TIPS ON LAKE FISHING

Todays tips come to us via an old, old friend and sometimes contributer, U.N. Owen.  Thanks Owi Tips on Lake Fishing for a Great Outdoor Experience For many years, lake fish have been classified under three general heads: game fish, food fish, and forage or bait fish. The bass, trout, pike, pickerel, muskellunge, pike perch, etc., have been generally known as game fish because of their sporting value. On the other hand, carp, suckers, some of the catfish, yellow perch, etc., have been considered as food fish. While this latter group has not been considered as furnishing the sport that the so-called game fish do, nevertheless, it has a real economic and recreational value. Generally speaking, in lake fishing, words are really inadequate when it comes to describing the correct procedure in casting. The best way to learn how to cast is to go down to the beach, watch an expert at work, and try to do likewise. Nevertheless, lake fishing can really be fun and the novice will quickly master the correct form in lake fishing. Therefore, to further harness their craft, here are some tips that could help the anglers on their lake fishing activity. 1. In lake fishing, as with other forms of fishing, a smooth, snappy stroke is required but not as snappy as when snapping a whip. This type of stroke will cause the loss of many flies. 2. Anglers should remember that it is the line that is cast, not the fly. The fly is but a passenger, which is attached to the leader. 3. Proper timing is an important factor on both the backcast and forward cast. 4. Know the fish habitat and the kinds of fish that inhabit the lakes. Some of them are the sunfish, and the small mouth black bass. These kinds of fish can usually be found hiding near some submerged log or stump, or among the plants. 5. When catching big fish in the lake, it is best to use big, sturdy rods. Big fish like the bass usually attain a weight of 12 pounds, which usually inhabits the lake or pond. The reason why they grow really big is that in lakes or ponds, the food is both abundant and very rich. Hence, to handles these sizes, the ideal length and weight of the rod is 8 ½ feet in length and from 4 to four and three quarters of an ounce in weight. Indeed, the fundamental principles in lake fishing are not difficult to master and with little patience and practice, the novice can become a successful angler in the lake. Post Views: 113

What Does Our Future Hold?

While watching recent news casts, and some reality show, which I rarely do, I began wondering, what DOES our future hold?  Will we be prepared? Here in the good old USA,  (The A is there.  It just doesn’t show up too well on a white background).   Our forefathers lived primarily off the land.  Hunting, Trapping, Fishing, and Tilling the land.  Yes we had merchants, who for the most part bartered their wares for their needs.  We now live in a more industrialized nation. Few people are self sufficient any more.  We mostly rely on someone  else to provide our wants and NEEDS.  NEEDS, being the operative word here.  What I will be addressing today is our Needs.  We all want somethings, but we can live without them.  Needs is what it takes for us to maintain life.  If for some reason our Dollar fails, what will we do?  Revert to the way of our forefathers. Today we have a much larger population.  Less farms, and woodlands.  Less farmland means we have less ground to grow our food.  Looking at it this way the farmer has an edge; very slight.  They will be able to grow crops, plant gardens, and may, or may not,  have a wooded area to Hunt and Trap,  or somewhere to Fish. Will they be able to support all of us?  Let’s probe deeper. When I was a child we had an 80 acre farm.  We grew crops, we had a garden we planted every year.  We had livestock, so we had meat, milk, and butter.  We had chickens, so no problem with eggs, or chicken to eat.  In our garden we also had berry bushes.  We knew our neighbors well, even though there may be a mile or more from us.  We knew if there was something we needed, and our neighbor had it they would help us our,  maybe just out of friendship, or maybe they needed or just wanted, we would trade.  Maybe it was feeding their livestock, or pets, while they were away for a day or more.  Maybe, it was something to be made.  My Mother was an excellent seamstress.  My Father was pretty much a Jack of All Trades.  Now, farmers have fields bigger than our farm. On the obverse side of the coin.  Farmers will need fuel for their machinery, Electricity, to run some of their equipment.  But if our dollar collapses, where will they be able to get the fuel?  Barter for it?  Maybe until the current supply runs out.  Then WHAT? During this time how will people react?  Will they be willing to help?  Or will they become hoarders?  Can’t blame them.  Family comes first. So what will you and I do?  Will we become Looters, or poachers.  Living in the city now, I may become a poacher.  Depending on if someone gives me permission to hunt or trap, or fish, on their land.  Unlike the days of our forefathers there is little open wilderness to pursue these necessities.   I can not see myself becoming a looter.  I have heard depression era survivors, admit stealing bread or some food item to feed their family. Now with loss of so much open land, and the increased population, will there be enough wildlife to  support all of us? There is a group out there referred to as “PREPPERS”.  They tend to stockpile food, guns, ammo, etc..   How long will their stores last?  In a prolonged dollar collapse, they too will be in the same boat as the rest of us.  Personally I do not have the funds available to “prep”.  So I will try to keep my rifles, and shotguns, in good shape, and buy a box of ammunition, when I have a few dollars to spare. (Note to self: invest in real traps, not just the ones I built).  But I doubt I could ever amass enough to last.  (Unlike my teen age hunting buddy, I miss occasionally).  It is not like you could stock up on wild game, you need a freezer or some way to preserve the meat.  Some you could make into Jerky, extending it’s shelf life.  (If you know how to do that the old fashion way, without electricity). Communication:  How will we communicate.  If you are like me I must have the TV on or I can’t sleep.  If for some reason it goes off during my sleep hours, I will awake, and stay awake until it comes back on.  I am sure I will adapt, but not without a struggle.  As a HAM radio operator, I will be able to communicate with other HAMs, until my batteries die.  So I suppose I should look into getting some sort of hand crank generator made to be able to charge my HAM equipment.  Or Better yet,  I need to set up a small solar power system just to keep my batteries charged.  (So you see we do have at least one option to electric power, (as long as the solar batteries last). We all need to prepare ourselves.  I’m not saying I believe anything like such a disaster will happen.  But as Benjamin Franklin said in reference to fire prevention: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.  We need to hone our survival skills.  As a whole I think the AMISH people now have the best chance of survival. Maybe I should look into buying a canoe.???? That Is How I See It. Afterthought: Tools are another thing we should be sure we have on hand.     Post Views: 112

GUN CONTROL: IS IT NEEDED? PART 1

I was raised on a farm and rural town.  So Hunting was a natural thing.  We planted our own garden, raised our own hogs, beef, sheep, chickens,etc.  We had apple trees, cherry trees, and pear trees.  We had Black Raspberry, Gooseberries, Black Berries, Blue Berries, Strawberry Bushes., and of course there was always a bountiful pick of mushrooms. A creek, (in our area it was pronounced CRICK), so plenty of fish to eat.  We hunted rabbit, and squirrel, to supplement and vary our meat diet.  We Churned our own butter, and canned what we could to get us through the winter.  So, you see hunting was a natural thing for us. All my life I have been pretty much anti HANDGUN.  I first fired a handgun at age 9.  My best friends cousin, who was about 10-12 years older than us,  took us out to an empty field and set up some tin cans, a let us shoot his Colt 45.  I think that is what it was,  to me it was just like the one the LONE RANGER used.  Granted it was a treat, pretending to be a real western cowboy.  But I could see no real reason to own one.  My other time was when I was about 19.  This time I was in the Military and had to qualify with the Military pistol, a gun I carried rarely.  Ok.  This I could see.  Being the radio operator, it was not always practical for me to carry a rifle.  But those times would be in battle or rioting conditions.  But for an average citizen,  I could still see no reason for anyone to have a handgun.  I had my Shotguns, and Rifles to defend my home with. But recently,  I was asked to check  a friend’s property,  they noticed someone had damaged the gate to their property, when they arrived home, and was going to wait on the road at the end of their drive.  They had called for the  police.  They said it was pretty obvious the police did not want to respond.  So off I went.  It took me  half and hour to get there.  (No Police).  I bravely entered the property, armed with my PELLET PISTOL,  to check things out.  I found no one.  My friends found what looked like a failed attempt to break in a door.  I waited with them another half hour, and still NO POLICE.  We called the police back, to let them know they could cancel the call.   We were told that they had not yet dispatched anyone to the scene. A couple of weeks later I made a trip to a neighboring state.  The friend I was visiting there had a neighbor who was a retired Sheriff.  They were talking about a handgun my friend was considering buying.  It was type the Sheriff used as a back up weapon.  I was asked my thoughts on it.  I told them I didn’t see any reason for owning one.  I explained that I did have a Pellet Pistol,  and how I had taken it to my friends on the aforementioned instance.  The retired Sheriff laughed, then scolded me.  He told me taking my Pellet Gun was worse than taking no gun.  The trespassers could have seen it and used a “real gun”  and shot me on the spot.  He also recommended I get a handgun.  I explained I had my Shotgun and Rifle.  He asked why did I not take one of them instead of the Pellet gun?  I explained they seemed a little cumbersome, and if someone was hidden and I was in close proximity I might not be able to use the long guns.   The Sheriff said, “One of the reasons you should consider getting a handgun”.   He also added long guns are not real good if I was attacked by a carjacker, if I were met with a mugger, and he continued on and on with reasons I should consider a handgun. As of now I have not made a decision.  I will think it over this week. Check back next week for further details. Comments are welcome.  REAL COMMENTS.    I make no money for my opinions, and any comment posted to promote your business will not be posted. Post Views: 98

Boat After PURCHASE

If you have had the weather we have  had recently,  You may find boats on the beach to outnumber the ones on the water.  I know our lakes are way down.  One of the LARGER lakes in our area is down so low you can tell where the original creek runs.  I have no idea where the fish go, when it is like this.  But that creek should be really crowded.  LOL. (Yes I know they will follow the creek to bigger water). But now back  to our title: Once you’ve made the purchase on a your  boat (new or used), you’ll be very excited – as you should be!  The first thing to do is celebrate with your family and friends, you deserve it.  You shouldn’t rush out on the water immediately after the purchase, as you have some things to take care of first. If you are new to boating, you should take a safety course first.  There is a lot to know about boats.  Being out on the water is a lot of fun, although there are things you should know and things you should always be aware of. After buying your boat, you should register it and re-title the boat and trailer if you need to.  Pay your sales tax and apply any up to date registration stickers if you need to.  Also, make sure you buy the proper insurance for your boat, as it will protect you while you are on the water. When you make your first trip on the water, you should do so with an experienced boater.  You can have them show you how to  turn in tight spaces, even trailering and docking.  Practice docking in different currents and take the helm with the boater there to help you.  Get comfortable at the helm enough to where you’ll feel comfortable taking others out for a ride. The world of boating can be very fun, offering you many things to do and a lot to see.  Boating offers plenty of freedom as well, especially for those who are completely new to boating.  Your first boat purchase is very important, as it opens up new doors in life. Your family will enjoy boating, all you have to do is give it a chance! HAVE FUN!!!! Post Views: 93

Ah! The Perfect Boat

Finding Your Perfect Boat Finding the perfect boat is an undertaking for an experienced boater.  For the first time boater, it can be a very difficult task to accomplish.  To help you with your quest for the perfect boat, there are a few things you should know. Deciding what’s important Choosing the right boat is all about knowing what’s really important to you.  You need to decide whether you’ll be using the boat for your own private use, fishing, or cruising.  You should also consider your families feelings, as buying a boat for your own personal needs without consulting your family will probably lead to disappointing experiences or less time spent on the water. Types of boats Typically, boats will fall into five categories –fishing boats, power boats, sailboats, personal watercraft, and self powered boats.  To help you find the perfect boat, we’ll take a look at what each one offers. Fishing boats The designs for fishing boats will vary quite a bit, as are the places you can use them.  The boats that are meant for shallow waters of inland lakes and rivers aren’t the same boats meant for deep seas and great lakes.  There are many different designs, even boats that serve no other purpose besides fishing. These types of boats normally have stowage and holders for bait, fishing poles, tackle, and even special tanks to hold live fish.  Other types of fishing only boats feature an open platform where anglers can fight fish from all sides of the boat. Power boats Power boats are the most popular boats sold.  The designs with power boats are as varied as their uses.  Boats with seating in the front are called bowriders, which are mainly used for towing skiers or rafts.  Most boats can also be used for fishing as well.  If you want to do both,  there are ski and fish combinations available. Sailboats When you first learn to pilot a sailboat, it can be very challenging, although very rewarding as well.  A sailboat requires more skill and knowledge to operate than boats, although they are considered more rewarding once mastered. With all available sailboats, the single masted sloop is the most popular design.  For those who only boat on occasion, catboats, daysailers, and dinghys are small and easily trailerable. When you finally decide on the perfect boat for you, look at what each one offers and how you plan to use it.  The perfect boat for you is out there, all you have do is find the one that best matches your needs. Post Views: 249

Fishing

Thank you Oley for your contribution: Fishing, A Family Activity. I have many fond memories of fishing with family and friends.  Let me relate a few of those memories, here. My Grandpa, and Grandma, took me fishing quite often in the creek (pronounced crick in my area), that ran through their farm.  Come to think of it; even though I never thought about this before, they never BOTH took me it was only one of them at a time.  Depending on the time of day,and day of the week.  Grandma took me during the morning when Grandpa was working,  If Grandpa was not working, he took me. One time while fishing with my Grandpa, it wasn’t a good time to fish, we were just spending time together.  After a couple of hours and nary a bite, Grandpa said it was time to head for the house.  I began to drag my line in and met with some resistance.  Grandpa said I was probably snagged on a stick or something.  I resumed pulling in my line, and imagine our surprise, to find a sixteen inch, (I’m guessing at least two pounds, maybe more), Sucker on my hook.  (You may have different names for these fish,  depending upon where you live.  Suckers live near the bottom of the creek, and some people consider them to be scavengers).  Some people don’t consider them as edible, but my Grandma made them edible.  The three of us had a good meal from this one.  My Grandma could also make Carp taste like Bass. Another time, while fishing with a friend, we saw a Snapping Turtle, a large one, swim under a roll of fencing that had floated down to the creek during a recent flood.  There happend to be a man wading the creek fly fishing.    We told him about the turtle, and where it went.  Would you believe he reached in there, bare handed, and pulled the turtle out.  He then explained to us a turtle has seven different meat flavors.  He was visiting his uncle, a man we knew who lived just around the corner from me.  A couple of days later his uncle asked us over and he had prepared some of the turtle for us.  (My first taste of turtle), and sure enough there were seven different tastes.  DELICIOUS !!! Another time while visiting my uncle on his lakefront home,  my DAD, my uncle, and I were fishing off his pier.  Of course being about 13 I had to have my radio on playing good old ROCK’N’ROLL.  That is when they claimed my music was driving the fish away.  They got in the boat, and left me fishing off the pier.  About an hour to an hour and a half later when they returned with three little Crappie, I proudly showed them my stringer full of larger Crappie.  They never complained about my music playing anymore. Lastly, the laughter was on me.  I was taking my sons fishing where I used to fish with my Grandpa and Grandma.  They were quite small and had not learned to swim yet.  I had them walking along the bank.  I was wading the creek.  They got a real big kick when I fell in a hole and came up completely drenched, trying to catchup to my hat. But I haven’t been fishing for a long time.  The boys buy me fishing rods, that have not been out of the package, yet.  What with all the pollution in the creeks today, and around here they have warnings not to eat the fish from the creeks.  I have lost my taste for fish.  And if I did like fish, I always have a truck load.  I try to avoid bridges, when in my pickup.  You see,  The fish tend to jump out of the creek and into the bed of the truck.  Then I have to take them out and throw them back in the water.  Terrible curse I have here. But after writing this maybe I will go fishing with my boys.  No. Not to catch fish, but just to spend time with them.  After all I really don’t have to have a hook on my line. Weight will allow me to make the casts.  They have a really nice bass boat, and enjoy fishing in contests.   We will probably win.  When I am in a boat the fish tend to leap in it, just like in my truck bed. That Is How I See It. PS:  A friend from Texas told me our creeks are what they call rivers in Texas.  And I thought “every thing is big in Texas” Post Views: 146

Fishing, A Family Activity

Many people love to go fishing, instead of playing tennis or golf. Others make it their primary sport activity together with their families and friends to relieve boredom and stress. Surveys say that more than 50 million Americans love to go fishing and make it their lifestyle option instead of other sports. In Alabama, fishing represents a substantial impact on the state economy. Hundreds of millions of dollars are represented and about 20,000 people list fishing as their source of livelihood. However, most people consider it as a form of relaxation and a family activity. In general, it is a lifestyle option. In the book titled “The Incomplete Psychology of Everyday Fishing;” psychologist Paul G. Quinnett dedicated an entire chapter about fishing as a source to relieve stress. In the chapter, “Ethics of Fishing” he points out that a person must appreciate and enjoy the benefits of nature. He also highlighted that fishing correct is a way for an individual to become more disciplined in his lifestyle. “Family Life First,” an organization dedicated to introducing how to spend useful family time to parents for their children, have factual data that in the past 20 years, 25 percent of a child’s playing time has decreased. Outdoor activities, where most children spend their playing time, have also declined by 50 percent, to 22 percent of family time activities have lessened proven by the study of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Any fruitful time to interact with your children is time worth investing. Fishing is a way to connect. The quality time you get is really worth the effort. The experience you get by catching fish is what makes it wonderful to enjoy and that is the important part of fishing. There are 23 public fishing lakes having plenty of fish waiting to be caught. All children can experience the excitement and adventure of fishing. You will always remember the very first time you caught a fish, and the parent who showed you how to catch it. You gain enjoyable and learning experiences from fishing that makes it a great family activity. Alabama, for example, promotes its lakes and open banks as places best for fishing. You do not even need a boat to catch fish. There are also stores where you can find what you need for fishing. You may bring your family with you and the time of being together and enjoying the fun of fishing is the best family activity you could have. Please let Wayne know if you liked this information, (I would like to write more). Post Views: 249

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