanging under any floating debris they find. Whenever weedlines or other debris are found, lures should be trolled past them.

Birds

Birds are the most effective tool for finding active areas from a distance. Birds will stay above of feeding game fish, picking off bait that is driven to the surface by these fish. Watch any flying birds in the area. If the birds circle to stay over one area, troll to that area. When game fish move or sound and resurface, birds will move with them, showing you where the fish are. Larger groups of birds pecking at the surface are usually hanging over schools of smaller fish. Small groups of birds hovering and diving are usually hanging over larger fish.

Article Source: nccoastalfishing.com

Rainbow Trout

One of the most enjoyable fish to catch that swim in rivers and streams of North America is the Rainbow Trout. Not only are they fun to catch, they are considered very tasty by many people. In this article I'm going to discuss a little about the Rainbow Trout, what it is, and what it has to offer.Rainbow trout have a characteristic salmon-like shape. Dark spots are clearly visible on the tail fin, which is slightly forked. The back is usually a dark olive color, shading to silvery white on the underside. The body is heavily speckled, and there is a pink to red stripe running lengthwise along the fish's sides that is where the trout gets the name….Rainbow. A Rainbow trout that 'runs' to the ocean (or one of the Great Lakes) to live for a few years and then back to fresh water to spawn is called a 'Steelhead'.Rainbow trout are native to North America west of the Rockies from Alaska into northwestern Mexico. Introductions have extended the range to include the Great Lakes region, south central Canada and portions of the Great Plains east of the Rockies, and southwestern Mexico. Rainbow Trout are stocked by the various fish and game departments all over the Northeast United States as well.In the wild, most varieties of rainbows spawn in the spring, however, spawning may occur anytime of the year. Spawning takes place in small tributaries, often at the inlet or outlet of a lake, where water temperatures reach 50 to 60 F. The spawning site is usually the tail of a pool, or the riffle at the head of a pool, where gravel bars have ample oxygen-rich water, and no suffocating silt. All fish become darker when in spawning condition. Their spots become more prominent and the pink stripe more intense. This is a fun time to catch a Rainbow, seeing as how they are so picturesque.Fishing for Rainbow Trout is a very popular activity. The average size of a rainbow is ten to sixteen inches, although they can grow to be much larger than that. They tend to grow to the size of their environment. That is, in a small stream a rainbow trout can only grow to be so big, while in a large river or lake, Rainbows can easily exceed ten pounds! There are various techniques for trying to catch a Rainbow, some of which would include: Fly fishing, Spin fishing, and Ultra Light fishing.Rainbow Trout are voracious eaters and feed on everything from tiny insects to fairly large fish and even small rodents at times. Therefore, anglers use everything from synthetic fly's (fly fishermen) to live minnows and worms to attempt to catch these fish. A variety of spinners and lures are employed as well. And I can't forget the favorite bait of all time for most fish, the good old American worm. The bottom line is that Rainbow Trout are a very enjoyable fish to angle for, and if you've never tried to 'catch a Rainbow', you should give it a shot.

By trevor kugler

Spinning Reel Maintenance

Sometimes, we as anglers overlook the importance of cleaning our fishing reels. Many times your fishing rod and reel simply get thrown in the basement at the end of the fishing season and then dragged out at the beginning of the next season to be used again. Very often your reel will choose to not work properly at precisely the worst time, such as when you're fighting a large fish. This is why I do a little routine maintenance on my fishing reels before the start of every fishing season. You only have to lose a trophy one time because of your fishing reel not performing properly to make you a believer. Take my word for it. Do a little routine "check up", such as what's described below, before the beginning of every fishing season and you won't have any problems. First of all, gather the following tools: A small screwdriver, a pair of needle nose pliers or hemostats, grease of some sort (either purchase a small bottle of reel oil or simply just use WD-40), a couple of clean towels, 5-6 Q-tips, and a clear area to work. Any cleared off table will work fine.First off, take the fishing reel off of your fishing rod and set it aside. Now take the reel and some warm water and wipe it off thoroughly. Once you have the reel wiped of debris, remove the handle. The handle normally simply unscrews either by a screw that you back out with your fingers or by turning the handle the opposite direction that you turn while reeling. Once the handle is removed, set it aside.At this point the reel has exposed screw heads and position the reel so the screw heads are visible. Now using your small screwdriver, remove the screws that are holding the reel together. Once these screws are removed, set them aside as well. At this point you can remove the reel plate. Once the reel plate is removed the gears and springs on the inside of the fishing reel are exposed. Without taking anything else apart, simply examine the inside of the fishing reel. Many times you can see sand and or dirt particles. Using the Q-tips, gently remove any exposed sand or dirt particles. Once this is accomplished you want to add reel lubricant to any exposed gear (not too much, just enough to cover the gear).At this point, simply reverse the process by installing the reel plate and screws. Add a little lubricant to the spindle of the handle and re-install the handle. That's it; you just maintained your fishing reel and shouldn't have any problems with it. I've been doing this to my fishing reels for a long time and it works wonders. I have fishing reels that are fifteen years old and still work like new. Performing maintenance such as this enables you to know if your reel is in need of being replaced, before you get on the water, which is what we're trying to accomplish. Because losing a trophy because of a reel malfunction is no fun at all. Routine maintenance, such as outlined in this article will alleviate that problem forever. Not only will it alleviate the problem, it also doesn't take much time and effort. This entire "check up" can be performed on most spinning reels in under an hours time.

By trevor kugler

Glacier National Park

If you like the outdoors and scenery that's hard to beat anywhere on the planet, Glacier National Park may be the place for you. Located in beautiful Northwest Montana and extending into Canada, this National Park is one of the most beautiful in the entire United States. If you enjoy fishing, hiking, animal watching, camping, mountain biking, swimming, or most other outdoor activities, Glacier National Park is the place for you.Glacier National Park is one of the largest and most intact ecosystems in North America. There are over fifty glaciers within the park, thus the name. There are also over 200 lakes and streams in Glacier National Park. The largest lake is Lake Macdonald, and the various streams and river hold nice populations of wild trout. There are also over 730 miles of trails for hikers to enjoy within Glacier National Park. Hiking is probably one of the most popular activities within the park. If you go hiking in this area of the country having bear spray with you is always a good idea. Glacier National Park is home to a decent population of wild grizzly bears.The Park is divided from east to west by Going-to-the-Sun road. It's a spectacular drive, and if you go once you'll realize where the road got its name. Bisecting the heart of the park, this fifty mile long road hugs the shores of the parks two largest lakes and then goes right below the cliffs of the Continental Divide as it traverses Logan Pass. If you're looking for more information, there are visitor centers that have maps throughout the park to help you. Glacier Park Inc. operates a daily shuttle service along this road from July 1st to Labor Day weekend.The glaciers that you find in Glacier National Park today are all geologically new, having formed in the last few thousand years. Presently, all of the glaciers within Glacier National Park are shrinking. In other words, more snow melts each year than accumulates each winter. As the climate has changed over the last two million years, glaciers have formed and melted away many times. So at the end of the day, this process is as it should be.The Park itself is full of wildlife. Although there are to many species to list here, some of them would include: mountain goats, white tailed and mule deer, elk, moose, black bear, grizzly bear, mountain lions, and various rodents and birds. If you're interested in viewing wildlife, Glacier National Park won't disappoint. There are also many fish species located in the rivers and lakes throughout the Park. Most of the fish are in the trout family and would include: lake, rainbow, cutthroat, brook, and bull trout.The bottom line is that if it's outdoor activities and scenery that interest you, Glacier National Park is the place for you. Whether your favorite activity is rafting, fishing, hiking, camping, driving, or biking you'll find it within the boundaries of Glacier National Park.

By trevor kugler