The World of Fishing

Wang Anchor Stake Out Poles

2011-12-18T10:44:00.000-08:00

Everyone seems to have a different take on anchoring systems and stake-out poles for kayaks. My number one anchor is not really an anchor at all, but a stake out pole. It's far more convenient than a traditional anchor, absolutely stops the kayak in place, and does not drag or come out in high current conditions.
I recently had the pleasure of reviewing an excellent new stake-out pole for kayaks and boats, the Wang Anchor. With the hilarious 'Hang Out With Your Wang Out' slogan to go along with it's catchy brand name, the Wang is definitely making a name for itself.
Made of fiberglass that is relatively rigid, the Wang has a pointed end for staking out in mud or

penetrating rocky bottoms (of places you fish!). The Wang has a duck foot on top do you can also use it to pole your kayak when standing. The standard size is 8', but the folks at Wang Anchors also offer custom lengths so you can get a Wang that's right for you.
I have both the 6' and 8' versions and use them both from my sit-on-tops. On most days when I am fishing a low tide cycle I take my 6' Wang which is longer than most stake out poles which usually are 5' long. On days when I fish a high or flood tides I take my extra long 8' Wang so I can stake out comfortably in deeper water.
While some anglers rig anchor trolleys for variable anchor positioning, I stay with a pretty simple system and put my stake out pole through the scuppers depending on what orientation I need. Wang also has a bracket for mounting on boats, canoes, and kayaks if you dont want to stake-out through a scupper, or you can always stake-out externally and tether the Wang to your kayak. The Wang easily stores using a paddle holder on the side of the kayak.
All kidding aside Wang Anchors has a nice product that does the job well, has great durability and flexibility, and a reasonable price point. For more information on the full line of Wang Anchor products line visit www.WangAnchor.com.

QuikSlide Stringer System

2011-12-18T10:40:00.000-08:00

Storing fish on a kayak is always a challenge, and anyone who has used a stringer knows that stringers often rust or are just plain troublesome to use. I can relate several horror stories where I had "stringer malfunctions" either getting fish on the stringer, having a stringer decide to leave my kayak unintentionally, or finding my stringer rotted or rusted when I needed it. At ICAST 2009 I came across an interesting booth run by the folks at Innovative Products who truly have an innovative product, the QuikSlide Stringer system.

As the picture above shows, the system starts with a PVC-coated stainless steel cable. It comes in 3' and 6' lengths, has a clip on the end for securing it to your boat, and since it is coated will not scratch your boat surface and is easy on your hands. Near the top of the string is a short area which has no PVC coating and this is where the QuikSlide snaps mount onto the stringer. Each kit includes 6 QuikSlide snaps made of stainless steel with a sliding lock and a mount tube that fits over the exposed portion of the stringer. The snaps are available in multiple colors and come with a convenient storage clip.
I attached my stringer to a handle on my kayak with a simple loop. The 3' length model was perfect for the kayak - not so short it made paddling difficult and not so long that I had to take in slack. When you catch a fish just pull a snap off the storage clip, open it and run it through the fish's jaw while the fish is in the net or on a fish grip. Then simply take the fish by the clip and slide it onto the exposed portion of the string and "Voila!" the fish is on the stringer without moving the stringer out of the water.
I had a 23" Red Drum and 3 17-19" Black Drum (about 13lbs of fish) on the stringer and all four fish were happily swimming along for hours. They never got tangled and with the QuikSlide system their snaps could actually move around on the string without any danger of them coming off.
After cleaning my fish all the QuikSlide system needed was a brief rinse before putting the snaps back on the storage clip and into my tackle box. I really liked the strength and convenience of the system, and look forward to the durability the stainless steel design promises. Any other questions or inquiries about QuikSlide products can be found via internet:
www.quikslide.com

Norton Brass Rattler Fish Grip

2011-12-18T10:38:00.000-08:00

There's a new "redfish wrench" in town that is ideal for kayak fishing, the Fish Grip from the folks at Norton Brass Rattler. Made of high impact plastic, the Fish Grip has a vice-like action for clamping and controlling fish and rounded tips to keep from harming fish before a release. Don't underestimate the power of this grip - once engaged it is not coming off, and please don't test it on a finger (of course I did and had to drill a clot out of my nail).
Perhaps the most important feature is that since it is made of plastic the Fish Grip floats - no additional floats are necessary to keep it from going down once it hits the water. There are no parts to rust, it comes with a wrist bungee strap, and it's available in orange, blue, green, and glow-in-the-dark pearl.
Beyond floatability th Fish Grip has a fantastic price point at $14.95 both at local stores and online. At that price and the noted features this is an obvious winner for the kayak angler.
For more information on the Fish Grip visit www.nortonbrassrattler.com/Product_Fish_Grip.htm.

Bluestorm Inflatable PFDs

2011-12-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

The founders of Marine Technologies International (MTI) have a new brand focused on high-end personal protective marine safety equipment called Bluestorm, and they have some products ideal for the kayak angler. The name Bluestorm was chosen because a clear blue sky calm and controllable situation on the water can quickly turn into a storm, by weather or unintended accident, and the Bluestorm products use the latest technologies, fabrics, and quality workmanship to deliver safe comfortable products that work.

Bluestorm's PFDs come in three different inflation profiles, automatic, automatic/manual, and manual depending on your preference, and there are yolk/vest styles and fanny pack/belt styles. All of them have auxiliary oral inflation options and are U.S.C.G. approved Type III or Type V with Type III performance PFDs and come with a three year warrantee. Different models are available in buoyancy ratings from 29lbs to 35lbs.
I had the opportunity to test drive Bluestorm's inflatable PFDs on both inshore and mothership kayak trips and was very impressed with their comfort and quality. You hardly know they are on and they clean up easily. They also have a zippered pocket that is ideal for storage of a whistle or other sounding device. Remember when using an inflatable PFD the Coast Guard requires that the PFD be worn not just in reach. Bluestorm PFDs are available at a dealer near you or online at www.bluestorm.us.

Penn Conquer Reel

2011-12-18T10:31:00.000-08:00

There's no question kayak fishing is very tough on reels. With the kayak low in the water and the angler fishing down at water level reels take a lot more abuse than they do in boats. Add in the occasional oops when a reel gets dunked in the water and you have the perfect storm for "reel" problems.
For fall 2009 Penn Reels has introduced the Conquer, a new line of reels that are ideal for kayak anglers. Like the Slammer series the Conquer reels have sealed drags and the tough Penn quality and reliability we have come to expect from Penn reels, but the Conquer brings much more to the table.
To start with it's a 10+1 shielded stainless steel bearing super smooth reel with a one piece machined aluminum gear box. It has a Superline Spool designed to accommodate braid with no backing and a friction trip ramp that prevents premature bail trip when casting.

The spool design resists wind knots has a lip made of a proprietary metal called Eternal Alloy that resists scratches and dents. But the coup de gras is the Easy Access System which enables the entire rear of the reel to be opened for easy maintenance, cleaning, and lubrication.
Talk about perfect for kayak anglers! By simply backing out a single screw on the stem of the reel the rear hatch opens and gives full access to the gearbox. No more reel disassembly to reach all the internal gears and bearings and everything is inside the gearbox so nothing will fall out. For on the spot maintenance or regular maintenance it just doesn't get any easier or convenient.
I had the opportunity to fish the 4000 both with top water lures and live bait, and it performed fabulously. Very smooth, lighter than my Slammer 260, great drag, and everything I wanted in a reel. The only bummer is that it was a sample and I couldn't keep it!
The Conquer is available in four models , the 2000, 4000, 5000, and 7000. Most inshore saltwater kayak anglers will choose the 4000 which weighs in at 11.1oz and has a 5.8:1 gear ratio. Offshore anglers will opt for the larger and 5000 or 7000 models. Penn Conquer MSRP is from $199.99 to $219.99. This is definitely a must have reel for kayak anglers.

Dorset fishermen discover albino lobster

2011-12-17T06:22:00.000-08:00

A rare albino lobster that could be more than 30-years-old has been caught in a lobster-pot off the Dorset coast. The two Bridport fishermen who found the crustacean near Portland Bill handed it to Weymouth Sea Life Park. Albinism is caused by a lack of melanin in the skin, which means there is a lack of colour pigment. Fiona Smith, from the park, said: "There have only been one or two other albino lobsters found around the UK in the last 20 years or so."

Without camouflage she added, it was "incredible" this one had not been eaten by a predator such as a shark. Ms Smith also explained that the size of a lobster determines its age. At 40cm (15.7in) long, including its claws, she said this animal was "pretty big".
"[It] could easily be more than 30 years old," she said.
Lobsters can grow up to 75cm (29.5in) long and live for up to 50 years.
They shed their hard shells as they outgrow them. It will not be known if Santa Claws' condition is temporary until it next moults.

How to Tie Fly Fishing Knots

2011-12-17T06:20:00.000-08:00

Learning how to tie fly fishing knots can lead you to the perfect catch or keep you casting. Before heading to the nearest river to cast a few flies, anglers need to know how to tie knots. Several different styles exist.

The Albright
One of the most popular fly fishing knots is the Albright and combines two lines of unequal diameter or different materials. First, loop the wider line and hold it between the thumb and index finger. Bring the smaller line through the loop. Leave approximately six to eight inches of extra line. Wrap the smaller line around the larger line, working away from you and moving left to right. As you make each wrap, hold each line in place. On the tenth wrap, come around and take the smaller line through the bigger loop. Pull the line lightly and push the wraps toward the closed loop, alternating between the end of the smaller larger part until the loops are against the tag end. Don't let the loops cross over one another. Then, pull it tight, secure the lines, and clip the line close to the knot.

Loop the Loop
One of the most dependable fly fishing knots is the perfection loop. This loop to loop joins two pieces of monofilament line and forms a strong tie. First, take the standing line in the one hand and make a loop by moving the tag end over the top. Pinch the lines together and leave five to six inches of extra line. Make a smaller loop in front of the larger loop and slide the tag end in front of the first loop. Pinch this with the original crossover. Bring the tag end around the back of both loops and then between the two loops. Add this to the line pinched between your fingers. Grab through the first formed loop and bring the smaller loop through the first loop. Trim the tag end close to the loop knot.

Surgeon's Knot
Do you need a quick knot to tie? The surgeon's knot is super simple and joins two monofilament lines. First, place the main line should come from the left and the right should come from the right. Overlap about six inches of the left line. Hold the overlapped lines together between the thumb and index finger. Perform the same motion on the right side. Form a loop by crossing it over itself. Then take the long and short lines in the right hand and pass them through the loop, around and back a second time. Pull both lines in your hands apart. This tightens the knot. Fly fisherman use different knots depending on conditions. Learning about the different varieties of fly fishing knots will make it easier for you to focus on fishing.

Expert Fishing Tips

2011-12-17T06:19:00.000-08:00

Everyone needs fishing tips. Fishing is so much more than a way to drown worms. But if you're just a novice fisherman, how do you navigate your way through the murky waters?

Pole Position

Instead of cranking the bail to close it after casting, close the bail by hand and pull the line tight before reeling in. This fishing tip brings the line into the bailer roller and it will spool properly.
Use pony tail holders to secure fishing rods during travel time. No more tangles or broken tips.

Fishing Tips to Lure Them In

One of the best fising tips is to use a straight-shank hook instead of using treble hooks dangling from a lure.
When fly fishing, don't immediately set the hook when the fish takes the fly. Once the leader moves, set the hook and reel in your catch.
Secure plastic jigs or worm by putting a drop of Superglue on the hook prior to adding the lure. The bait won't slip on the hook each time you cast.
Remove grime and make lures shine by cleaning them with toothpaste. Rinse in warm water and scrub the lure with a soft toothbrush and white toothpaste.
Styrofoam packing peanuts change a streamer into a popper. Burn a hole through the center, glue or paint eyes, and thread the leader through the Styrofoam.
Tie a strip of panty hose onto a jig. The wiggle in the water will fascinate fish.

Fishing Tips: Bait and Hook

Stretch a night crawler between two small hooks tied together.
Keep bait alive by keeping it cool. You'll snag more fish!
Later in the season, use larger bait. Fish are larger and are intrigued by larger prey.
In the fall, attract trout and bass with crayfish.

Casting Calls

Slapping resembles feeding and lures fish. Send a few fake casts to the water before dropping the lure. This is a well known fishing tip and is effective for saltwater fish.
Once you're in the water, stay still for a few minutes before casting. Fish feel vibrations and momentarily avoid areas of intrusion.
On chilly days, cast in sun spots.

Trolling Fishing Tips

Drag one lure in the propeller wash. The turbulence draws in fish searching for food. Plus, the wavy waters add movement to lures.

Use these fishing tips to advance from a fishing greenhorn to an expert angler. You'll notice an increase in catches.

Guide to Ice Fishing

2011-12-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

Ice fishing continues to grow in popularity. Nothing beats the thrill of drilling through a thick slab of ice, dropping a line, and catching a beauty of a fish. Beginning anglers need to make a small investment to get on the ice. Once the fishing bug bites, ice fishermen may opt for the latest and greatest equipment. Here's what you'll need to get started.

Ice Fishing Equipment
Ice auger. This piece of equipment is a necessity. Hand crank augers work fine. Mechanical augers are also on the market. Before purchasing an auger, remember that the larger the hole's diameter, more work is needed to drill through the ice. Although an ice scoop isn't a necessity for ice fishing, it will help clear away ice shavings. Metal scoops are preferable to the plastic varieties.
Rods. Graphite rods, especially ultra light models, are preferred for ice fishing. Look for a rod that measures 28 inches and has a fast-action tip. Medium-action rods measuring 28 to 30 inches work best when fishing for walleye or trout.

Reels. Select an ultra light reel. Open water reels work fine, but consider cleaning out the grease before using it during ice fishing season. Frigid cold can cause the grease to freeze. Reels specifically for ice fishing are equipped with lubricant that can withstand cold temperatures.
Ice picks and rope. Safety first, especially when on the ice. Picks are required safety tools. Bring a long length of rope in case of an accident.
Lures. A tackle box filled with both small and large spoons, jigs, and plastic lures bait many varieties of fish.
Sled. While a sled isn't a necessity for ice fishing, it is nice to haul equipment to the final destination on the ice. By using a sled, you won't be making multiple trips.

Ice Fishing Safety
Being prepared can lessen possible accidents that can happen during an ice fishing adventure.
Do not go out on ice until at least four inches have built up. A minimum of five inches of ice is recommended if taking a snowmobile or ATV on the ice.
Never go ice fishing alone. When walking on the ice, keep a safe distance between you and your partner.
Have rope available for ice fishing. Whether you use a long rope to pull a sled or bring an extra length of rope along, having it available will aid in pulling someone from the water if someone happens to fall in.
Carry an ice pick. A pick helps pull a person from the ice if he or she falls in.
Wear a life jacket. Not only can it prevent a drowning, it provides flotation and protects against hypothermia.

Ice fishing offers entertainment and a chance to fish year round. Being prepared for both fishing and for safety reasons will let you concentrate on the sport.

Author: LuAnn Schindler

How to Get Started Saltwater Fly Fishing

2011-12-15T21:40:00.000-08:00

Mention fly fishing to most people and they will immediately conjure up images of Tweed clad anglers walking grassy banks in search of Salmon and Trout. But there is another, very different, side to fly fishing that has become very popular in recent years. Saltwater fly fishing is probably the most sporting method of catching sea fish. Although the flies used are intended to mimic small fish in most cases, rather than insects, the ethos is exactly the same. The angler must tie an artificial lure from thread, fluff and feather, which will trick the fish into taking it. Then he must present that lure to the fish, without the aid of any casting weight other than the line to which the lure is attached. If he has done his job properly and manages to present his imitation in the most natural way, the saltwater fly fisherman will be rewarded with a level of sport never experienced with more traditional sea fishing tackle. Most sea fish are hard fighting fish, but are usually hampered in their fight for freedom by heavy weights and powerful rods. On fly tackle, even the smallest fish will give a very good account of itself. Here, we are going to look at the basics of saltwater fly fishing, some of the species of fish you are likely to catch and the tackle you will need to get started.

As already mentioned, the art of fly fishing is to present imitation bait to a feeding fish in a way so natural, that it doesn’t raise the fishes suspicion. The most basic thing that the saltwater fly fisherman has to do is find out what his target species is feeding on. This is known among freshwater fly fishermen as ‘Matching the Hatch’, because they use flies that imitate the hatching insects that their target fish are feeding on. Salt water anglers also have to match the hatch by using flies that imitate the creatures that their target fish are feeding on. This could be anything from herring fry for Bass, to bread for Mullet. There are huge ranges of ready tied saltwater flies available to buy from tackle shops and dealers, but some anglers enjoy the extra challenge of tying and experimenting with their own. Whichever you choose, you will need a fly box containing a good variety of patterns. There are several ways in which you can match the hatch. Look for small fish that have been stranded on the beach whilst trying to escape predators, or use a net to catch shrimps and prawns that fish may be feeding on, and choose a fly from your box that closely resembles them in colour and size. Assuming you have chosen a good fly, the next step is getting it to the fish you are targeting.
The subject of fly casting is too vast to cover in a single article. In fact, many books have been written on the subject. Casting a fly isn’t as difficult or as complicated as many people believe, so the best advice I can give here is; read one of the many instructional books available or better still watch one of the casting tuition videos and start to practice. If you want to save time, you can book a lesson with an instructor at most Trout fisheries. Because there is no lead weight attached to the fly line to aid casting, the line itself is weighted. The lines come in varying weights to suit different situations and conditions. The salt water fly fisherman needs something that is able to cast a relatively large fly, so a #8 weight fly line is often the preferred choice. The way the line is weighted can also vary, but for most saltwater situations a weight forward line is the best one to use. You can either get a floating, sinking or intermediate line, depending on how you want to present your fly. A lot of saltwater fly fishermen prefer to use a floating line with a sinking tippet, or trace as they are better known to sea anglers. This allows to the main line to float, which makes casting easier, while the tippet sinks the fly to varying depths. You can vary the depth at which you fish by altering the length of the tippet.
As you would imagine, a normal fishing rod and reel would not be able to cast these specialist lines, so you need a dedicated fly rod. Fly rods are rated by weight to match the line you use, so for a #8 weight line, you need a #8 weight rod. A rod of this weight will be stiff and powerful enough to cast the heavy line and large fly in all but the most severe of conditions, whilst still remaining light and sporting. Something around 9ft long is an ideal length for a saltwater fly rod. You don’t need to spend a fortune on a saltwater fly reel for fishing in the UK. There are some excellent plastic and graphite composite reels available that are ideal for job and won’t break the bank. The main function of the fly reel is to hold the line. It is, in effect, just a large cotton reel! As you cast, you pull line off the reel and you retrieve by stripping the line back by hand, rather than winding it back onto the reel. Therefore, you can use your hands as a drag system if you happen to hook a very large fish. A large arbour reel is the best one to choose, because the loops that become set in the line whilst it is on the spool will be bigger and less likely to tangle as you cast.
You will need a few accessories before you venture out with your fly rod, though. Casting a fly tied to a sharp hook, backwards and forwards around your head, is a hazardous business. Serious injury could result if a few precautionary measures aren’t taken. You will need some kind of hat to protect your head and a pair of glasses to protect your eyes. Most saltwater fly fishermen opt for the baseball type caps and a pair of Polaroid sunglasses. Wearing these has added benefits, too, apart from safety. The peak of the cap shades the eyes from the sun and the Polaroids take the glare off the water, which helps them to spot fish. It is also a good idea to use a line basket. This is worn around the waist and catches the line as you strip it back in, rather than letting it heap up on the beach or in the water, where it can snag on bits of weed and debris. Some anglers make their own line baskets out of old washing up bowls, but the ready-made ones available are very good and not expensive. A pair of chest waders is also a plus when fly fishing, because wading can give you that extra bit of distance that you will sometimes need to reach feeding fish.
The list of species that can be caught on a fly is almost endless. In fact, you can catch some species of fish on a fly that you can’t catch by any other method. Most fish are predatory, so it figures that most fish will take an imitation of their favourite food – if it is presented naturally. Bass and Mullet are the two species that people automatically associate with saltwater fly fishing. Mackerel, Herring, Garfish, Flounder, Shad, Pollack and Coalfish are just a few more. Some people have even caught sharks on a fly! But whatever species you target, you will be surprised at how hard they tend to fight on a light fly rod, unhindered by heavy lead weights and terminal tackle. Even small school bass give a very good account of themselves. The same golden rule applies to saltwater fly fishing as applies to all sea angling. Learn where they fish are feeding and when, to maximise your chances of success. Being in the right place at the right time is more important than what tackle you are using or how well you cast. To present your fly as naturally as possible, use the tide to carry it to the fish whenever possible. Keep the rod tip low and experiment with retrieval rates to make the fly dart, rise and fall through the water. Nothing is more exciting than the moment when a fish hits your fly and the rod pulls round into a nice arc. Good luck and tight lines!

Halibut Roasted with Red Bell Peppers, Onions, and Russet Potatoes

2011-12-15T20:10:00.000-08:00

The firm flesh of halibut makes it the perfect choice for this dish, but feel free to substitute salmon, cod, or any other thick fish. The bell peppers can be varied as well - exchange green for red or use a combination of red, green and yellow. You can also add rosemary, basil, or even mint to the gremolata, a classic Italian seasoning of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. Accompany the dish with greens, such as spinach or chard.

Ingredients

2 russet potatoes (about 1 pound) , scrubbed, halved lengthwise and cut into small pieces
2 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, quartered, seeded and cut into eight 1/2-inch wedges
1 large white onion, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt, divided
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoon(s) coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoon(s) coarsely chopped lemon zest
1 teaspoon(s) dried oregano
1 clove(s) garlic, crushed
1 1/2 pound(s) halibut fillet (about 3/4 inch thick) , skin removed, cut into 4 pieces
Lemon wedges

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place potatoes in a large roasting pan or on a large rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with oil and turn to coat evenly. Add bell pepper and onion. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Roast the vegetables, turning the potatoes once or twice and moving the pepper and onion pieces around so they brown evenly, until the potatoes are starting to brown and are almost tender, about 35 minutes.
While the vegetables are roasting, finely chop parsley, lemon zest, oregano, and garlic together to make gremolata. Season halibut with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, then sprinkle with 2 teaspoons gremolata.
Remove the pan from the oven. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan and place the halibut in the center. Spoon some of the onions and peppers over the halibut. Arrange the potatoes around the edges, turning the browned sides up.
Roast until the vegetables are browned and tender and the halibut is opaque in the center, 10 to 15 minutes more, depending on the thickness of the fish. Sprinkle the remaining gremolata on top. Arrange the halibut and vegetables on a platter or individual plates. Serve with lemon wedges.

Baked Cod with Chorizo and White Beans

2011-12-15T20:04:00.000-08:00

This recipe follows the Spanish and Portuguese tradition of pairing mild white fish with full-flavored cured sausage — just a bit gives the whole dish a rich, smoky flavor. Make it a meal: Enjoy with steamed green beans and roasted potatoes tossed with thyme and coarse salt.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 ounce(s) Spanish chorizo, (see Shopping Tip) or turkey kielbasa, diced
1 teaspoon(s) chopped fresh thyme
1 pint(s) grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup(s) dry white wine, divided
1 can(s) great northern beans, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt, divided
1 1/4 pound(s) Pacific cod, cut into 4 pieces (see Ingredient Note)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a 9-by-13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallot, chorizo (or kielbasa) and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and 1/4 cup wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are broken down and the wine is almost evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in beans and 1/4 teaspoon salt and remove from the heat.
Sprinkle fish with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; place in the prepared baking dish. Top each piece of fish with equal amounts of the tomato mixture (about 1/2 cup per fillet). Pour the remaining 1/4 cup wine into the pan and cover the pan with foil. Bake until the fish is just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the fish with the sauce spooned over the top

Roasted Cod with Olives and Lemon

2011-12-15T19:58:00.000-08:00

Make this flavorful roast cod tonight, and tomorrow use the leftovers for Codfish Cakes.

Ingredients

3 small lemons, thinly sliced
8 sprig(s) fresh thyme
20 pimento-stuffed green olives
18 small red potatoes
6 (about 1 1/2 pounds) cod fillets
2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1/2 teaspoon(s) sea salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place lemon slices in a single layer on a large roasting or baking pan. Lay thyme sprigs over lemons and sprinkle with olives.
Halve each potato, place in a large bowl, and fill with water to cover. Microwave until potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and scatter around edge of pan.
Place fillets on lemon and drizzle olive oil over fish and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven, reduce temperature to 325 degrees F, and roast until fish is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Serve fish with potatoes and olives.

Wasabi Salmon Burgers

2011-12-15T19:55:00.000-08:00

Bring out the flavors of salmon with a Japanese-inspired infusion of ginger, sesame oil and wasabi. If you serve these patties on whole-wheat buns, consider reduced-fat mayonnaise and sliced cucumbers as condiments. Or skip the buns and set the patties atop a vinegary salad of greens, carrots, radishes and sprouts.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon(s) reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) wasabi powder (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon(s) honey
1 pound(s) salmon fillet, skinned (see Tip)
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoon(s) minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon(s) toasted sesame oil

Directions

Whisk soy sauce, wasabi powder and honey in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
With a large chef's knife, chop salmon using quick, even, straight-up-and-down motions (do not rock the knife through the fish or it will turn mushy). Continue chopping, rotating the knife, until you have a mass of roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Transfer to a large bowl. Add scallions, egg, ginger and oil; stir to combine. Form the mixture into 4 patties. The mixture will be moist and loose, but holds together nicely once the first side is cooked.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the patties and cook for 4 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until firm and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Spoon the reserved wasabi glaze evenly over the burgers and cook for 15 seconds more. Serve immediately.

Year Round Spinnerbait Techniques For You

2011-12-15T05:08:00.000-08:00

Spinnerbaits are not just a tool for the spring and fall. Spinnerbaits can be deadly, if the right ones are fished in a variety of situations weather it be the East Coast or the West. The trick is to be able to distinguish which is the right one for the right situation? Spinnerbaits can fished in so many different ways, all of which, produce BIG BASS from north to south, east to west. They can be fished through the water column top to bottom. They are really a versatile bait if you know the little tricks it takes to fish them effectively. They can be fished many ways by varying the retrieve, weight of the bait, blade size, the trailer and colors. You have a bait here that can work a water column and catch fish from one to twenty-five feet, and because it is so versatile, you can fish it fast, slow, and in all seasons of the year. The first time I discovered this, I was amazed at how many fish I had must have missed in my youth, by not knowing how to fish a spinnerbait here in the Northeast.
When it was October here in Delaware, I went hunting until the end of Quail season. Soon after 1976, I read my first issue of Basssmaster magazine, and saw that people were using this bait year round and catching bass. Soon after, in late December in Delaware, I caught my first bass on a “Stan Sloan” single nickel colorado blade,(with a purple skirt, with rattles on the arm,) by letting it flutter into a sunken tree, in ten foot deep, thirty-six degree water. I soon felt that sluggish pull on the line, “like a pile of leaves or grass”, not until then, did I realize that I could catch bass year round on the right lures, with the right presentation, sound and color. It was well over six pounds, and was a different fight when she got close to the boat and saw the trolling motor. Since that time I have fished all over the United States, from New York to California, and found the right spinnerbait and the right technique produces big bass from all sorts of waters all year long. They key is to keep it in the strike zone, and most lures are made so that you can work them as slowly as you want to, while still keeping them in the zone.

DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES
I like to use the spinnerbait as a search tool, and kind of a depth finder, and bottom contour device also. What I do is check out the structure of the lake by bumping objects, and increasing my chance for a reaction strike right then. The spinnerbait will make a different sound bumping off different objects such as stumps, rocks, sand, and pea gravel.I also vary the speed often, and even shake the rod if necessary, trying to give the bass a different look, which is important in highly pressured waters. I work buzzbaits in a different manner also, which I believe is what accounts for some real lunkers that I might have otherwise missed. There are times when a spinnerbait is the most effective tool to use. When fishing the bait in heavy cover such as pads, I employ a technique that I now know is called fluttering by some anglers.

Basically what you do is to cast the spinnerbait out into the pads, and by moving your rod tip, and other parts of your body positioning, you maneuver the bait through the pads, and when it comes to an opening, stop it, and let it flutter down. Many strikes comes as a lure sinks.You should make a lot of casts to the areas where you really believe the bass are, or have seen them, as they can be irritated into striking if the bait is presented in enough variations and positions. Slow rolling can be extremely effective in deep water as it designed to imitate a crawfish on the bottom, or another type of bass forage. The trick to it is rolling it down the side of a sloping bank, a rock bar, a hump, or any underwater structure, and then slowly pumping it back to the boat. We employ the almost identical technique with a lipless crankbait with great success. There are also better types of spinnerbaits for different types of cover. C shaped baits tend to work better through heavy pads and grass, while a V shaped bait gets hung up more easily.

Riprap is another good area to slow roll spinnnerbaits. There is often debris mixed in with the rocks, and many times large bass are waiting in ambush for prey to come along, and are primes areas to slow-roll spinnerbaits. The spinnerbaits should be slow rolled over the rocks and such, and extra action imparted to the bait is not really necessary. It should crawl over the bottom, and sometimes I give it a little twitch. All you have to do is raise the rod a slightly, lightly shake it, and then continue slowrolling it back to the boat.

DEEP METHODS
When the bass are really deep I employ a technique I call deep pulling; its like a yo-yo method but a little different. I let the bait flutter all the way down, and then let it sit, then I pull it hard and way up near the surface and do it again. I use real heavy baits with Colorado blades for this, usually in a chartreuse, or a chartreuse and white skirt when I fish in places that have dying shad in the winter, but anywhere else, I use black, or black/purple combinations. I always add a little Megastrike to the baits.

TACKLE
I like to use a 6 to 6 1/2 foot rod for this but sometimes I like to use a 7 foot rod, on different occasions. Many times situations come up when a 7 foot rod suits the situation better that a 6 or 6 1/2 foot rod for distance and control. Most of my rods I use for this technique are in a medium heavy action. I really like a Fiberglass rod for these baits, but there are many new rods that are very good for spinnerbaits and crankbaits, made by G.Loomis, St.Croix, Kistler,and Shimano. Sometimes on the smaller baits I use a spinning rod with Stren Super Braid,or Power Pro, but the rest of the time I use a baitcasting rod with a Shimano Chronarch, with fourteen to twenty pound P-Line.

WHAT COLORS FOR WHAT BAIT
When I choose a color for a spinnerbait, a lot of factors come in to play. The first thing I do is pick a shad pattern, or whatever is the dominate species in the lake. I usually double up the skirts, to give them more bulk. I use blue and white, black and white, and chartreuse and white. Sometimes I use red, depending on the location. All of these colors give a good range of visibility under water.

In muddy water, I have always used the same colors, black and blue and red. The same goes for the nighttime. I like to use the forage in the lake if I can,such as rainbow trout or shad, and to make it appear injured to trigger that genetic response.

I like to use big spinnerbaits in the spring, when I’m in big fish waters, some right here in Delaware or Maryland, or others such as Florida, Arizona, Texas, and Mexico. When fishing strictly for big bass with spinnerbaits I add on a double or triple skirt for bulk and lift, and use really big blades. Terminator makes some big blades that I really like on our spinnerbaits. This year here in Delaware, we landed three bass in one day on big spinnerbaits, that went seven and eight pounds. Sometimes we even break off the tails of worms for trailers, and many times in the spring, I have caught some huge bass from ten inches of muddy water with a big spinnerbait with a trailer.

We have had a great response from bass in the Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania areas, using a double golden shiner skirt. The bluegill and shad patterns top the list overall though. Sometimes reversing the skirts on the baits presents a different profile, and will also trigger hard to get strikes. The spinnerbait isn’t just a bait for beginners, although it is a great bait to break in a novice or child to the sport of bass fishing. But in the hands of an expert, it is a versatile year round bait, that can catch “HUGE” bass.

Steve vonBrandt
Sponsored by: GYCB (Yamamoto),Okuma, Delaware Tackle, TTI-Blakemore, and Ambush Lures.

The Best Bass Fishing Crankbaits

2011-12-15T05:03:00.000-08:00

Big lipped, floating and diving crankbaits make it possible for anglers to search a wide area at different depths to find large and smallmouth bass. The average depth you will reach is about 6 to 9 feet with most crankbaits. But crankbaits with large lips may dive up to 20 feet.

The stop-and-go retrieve is the most effective when searching for bass. Crank the lure down with a very fast retrieve and then stop allowing it to float up. Keep repeating this to cover a wide area of water and different depths. Once you catch that first bass, fishn that depth with a nice steady retrieve for bast results.

Crankbaits with small lips and slim long bodies give you an action like live baitfish, and are very effective for shallow water fishing. Trolling or casting them above weeds or over shoals is effective. They can even mimic surface lures in calm water tease the fish with light twiching movement and slow retrieves creating surface commotion.

Sinking flat sided baits are best for around structure where stop-and-go or pumping retrieves will keep them in contact with it. Strikes often occur right after contact with this structure. Crankbaits look great wobbling through the water, but they attract bass best when nocking on their front door. The real large lips on the larger crankbaits act as a deterent to a lot of snagging problems.

Most crankbaits are not considered weedless, often contact with weeds is needed to get that strike. When you hit the weeds use a ripping action to free it. A lot of great stikes will occur right after you rip away.

Do not use heavy heavy swivels and snaps to attach your baits this will cause the action of the crankbait to be erratic and not natural. Use a loop knot or a small snap with nop swivell to get the best action from the crankbaits, just check you knots now and again because of the stress on the baits.

There are so many new colors for baits now, use a assortment to find what colors work best for you on certain days and different water conditions. Now get oput there and catch that trophy small or lagemouth bass!

– Robert has been fishing Ontario for most of his life, he is the owner of Robs Fishing Tips, and is the author of many articles and fishing tips for all species of freshwater fish in the province of Ontario, from bass and walleye to the colorful arctic char.

The Best Bass Fishing Lure

2011-12-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

So what, exactly, is the all time best bass fishing lure? This is the most asked, and most unanswered question in all the bass fishing community. Well, let‘s see if we can find an answer to this all time favorite question.

If you walk into a bait shop you can easily be overwhelmed by all the different lures available, so which one do you pick. Let me tell you that almost all the lures on that wall WILL catch fish. However, some will be more efficient, and some will work in one fishing scenario, but won=t in another scenario.

Crankbaits are amazing bass fishing lures, but they have many flaws which make them NOT the best bass fishing lure.

The sheer variety of crankbaits is incredible. You can get some that dive deep, dive shallow, have a wide wobble, have a narrow wobble, have rattles, have no rattles, have a lip, or have no lip, AND each type come in a million different colors. These will all work, but all in different situations which I will discuss in a future article. Unless you are an extreme die hard fisherman or get payed to do it, you cant have every type imaginable.

Also, look at all the hooks dangling off these lures. They almost seem like they are designed to get hung up on weeds. And thick weeds are where a lot of big lunkers hide.

Spinnerbaits are by far one of the most versatile, and actively used lures on the bass fishing scene. But are they the Abest@ bass fishing lures? No.

Spinnerbaits can be fished in 1 foot of water, or 30 feet of water. They can be fished along weedbeds, or they can be fished off a deep rock-bed. This makes them extremely adept to fishing a wide range of conditions. The spinnerbait is a battle-proven bait and can be easily used even by beginners, however there is one lure which is even more successful than the spinnerbait.

So what is the best bass fishing lure? It is the plain old 6-8 inch plastic worm. This is a highly debatable answer to a complicated question. But in my and many colleagues experiences it IS the ultimate bass lure.

The reason behind it is simple. It is the MOST versatile lure on the market. You can rig it to nearly float, you can rig it to be weedless, you can rig it to get into the thickest weeds imaginable. You can fish it fast, you can fish it slow. You can fish it in 1 foot of water, Or you can go as deep as your weight will let it go. Picking the right color is also fairly straightforward. Dark colors like blue, black, and purple are the all-time favourites.

Now before you flock to the bait shop I have to give you some bad news. Yes, the plastic worm is arguably the best bass fishing lure. But, it can also be the most difficult to fish effectively. Many beginner that I fish with don=t fish them properly and then they wonder why they haven=t caught anything. Fishing a plastic worm takes a lot of practice before you master it. There is a Texas style rig for thick weeds. There is a split shot style rig for fishing mid-depths, there is a weightless rig that can be fished extremely slowly in clear conditions. There is also many variations of all the above rigs and retrieving styles will vary according to conditions. To learn these rigs and how to fish them properly keep probing around this website and explore other web pages. Learning by reading is important and can be effective. But by far the best way to learn this style of fishing is to have someone teach you hands-on. It is amazing what a good fisherman can teach you if you ask. Now go out and start learning how to fish like the pros!

Winter Trout Fly Fishing

2011-12-15T04:30:00.000-08:00

It is winter time now. One step on the frozen porch steps first thing in the morning removes any doubt of that fact. Winter time brings on many thoughts, holidays, dark afternoons, football on TV and for me some of the best trout fly fishing there is. That’s right - trout fishing - winter steelhead fly fishing has been around a long time and gets more popular every season.

But the truth of the matter is, trout fly fishing can be excellent: the crowds are down to non-existent, the scenery and wildlife are plentiful, and it makes those long days of early spring with non-stop rain and overflowing rivers more tolerable.

When to go
Winter fly fishing demands a little timing and planning on your part. One nice thing is, the weekends aren’t crowded so you really don’t need to ask the boss for time off to really get some peace and solitude.
But other planning does need to be done. The first thing is checking your local regulations. Many, many places now offer year round trout fly fishing. A good portion of this is probably catch and release but that only helps in further reducing the crowds. Some areas allow only lakes to be fished year round, some only allow rivers, but most places will allow something to be fished year round.

After you have your areas selected, you must really get an idea on the weather. Mild winter days, specifically afternoons, can provide some shirtsleeve fishing opportunities. Coastal regions that rarely get snow or ice need to be checked more for river levels. Three or four days of steady rain can really put a river in at unfishable levels. It is also rarely enjoyable to fish in well below freezing temperatures. Even if you can dress warmly enough, the ice on the guides make casting nearly impossible and the slickness of entering the river is extremely dangerous.

Extreme care should be taken when wading in general, one slight misstep, can send you into the river, dangerous all year, this is multiplied by the cold air temperatures in the winter. Also light is much less, making it difficult to see the river bottom while wading. So step very cautiously. And always fish with a partner.

Okay, enough of the warnings, when to go is what we are after. I prefer a nice period of dry weather, with mild afternoons. I rarely fish in the early morning, in the winter, but if you can get a fogged over morning with nicely rising afternoon temperatures that reach in to the 40s, you have a day to hit the water!

What to wear
A few years ago I switched to breathable waders and I actually have never been more comfortable while winter fishing. I layer underneath with two or three layers of thermal wear, including one layer of fleece pants. I can move much better than in neoprene’s and there is no clamminess to bring on chills.

Socks are also important silk liners with thick winter socks work for me. I have a roomier pair of wading boots specifically for winter to allow for the extra bulk. I also don’t cinch my boots down too tight, as that seems to cut off circulation, nothing will ruin a fishing trip quicker than cold feet.

Many anglers wear fingerless fleece gloves. I like them only if there is a biting wind, otherwise I can’t seem to keep them dry long enough to make them worth the effort. I can cast adequately with either hand and will sometimes tuck my free hand inside my waders by my chest.

To me a hat is virtually as important as waders and I layer shirts, remembering my vest will also provide some warmth. Don’t forget the inside, a nice hot thermos of coffee, has brought many a sigh of satisfaction.

Fishing
Winter trout fly fishing requires some adjustments. Plan on sub-surface fishing primarily. The warm afternoons like I mentioned above will produce Blue Wing Olive hatches in many locations and midges hatch year round as well. Some dry fly action can occur, especially on smaller streams where options are less for trout. But by and large, plan on fishing nymphs. And plan on fishing them deep. Depending on the size of water, a split or two is mandatory, and perhaps a sinking tip line. I usually use two flies, one as a dropper.

Good patterns include: imitations of food sources that are available year round like San Juan Worms, Chironomid Pupas, Disco Midge and Wd-40’s. General nymph patterns like Hare’s Ear and Prince Nymphs, will work to imitate the occasional nymph that might come in the trout’s path. Streamers also make excellent winter flies, including: Woolly Buggers, Muddler’s and Mickey Finn’s. Don’t forget that like trout, small fish and nymphs metabolism is slow as well and they are apt to stick to the bottom and out of the main
current.

Winter fishing usually means clear water. I use lighter tippet than normal, because fish seem more easily spooked. Trout’s metabolism makes them want to seek out pools near the bank that are warmed by the sun, so they are more vulnerable. I usually forgo strike indicators as well.

Also remember that due to the slower metabolism, the fish will be sluggish. They often will bite gingerly, hook-ups will be primarily in the tongue. As trout may often go after several small insects in one mouthful. So rigorous setting of the hook is not required. They are not likely to chase food down, as this will burn more calories then they will take in. Especially when fishing smaller patterns. While small pattern are very effective, in fact the first choice of many winter anglers, they need to be fished deep and in front of the fish. Dead drifting nymphs is my first choice. If no luck I will try swinging streamers, second. I mend my line as soon as it hits the water, to ensure a drag free drift, and wait for the gentle take. I let the fish do the setting.

Once landed, the winter fish might need more that the usual care before allowing it to swim free. Landing fish should be quicker due to their lower energy, and then one must make sure the fish is 100% revived before its release.

Summary

There you have it. Like all forms of fly fishing, winter fly fishing takes a little practice and a lot of patience. But the surreal beauty of winter combined with the solitude it brings, makes this an especially rewarding time of year, to flog the water.
Written by Cameron Larsen

Winter fly fishing tips

2011-12-15T04:24:00.000-08:00

What Is It About Winter That Calls You Back To The Water?
Is it the Lack of crowds? Is it the masses headed to the Hills to ski or maybe you just need to get out because, well you like to fish?

Winter Fly Fishing in the Rockies can be an experience all to itself if you need a day out on the water. Winter fly-fishing in Colorado is much different from Fall and Spring fishing, the people are gone, the scenery is awesome, and the pace is relaxing. Due the winter weather it can change minute to minute so be mindful of your area and always be prepared for that nasty storm at any time.

Definitely first and foremost you need to keep toasty and stay dry while Winter Fishing. A way to keep your feet warm is to always wear boot foot waders. Avoid various types of stock foot waders and wading shoes because they restrict the blood flow to your feet making them cold. You can also use the chemical heat packs in between two socks to help keep your feet warm on very cold days or go sockless if you're a tough guy. There are a ton of tips out there to do, it really comes down to how cold you get as well. I don't get that cold so my techniques may be different than others. My favorite gloves to use are capilene liners with a couple of fingertips clipped off. Over the gloves I wear fingerless gloves. One thing also to look out for since Winter time fishing means Midge Fishing, so watch out for those tiny flies catching your gloves when swapping them out. It's almost a magnet for small flies to get snared on your gloves every 5 minutes so I just take mine off when changing flies. I always carry two or three pairs of different style gloves (for me and those who may forget) so that I can replace them if I get a hand wet holding a fish for a photo. I’m also a huge fan of cold weather wading pants of the micro fleece variety with anything that breathes and no sweat. NO JEANS ALOUD!!! This set up allows me to fish in various temps well below freezing in comfort and safety. Jackets, hood and socks can also vary so do your homework and don't forget to be comfortable, nothing worse than being stiff and uneasy all day in the cold.

Winter fly fishing techniques
Most Trout become sluggish in cold water and slightly lethargic so you definitely have to not only find them but put it on their nose.Fish tend to hold in the lower layers of the water, sometimes coming into the shallowest areas when the sun warms a specific area. Deep nymph fishing is the most preferred fishing method for most in the winter time. Some use a sinking tip line that will quickly take the fly but I still change up and a majority of the time use floating line. If you are not using a sinking line, try adding some split shot weights to your fly if needed, just watch your casting. If you chunk streamers, any big streamer or heavy fly, slow down your casting motion and you'll eliminate a lot of knots before they happen. Nothing is also worse than trying to keep changing your flies when freezing fingers are present so keep it simple and be confident in a few flies and leave it. For a complete listing of top winter flies to use, Pat Dorsey is the man to listen to on what to use, I've used so many of his flies during the Winter that anyone of a number of them will work perfectly.Winter trout are unlikely to rise to take a single fly normally. Trout save their energy for either a big hatch or perhaps a tempting morsel. Streamers can be effectively fished using a slow retrieve or through various stripping techniques. On rivers like the San Juan this is a prime time to be out fishing, or other places can be a dead day so make sure to also do some homework on what is fishing well and what turns on better for Spring fishing.

Your Guides Freezing?
Use vaseline, dip rod into the water, use your forceps and pock/prod, use cooking spray, WD40 spray? Too many to choose from I'll let you decide what works best. If you are "dipping" you rod to thaw the guides be very careful. While fishing the water tends to run down the line on to the reel. The result can be a frozen reel that can lead to a variety of problems; some of which can be hilarious and others not so funny - sprung reels and when a fish attempts to run smash leaders and in one case a snapped rod tip. There are a ton of ideas on what guys use so feel free to let us know what you think also, opinions always vary. As a final note, I always take a few rods, nothing worse than one rod hanging up and either not casting well, the line gets hardened or you need to change up quickly without freezing changing your gear out on the same rod. There are guys I know that fish much more in the Winter season than I do (it's my busy seasonat work) so this is just a little information I can up with, I'm sure there's much more out there on tactics and things that work better. Get out enjoy some fishing and stay warm!

Sea Spider

2011-12-15T02:02:00.000-08:00

Sea Spider

Sea spiders are also known with the names Pantopoda or pycnogonids. Sea spiders are the marine arthropods, which belong to class Pycnogonida. Sea spiders can be found world wide. They are found especially in Arctic, Antarctic Oceans and Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. There are around 1300 species of sea spiders. There sizes varies from 1mm to 90 cm. The large spiders are found in the deep waters, while the smaller ones are found in the shallow depths. The large sea spiders are found in the Antarctic waters.

Sea spiders have small body and long legs. They generally have eight walking legs (four pairs), while some species also have five and six pairs. Sea spiders are very small in size that each of their muscle contains only one cell surrounded by connective tissue. The front part of the spider contains proboscis, by which they suck the nutrients from soft-bodied invertebrates. Their proboscis has a limited lateral and dorsoventral movement.Their digestive track has diverticula extending into the legs.

They have three to four appendages including the ovigers, which they use to carry their young and also for cleaning and courtship. The appendages often seem like legs. The ovigers, palps and chelifores are missing in some species as well as in adults. The proboscis is well developed in those species which lacks the chelifores and palps. Also they are more flexible and have several sensory bristles and strong rasping ridges around the mouth. The last part of their body is anus and tubercle, which are located dorsally.

A cephalothorax and small abdomen makes a reduced body of the sea spider (Pycnogonid). They can have up to two pairs of eyes located dorsally on its non-calcareous exoskeleton. Sometimes the eyes are missing, especially in the species from deep sea. The abdomen does not contain any appendages. It is reduced in many species or not fully developed. The organs of chelicerate are generally extended to its appendages, as it can not hold all of them alone.

Pycnogonids leave the waste from body through its digestive tract or during moulting. The heart of Pycnogonids beats at the rate of 90 to 180 beats per minute, which creates the blood pressure. Pycnogonids have open circulatory system and nervous system. The brain is connected to the ventral nerve cords, which are again connected to specific nerves. Sea Spider Info

Pycnogonids are cosmopolitan. They can be found in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific coast of the United States, to Caribbean and Mediterranean. They are found in large numbers in shallow waters. However, they can also found in the deep sea of about 7,000 metres depth. They live in both marine as well as estuarine locations. They are generally found below the rocks and between the algae that are found along shorelines.

Pycnogonids live on eating sea sponges, bryozoans, cnidarians, and polychaetes. They insert their proboscis into their food and suck the nutrients.

Except hermaphroditic, all the species of pycnogonid have male and female sexes. The female spiders have two ovaries and males have a pair of testes located dorsally relative to the digestive tract. Very little is known about the secret lives about pycnogonids that their reproduction involves external fertilisation.

The male pycnogonid takes care of the egg and the young. The body of larva contains only the head and three pairs of cephalic appendages i.e. the ovigers, chelifores, and palps. The other parts of their body: abdomen and thorax develops later. This is how the common ancestor of arthropods is evolved. Its life begins as a small animal with fewer appendages, some use for feeding and some for locomotion. However the other parts and appendages grow gradually.

There are four kind of larvae found in pycnogonids: encysted larva, the typical protonymphon larva, atypical protonymphon larva, and the attaching larva. Most common among the four is protonymphon larva, which is free living, and gradually grows as adult. The encysted larva is a parasite. It hatches from the egg and shelters in a polyp colony, where it turns into cyst. It does not leave this shelter before turning into a young juvenile.

Very less is known about the atypical protonymphon larva. Its adults are free living, whereas the larvae and juveniles lives inside the temporary shelters like polychaetes and clams. The attaching larva looks like an embryo still after hatched from the egg. After hatching, it instantly attaches itself to the ovigerous legs of its father. It stays there until turn into a young juvenile having two or three pairs of walking legs.

Sea Dragons

2011-12-15T01:55:00.000-08:00

Sea dragons, like sea horses , are a type of pipe fish.

Sea dragons , unlike sea horses do not have a gripping (prehensile) tail. They do have extra parts that look like sea weed which help them to hold onto seagrass. This also helps them to hide in the seagrass beds where they like to live. To help with their camouflage the sea dragons rock back and forth to imitate seagrass being moved by the ocean currents.

The sea dragons body is hard, almost like armour. This hard outer surface, called a 'hide' is made of bony rings. The hide makes the sea dragons body very ridged it can't move quickly and is easily caught.

Sea dragons like to eat tiny mysid shrimp known as 'sea-lice', plankton and small deep sea fish. They don't have any teeth so they eat by taking in small amounts of water containing their prey.

Sea dragons have a courting ritual that takes place before they mate. During this time the male goes through rapid colour changes when passing close to the female. The male sea dragon carries the eggs. This is known as 'paternal brooding'. The female lays about 200 bright pink eggs in the males 'brood patch' which is on the underside of the tail.

The brood patch is made up of tiny egg cupped shaped suction cups that hold the eggs. Once hatched the young can leave their fathers tail and look after themselves. They eat tiny zooplankton until they are big enough to eat mysid shrimp.

Sea dragons are pipe fish that look similar to sea horses. They have seaweed looking parts on their head and body that allow them to hide in sea grass and sea weed. They have a variety of colours including yellow, pink and orange. The juveniles are pinker in colour.

Sea dragons are unique to the southern waters of WA and South Australia. They can be found in areas that have seagrass, seaweed beds and around reefs. As the number of sea grass beds are decreasing the sea dragon has less places to live. They usually swim in shallow areas but have been seen in depths of 50 metres.

Abalones cling to life as recovery plan forms

2011-12-15T01:39:00.000-08:00

Long before Southern California baby boomers started plucking abalones from jetties for dinner, Native Americans used plate-sized, iridescent shells of the once-common mollusks for trading across the Southwest.
Abalones were a staple of coastal life for centuries — a nearshore fishery once topped 5.4 million pounds — until they were all but wiped out by disease, overharvest, predatory otters, poaching and habitat destruction.

By 1997, state officials had shut down all abalone fisheries south of San Francisco in hopes of saving the species. Today there’s just one small recreational fishery for free divers harvesting red abalone on the North Coast, along with several commercial operations — including one in Carlsbad — that farm nonprotected varieties for seafood.

While white abalones are on the road to extinction, there’s evidence of successful reproduction in a few black abalone colonies on the Channel Islands in recent years, giving researchers hope that they eventually can be restored in parts of the region. Optimism is fueled by research that suggests some of the remaining “black abs” are resistant to a type of bacteria that nearly wiped them out starting in the 1980s.

The National Marine Fisheries Service recently formed a task force to save the black abalone, which was listed as federally endangered in 2009. A recovery plan is expected in about two years, though scientists said it’s complicated by poaching in the United States, limited harvest enforcement in Mexico and the potential that climate change will speed the spread of disease in the population.

“Ideally, we’d like to see healthy populations in like 75 percent of the historical range and right now, we are seeing limited recovery in possibly two islands,” said John Butler, a NOAA fisheries biologist in La Jolla who sits on the recovery team. “Those small populations are not anywhere close to what the historical abundance was.”

Abalones congregate in bands along the West Coast based on seawater temperature that suit the different types.. Black abs live in the intertidal zone while white abs generally live below 60 feet.

Indians harvested abalone before Europeans arrived in California, and by the mid-1800s Chinese-Americans were catching a few million pounds of green and black abs annually. Later, abalones were targeted by Japanese free divers and eventually by baby boomers who grew up peeling them off rocky outcroppings so that the practice became part of California beach culture. Some have compared their taste to scallops.

“You used to be able to get an abalone sandwich for lunch when I first got here in the early 1970s,” Butler said.

Source : http://www.signonsandiego.com/

Saltwater Fishing Tips & Tricks

2011-12-14T23:53:00.000-08:00

Catch-and-Release Fishing

Many anglers choose to release the fish they catch. However, sometimes fish are so injured by the catch that their odds of surviving back in the water are poor. Here are some tips to improve a fish's chances of living to fight another day:

Keep the fight short by using heavier tackle.
Use a circle hook or crush the barb on a J-hook to avoid injuring the fish.
Never keep a fish out of the water longer than you can hold your breath.
The slime that covers a fish protects it from infection, so use wet hands or gloves when you handle the fish.
A dehooker lets you remove the hook without touching the fish.
Never dangle a fish by its jaw, and always support its body with your hands.
When releasing a deep-sea bottomfish, use a venting tool to relieve the air from the fish's air bladder.

Using good catch-and-release practices will help ensure the fish survives after being released

Using good catch-and-release practices will help ensure the fish survives after being released.
Keeping a Fishing Log

With so many factors affecting whether or not fish bite, recording details about the conditions after each trip will help you recognize patterns in fish behavior. Note the moon phase, tide phase, cloud cover, wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, air and water temperature, and precipitation. Also record what baits worked, how the fish responded and the most productive locations.

At the beginning of each fishing season, review your notes from previous years to look for conditions or tackle that were productive. Getting in the habit of keeping a fishing journal will get you in the habit of catching more fish.

Keeping and Cleaning Your Fish

Properly storing and cleaning your fish is the first step to preparing it for the table. As soon as you land a fish, put it on ice. Be sure the ice drains as it melts. To improve the quality of the meat, drain the blood by cutting the fish across a major artery. Sharks and salmon should be gutted as soon as they are landed and immediately packed with ice. A fish can be scaled, filleted or steaked. Use a super-sharp knife with a long, thin blade to make the job easier. Rubber gloves will help you grip the slimy fish more securely and protect your hands if the knife slips. Rinse the meat and return it to the ice.

Once you get home, you can keep the meat in the refrigerator for up to five days. Use a vacuum sealer to pack fish that will be frozen. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, put the meat in a bag that seals and add water until the fish is covered. Squeeze out any excess air and seal the bag, then put it in the freezer. Always thaw meat in the refrigerator and eat it immediately.
Getting Started

You've decided to go fishing and have enough tackle and knowledge to get started. Where do you go first?

Your local tackle shop is the best place to find out where the fish are biting and how to catch them. Tell the shop employees what you want to catch, and they will set you up with tackle and point you toward the best fishing spots.

Most coastal towns have an angler's club where local fishermen gather to swap fish stories and plan fishing trips. These clubs are great places to connect with other anglers.

A number of books and magazines provide comprehensive instructions on every aspect of fishing. Outdoor magazines and newspapers will also keep you up-to-date on current events in the fishing community.

Web sites and message boards are good online sources of current fishing reports and how-to information. Many of these cyber fishing sites spill over into the real world when members get together for events and tournaments.

One of the best ways to learn the ropes is to hire a local guide. Look for a skipper who specializes in working with new anglers. You'll have the opportunity to see the most productive tactics in action and find some new fishing holes, too.

Conservation and Regulations

It is up to individual anglers to follow local fishing regulations and participate in conservation efforts. Each state has publications and Web sites that detail local and federal regulations on minimum size and bag limits for the most popular fish. Fishing clubs and Web sites are good places to learn about environmental and management issues facing local anglers. To be good stewards of fishing resources, each angler has the responsibility to follow regulations and participate in fisheries management.
Anchoring

Anchoring — situating a boat over a reef or in swift current, for example — is one of the most difficult maneuvers in fishing. However, proper equipment will make a difficult job more manageable.

Start with an anchor rope that is at least five times as long as the depth of the water, a section of chain that equals the length of the boat and an anchor that will dig into the bottom. The tricky part comes when positioning the boat over a structure:

Pull the boat directly over the structure.
Take it out of gear and drift away.
Using the GPS and compass, return past the structure using the same course as when you drifted away.

The tricky part comes when predicting how far up wind and up current to deploy the anchor:

    Pull ahead of the structure far enough to let the anchor hit the bottom and dig into the substrate.
    Once the boat comes to rest, let out or pull in anchor line to properly position the boat. Be sure to leave enough scope in the line so that the boat and rise and fall on the waves.
    To pull the anchor, take up slack in the line until the rope is straight up and down. Then cleat off the line and motor the boat ahead slowly to free the hook.

Freeing snagged lures and rigs

Losing tackle to snags is frustrating, time consuming and expensive. With a little patience and finesse, the rig can usually be freed from the structure. When you detect your lure or rig has become snagged, set the reel in freespool to prevent digging the hook deeper into the snag. Then, run the boat past the structure in the opposite direction the hook was snagged. Tighten the line and jerk the rod tip to free the hook. Bottom fishermen will often use a lighter leader to their sinkers so they can easily break off a snagged weight without losing their whole rig.

Finding Wrecks, Reef and Other Structures

One good way to find fish is to find the structure where they live. The best place to look for these structures is on a nautical chart. Several companies make special charts with popular wrecks, reefs and other fishing areas marked and coordinates noted. Artificial reefs will be documented by the organizations that sponsored them. Local tackle shops will often have publications that list the coordinates of hotspots. Dive shops and clubs are also good sources of information on area reefs. Catch-and-Release Fishing

Many anglers choose to release the fish they catch. However, sometimes fish are so injured by the catch that their odds of surviving back in the water are poor. Here are some tips to improve a fish's chances of living to fight another day:

Keep the fight short by using heavier tackle.
Use a circle hook or crush the barb on a J-hook to avoid injuring the fish.
Never keep a fish out of the water longer than you can hold your breath.
The slime that covers a fish protects it from infection, so use wet hands or gloves when you handle the fish. A dehooker lets you remove the hook without touching the fish.
Never dangle a fish by its jaw, and always support its body with your hands.
When releasing a deep-sea bottomfish, use a venting tool to relieve the air from the fish's air bladder.

Using good catch-and-release practices will help ensure the fish survives after being released.
Keeping a Fishing Log

With so many factors affecting whether or not fish bite, recording details about the conditions after each trip will help you recognize patterns in fish behavior. Note the moon phase, tide phase, cloud cover, wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, air and water temperature, and precipitation. Also record what baits worked, how the fish responded and the most productive locations.

At the beginning of each fishing season, review your notes from previous years to look for conditions or tackle that were productive. Getting in the habit of keeping a fishing journal will get you in the habit of catching more fish.
Keeping and Cleaning Your Fish

Properly storing and cleaning your fish is the first step to preparing it for the table. As soon as you land a fish, put it on ice. Be sure the ice drains as it melts. To improve the quality of the meat, drain the blood by cutting the fish across a major artery. Sharks and salmon should be gutted as soon as they are landed and immediately packed with ice. A fish can be scaled, filleted or steaked. Use a super-sharp knife with a long, thin blade to make the job easier. Rubber gloves will help you grip the slimy fish more securely and protect your hands if the knife slips. Rinse the meat and return it to the ice.

Once you get home, you can keep the meat in the refrigerator for up to five days. Use a vacuum sealer to pack fish that will be frozen. If you don't have a vacuum sealer, put the meat in a bag that seals and add water until the fish is covered. Squeeze out any excess air and seal the bag, then put it in the freezer. Always thaw meat in the refrigerator and eat it immediately.
Getting Started

You've decided to go fishing and have enough tackle and knowledge to get started. Where do you go first?

Your local tackle shop is the best place to find out where the fish are biting and how to catch them. Tell the shop employees what you want to catch, and they will set you up with tackle and point you toward the best fishing spots.

Most coastal towns have an angler's club where local fishermen gather to swap fish stories and plan fishing trips. These clubs are great places to connect with other anglers.

A number of books and magazines provide comprehensive instructions on every aspect of fishing. Outdoor magazines and newspapers will also keep you up-to-date on current events in the fishing community.

Web sites and message boards are good online sources of current fishing reports and how-to information. Many of these cyber fishing sites spill over into the real world when members get together for events and tournaments.

One of the best ways to learn the ropes is to hire a local guide. Look for a skipper who specializes in working with new anglers. You'll have the opportunity to see the most productive tactics in action and find some new fishing holes, too.

Conservation and Regulations

It is up to individual anglers to follow local fishing regulations and participate in conservation efforts. Each state has publications and Web sites that detail local and federal regulations on minimum size and bag limits for the most popular fish. Fishing clubs and Web sites are good places to learn about environmental and management issues facing local anglers. To be good stewards of fishing resources, each angler has the responsibility to follow regulations and participate in fisheries management.
Anchoring

Anchoring — situating a boat over a reef or in swift current, for example — is one of the most difficult maneuvers in fishing. However, proper equipment will make a difficult job more manageable.

Start with an anchor rope that is at least five times as long as the depth of the water, a section of chain that equals the length of the boat and an anchor that will dig into the bottom. The tricky part comes when positioning the boat over a structure:

Pull the boat directly over the structure.
Take it out of gear and drift away.
Using the GPS and compass, return past the structure using the same course as when you drifted away.

The tricky part comes when predicting how far up wind and up current to deploy the anchor:

Pull ahead of the structure far enough to let the anchor hit the bottom and dig into the substrate.
Once the boat comes to rest, let out or pull in anchor line to properly position the boat. Be sure to leave enough scope in the line so that the boat and rise and fall on the waves.
To pull the anchor, take up slack in the line until the rope is straight up and down. Then cleat off the line and motor the boat ahead slowly to free the hook.

Freeing snagged lures and rigs

Losing tackle to snags is frustrating, time consuming and expensive. With a little patience and finesse, the rig can usually be freed from the structure. When you detect your lure or rig has become snagged, set the reel in freespool to prevent digging the hook deeper into the snag. Then, run the boat past the structure in the opposite direction the hook was snagged. Tighten the line and jerk the rod tip to free the hook. Bottom fishermen will often use a lighter leader to their sinkers so they can easily break off a snagged weight without losing their whole rig.

Finding Wrecks, Reef and Other Structures

One good way to find fish is to find the structure where they live. The best place to look for these structures is on a nautical chart. Several companies make special charts with popular wrecks, reefs and other fishing areas marked and coordinates noted. Artificial reefs will be documented by the organizations that sponsored them. Local tackle shops will often have publications that list the coordinates of hotspots. Dive shops and clubs are also good sources of information on area reefs.

When To Fish

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Time of Day/Season Sequencer/Turnover/Temp by Species

Spring/Early Morning

Fish aren't biting. The water is cold and doesn't heat up because the sun is low and the rays bounce off the water. But don't go home yet, because winter is over and fish are hungry and spawning. Best to wait until a week or so after thaw, as spring turnover takes time for the water temperature to even out to 39.2 degrees.

Spring/Late Morning-Early Afternoon

Fish are biting off and on. The water begins to warm up because rays begin to penetrate the water. Remember to fish the downwind shoreline, as the winds will push the warmer surface water along with surface food into that area

Spring/Afternoon-Early Evening

Fish are eating a lot because their metabolism and digestion are cranked. Water is warm because the sun is directly overhead.

Summer/Early Morning-Late Afternoon

Fishing is excellent from before sunup to just before mid-morning. At this time of year there is abundant food and cover for fish, so finding hungry fish can be a challenge.

Summer/Late Morning-Early Afternoon

Fishing is poor for most of the day. Fish move to deep water to cool off.

Summer/Afternoon-Early Evening

Fishing is excellent from early sundown until dark as the waters cool and fish rise up from the depths.

Fall/Early Morning

Fish aren't biting much from sunup to early morning. The water is cool because the sun is too low to penetrate the water.

Fall/Late Morning-Noon

Fish are biting off and on in warmer, shallow water. The water is generally cool due to the season.

Fall/Afternoon-Early Evening

Fishing is excellent. Sun is directly overhead for several hours and the water gets more comfortable near the surface. This makes for seasonally good fishing because fish are putting on weight for the winter. Look for bait schools where bigger fish are more likely to be.

Seasonal Lake Turnover

Turnover refers to the exchange of surface and bottom water in a lake or pond. This annual recycling program happens twice a year. There's spring turnover and fall turnover and summer stagnation in between. From spring to fall, warmer water goes from the top of the lake to the bottom and cooler water moves from the bottom to the top.

An understanding of turnover, combined with knowledge of what kind of water a particular fish likes, can make you a real fishing genius. As always, good luck.

Spring Turnover

Spring Turnover

Once the ice is out, the water on the surface of a lake starts to warm. When it reaches 39 degrees it begins to sink and is replaced by cooler water from below. This exchange continues until the water temperature is constant in the entire lake. Early in this process, fish will stay in the shallow areas of the lake where the water warms up faster, and where the first plant growth of the spring occurs.

Summer Stagnation

Summer Stagnation

During the summer, the sun heats water near the surface of lakes, but it doesn't sink. Eventually a condition known as "stratification" develops, putting a well-defined warm layer of water over a cool one.

Fish like the cooler water, but they also need the higher oxygen levels found in warmer water. So they'll migrate to an area right between the two levels of water called the thermo cline. The thermo cline can occur between 2 and 10 feet in depth, depending on the size of the lake.

It's best to find a point or some other form of structure that extends out from the shoreline and slopes gradually down into the thermo cline. This should be a place where fish can find warmer water, but have quick access to deeper, cooler and safer water.

Fall Turnover

Fall Turnover

With the arrival of fall and cooler air temperatures, water at the surface of lakes cools, becoming almost as heavy as the cooler bottom water. Strong autumn winds move surface water around, which promotes mixing with deeper water. This is fall turnover.

As mixing continues, lake water becomes more uniform in temperature and oxygen level, allowing fish to move around freely. Fish can be difficult to find as long as these conditions prevail, usually continues until the weather turns cold, chilling the lake's surface.

Water Temperature and Turnover

Each fish has a different range of water temperature in which it can survive. Although fish cannot always find the exact temperature they prefer, they are usually found in water close to that temperature.

By combining a knowledge of preferred water temperature and lake turnover, you can kind-of-sort-of predict which fish will be in a particular part of a lake at a particular time of the year.

Fish that like warmer water will be surface feeders in the summer and bottom feeders in the fall. And fish that like cooler water will feed deep in the spring and on the surface in the fall. But don't hold us to this. Fish are always tough to catch.

Temperatures

Temperatures

Too many hot days in the summer can make fish in shallow lakes, ponds and rivers sluggish. The same thing happens in the winter when water temperatures are lower. Why? All fish are cold-blooded. Meaning they can't keep their body temperature at a constant level like humans and other warm-blooded animals. So the temperature of their surroundings influences the fish's body temperature and bodily functions. Really high and really low water temperatures reduce the amount of oxygen in the water, making fish less active and picky about when and what they.

So here's the first rule of when to fish. Fishing will be slower when it's too hot or too cold.

Understanding this bit of biology will help you decide what kinds of lures and baits to use, and how fast or slow to work them. Work your tackle slower in colder water and faster in warm water.

Light

Fish prefer early morning and evening sun to the bright sun of midday. Morning sun warms the shallows, creating more comfortable water temperatures for fish to feed. Late morning is best when the sun has had more of a chance to warm the shallows. This is particularly true during early spring in shallows with dark or mud bottoms because dark areas absorb heat more rapidly than light sandy bottoms.

Warm water temperatures make bait fish more active and available to game fish on cool early-spring days. On hot sunny days, fish move to cooler, deeper waters to stay comfortable. High-heat conditions make shallow and top water lures and bait best only in the early morning and late afternoon when cooler temperatures and lower light levels allow fish to cruise the shallows for meals.

In midday, hot water surface temperature, decreased surface oxygen and occasional increasing winds cause fish to move deeper. In these conditions, deep fishing baits, rigs and lures are best.

Already, you can see how a combination of time of day, light and weather can affect your fishing.

Variable Weather Conditions

Wind

Wind can play a large role in fishing success. Wind pushes water and surface food to the far shore, with bait fish behind it, and with game fish behind the bait fish. So if you're fishing from shore on a windy day, fish where you have to cast into the wind. That way your lure moves with the wind, just like the other food in the lake at the same time. If you're fishing from a boat, cast with the wind on a sheltered shore.

Storms

Storms and changing weather patterns affect fishing success since fish are keenly attuned to changes in barometric conditions. With many fish, feeding increases during the hours immediately before a cold front, but slows during and after a storm or front hits.

Fishing after a cold front is poor and continues to be poor for a day or two. Warm fronts cause surface water temperatures to increase, putting fish into a feeding mode. This can be particularly true in the winter, when a warming trend can cause otherwise sluggish fish to start feeding actively. Most of this feeding activity is on or near the warm surface.

Cloudy days improve fishing since the clouds prevent light penetration. Overcast skies cause fish to cruise for food more than they would during bright days when they tend to hide and stay close to structure. On overcast, cloudy days, fish are less likely to be at specific structure spots or areas and more likely to be scattered throughout a waterway.

A light rain is another good time to fish, especially a warm spring or summer rain. Rain can help you hide from the fish since the rain breaks up the view a fish has through the water surface. This is true for shore, wade or boat fishing. Rain also washes insects and bait into the water, creating a feeding binge for fish.

Hard rain conditions are a poor time to fish. A hard rain muddies the water, makes it difficult for fish to find bait or lures and causes heavy runoff, which can clog their gills. The increased water flow in rivers from any rain increases current flow and makes it difficult for fish to maintain a comfortable position in the river. High water levels can also create rapids, waves and unsafe fishing conditions.

When there's lightning or the possibility of lightning, get out of the water immediately, whether you're in a boat, wading or on shore. Safety first. Plus, there's no way you're going to catch fish in a violent storm.

Salt Water and Tides

Tides raise and lower the water level approximately two times per day and affect where fish are located and how they feed. The timing of a high or low tide changes daily and is also different for each coastal area.

A shallow area that might hold fish and may be a good spot to fish during a high tide, might be a bare mud bank during low tide conditions. And a slough (a slight depression in the bottom) that might be perfect for bottom feeding fish during a low tide, might be too deep and difficult to fish on a high tide.

Running tides (rising or falling) are best since they cause bait to move and promote active feeding among coastal fish. Changing tides, time of day and location are also important when you're fishing in brackish water—coastal water that's a mix of salt water and fresh water and contains saltwater and freshwater fish. Brackish water is found in most tidal creeks and rivers along coasts and is highly affected by tidal movements.

In general, the best fishing is almost always on a rising or falling tide—not dead low or dead high tide when there is little or no water movement.

Determining the best time to fish requires checking on many fishing factors and outdoor conditions. Read the local newspaper and visit with folk at a local tackle shop to get accurate tide information.