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7
Vote

Casting Shore Lines

Getbit wrote a tip about casting parallel to shore a while back and it's worked for me in the past but last night it was a little slow for me. Most fished that were getting hooked were actually being caught by casting just outside of or on top the weed line and pulling from the shore to open water; most of which were casts ahead of the boat. I'm thinking that the fish could hear the action or splash above 'em and could then see the lure come out from "hiding" from out of cover of the weeds and would have less time to process whether to strike or not vs seeing the lure coming from downstream and just come past 'em. I was using a floating rapalla and could cast directly on the weeds and just lift it off of and through the weeds but then it would dive down 6 feet or so when i started reeling. It seems I may have to test this out a little more to see what might be more consistent for different lures. Any body have a similar/different experience?

Topics: Casting, Techniques
6
Vote

AnglerCo-Angler Ettiquette

OK, this is a tip borne more from frustration than anything. I may not cover every scenario or situation, but it's a good start for things to think about.

If you're fishing as a team, then just by the nature of it you'll be maximizing your cooperation. This is a tip more for the Boater/Non-Boater tournaments where you're still competing against each other.

1. Remember, it's the boater's boat. Offer some gas money. Respect their property. Hooks in seats, 3 big tackle bags, and 10 rods that overwhelm their space isn't appreciated. Bring a small bag for your trash - a wrinkled up grocery bag is fine. Their boat isn't your garbage can. Ask if something is OK - "can I put this here?", can I use this?", etc. goes a long way.

2. Show up with a PFD and culling system. The boater may not have spares for you to use. Most boaters probably have those items for a co-angler to use, but don't assume they do, and don't get upset or throw a fit when they don't.

3. Bring your own lunch, snacks, and drinks, but be reasonable. Built-in coolers aren't huge, but boaters do leave room for the co-angler. Bringing a 32-quart Igloo probably isn't a real good idea, either. Remember, space is sometimes at a premium, so use it wisely.

4. Boaters do what they can to position the boat to everyone's advantage. Sometimes, it doesn't always work. Sometimes, the co-angler doesn't always get the best spots first. Talk reasonably about it. Most boaters will do what they can to make sure it's as fair as it can be. When the boater decides to move spots, give the co-angler fair warning. Co-anglers need to be ready to move when the boater is.

5. Boaters, you have the front of the boat to fish from. Don't cast back from the midline of the boat. Co-anglers, don't fire casts up over the shoulder of the boater. Keep your area as your area.

6. When an angler (boater or co-angler) is going after a fish, fishing a particular spot, bed, etc. let them have it. It's their fish. If they hit get a hit and miss, it's still their fish to go after. Don't wait for them to reel their line in and fire a cast at the fish

7. Don't destroy each other's things. Rods, reels, baits, equipment, etc. gets expensive when it needs to be replaced.

8. Be respectful - that goes for everyone. If the co-angler doesn't like the boat he's drawn or been assigned to, keep your opinions to yourself. Certainly don't put down the other angler's equipment, style, baits, etc.

9. Remember, you're there to fish competitively against each other. Small talk is OK, especially if you're new draw partners. But that doesn't mean start talking from launch time until you weigh-in. Comeraderie is great, especially after the tournament ends, but sometimes extreme concentration is needed when you're trying to boat a limit.

These are just the basics, but they're a good foundation and they go a long way. The basic rules should be this - don't be the boater that everyone dreads going out with, and don't be the co-angler that boaters say they'll never fish with again.

Topics: boater, nonboater, coangler
5
Vote

Check your line often

Ever set the hook on a fish and break your line? Or, even worse, ever fight a fish almost to the boat and the line breaks? It's frustrating any time, but if you're guiding or fishing in a tournament, it can cost you a decent paycheck. The cure? Check your line often. Every few casts, especially in heavy cover, run the line starting at your lure and working backwards, through your fingers. If you feel bumps, nicks, abrasions, or any other sign of damage, cut the line and retie. The extra 10-15 seconds it takes to do this can save you big time.

Topics: Line, retie, cover
14
Vote

I just caught all this tuna, now what

You just arrived back at the dock after a wide open "wfo" two day tuna trip. Everyone aboard who caught fish meets at the top of the dock where the fish are handed out generally by the fisherman's manifest number (te sign in sheet filled out by law before the boat departs). Some fish are already filleted while during the trip, a decision made by the angler. You are now thinking "what the heck am I going to do with all this fish I just caught and get it back home to Texas" (or wherever you are from)

There are "dockside" services for handling all your processing needs. There are many options available, some pricier than others. From shipping your catch home that was filleted on the boat to same day filet and ship services, just about anything can be done for a price. Here's just a few of the services available to you:

* Trade whole Tuna for pre-packaged smoked Tuna (or other fish like Dorado or Wahoo when available)

* Trade whole Tuna for canned Albacore

* Ship your fish filleted on the boat home to any place in the world (some restrictions may apply)

* Fillet and ship your whole fish
* Trading is done by "x" amount of pounds of fish caught to "x" amount of pounds canned. Your best bet is listen to the deckhands or captain on your trip for advice on how to best handle and process your catch. On shorter trips where your catch is filleted nightly after a day of fishing, let the pros deal with the mess and time of filleting. Most deckhands have years of experience in fish handling and rely on customer satisfaction and fish cleaning to make a living. So everyone benefits by having the boat care for your fish. They filet fish everyday and most are very good at it. If you do want the crew to clean your fish, be sure to tell them any special requests like skin on, having the fish "rocked", save the bellies and cheeks, etc...

By the way, Tuna bellies have a very high trade value for smoked wahoo and other excellent tasting fish. Cheeks are full of meat and heads can be used for soup. Or you may just want the fillets to give to friends and family with some saved for yourself of course.

Whatever you choose, proper handling is essential for health reasons. You will not regret these services when you get in from your trip. Just plan on working it in on the cost of your trip.

Here's the main companies in San Diego who provide dockside services:
Fisherman's Processing
Sportsmen's Seafood
Five Star Processing

Some additional Questions:

Original question I received by email from one of my very appreciated visitors:

Rob,

I stumbled across your web site as I prepare for a brief fishing trip in San Diego. I'm sure I'm the regular type that contacts you; I'm just going on a 1/2 day trip with my girlfriend during a long weekend. All the same, I'm wondering if there are any companies that will pack and ship our catch (which I'm assuming I can have filleted on the boat/dock). We live in AZ, so it wouldn't be a long journey. I would think it could be packed in dry ice inside a sturdy cooler, similar to Omaha Steaks.

Do you have any ideas for somewhere that might be able to lend us a hand. We are hitting the water on next Friday (8/13/10).

-Jordan

Here's the great response from Five Star:
Rob, One more thing I forgot to add- if they take the box or ice chest on as luggage, they can only fill it to 50 lbs. Otherwise huge charges apply. That should be added if anyone asks. Thanks for the kind words. ~Sarah


Rob,

This is a hard question for me to answer because our business relies on the processing of the WHOLE fish off of long range trips. We do not make money on the shipping part of it, because the customer pays for the box, employee time handling, taking it to the airport and making sure it gets on the correct flight. From there, the customer usually pays C.O.D. to the airline where they would pick up the fish. They may also pay the cost for shipping the fish straight to their door via UPS or Fed Ex. For this, I cover the cost and then they pay me back the exact cost the carrier charges me. Each situation is unique. If I am at the docks and someone is stuck in a predicament and has no other choice, I sometimes will do them a favor and freeze their fillets & ship them. But I try to discourage that. I have been trying to work with the landing to see if they will sell boxes and frozen gel packs so that customers on the shorter range trips have an option to take their already fillet fish back on the plane with them as luggage. This would be the ideal situation. They may also take an ice chest with them before their trip and load up their fillets and take it back with them as luggage. The fish does not need to be frozen before this...but always nice to have something cold, like gel packs to accompany the fillets. They do not allow wet or dry ice in the containers.

Topics: dockside fish processing San Diego, Sportfishing San Diego, tuna jerky
24
Vote

Time to inventory

OK, so maybe it's because I'm a little Type A. OK, a lot. Anyway, I keep a running inventory (yes, typed and put into nice report covers - red and black to match the boat, of course) of all of my equipment - I inventory my boat equipment, my fishing equipment, rods, and even a special inventory for "travel only". I do this for a few reasons: 1. so I have some handle on what I've got, to see if things are getting a little out of hand, 2. to see if I have any unmet needs or holes in my arsenal, and 3. it makes it a heck of a lot easier to replenish what I've used or lost after a season of fishing. This is a great time of year to do it - Winter is arriving, and as you're transitioning to storage mode, get out that pen and paper and write down what you've got. Once it's typed and saved as a file, it's easy to update/change, and when you do get the green light to go to Bass Pro Shops (hint, hint), you can print it off and highlight what you need (I go through a lot of highlighters). Check out the forums, as I'll post what my inventory sheets look like - they're very simple and easy to change to fit what you need.

Topics: Inventory, reorder, Bass Pro Shops
17
Vote

Using marker bouys on points

Bass, and probably other gamefish, congregate along points, and especially cover and secondary structure along the points. The system is simple, takes a couple of minutes to set up, and you can spend a few hours fishing one point a nd catching serious amounts of bass.

First, determine the points. In early spring and late fall, find steep sloping points, while long, slow-sloping points are generally better from late-spring to early fall. A good topo or bathymetric map, or GPS map will show these. Once you've chosen the point, begin to go over it with your depth finder. Look for tell-tale fish arches, or baitfish schools, to determine where you should start. Whatever your target depth, toss a marker bouy a few feet shallower on the main point. Work along the point until you come to the first big drop off into deep water, then toss a marker bouy a few feet deeper on the main point. These two markers should be the same color. While you're scouting the point, when you see a key piece of cover, something different in the bottom structure, or something interesting, throw a different colored marker bouy near it.

Begin by lining up along the point, starting shallow, and fan casting the entire point. Work deeper, then shallower. Use repeated casts from different angles at all key pieces of cover and secondary structure. Crankbaits are good to use for scouting lures, and once you find the bass, pick the area apart with a variety of presentations.

It could literally take you 4 hours to fish a decent point, and I've pulled as many as two dozen keepers off one point from all different depths. Remember to use the proper color, based on conditions, forage and activity level, and the proper depth for your crankbaits. If the point drops from, say, 7 feet down to 13 feet, cast the shallow end with a crankbait that dives to 9 or 10 feet, and then work the deeper end with a crankbait that'll dive to 15 feet. Stay with it, and you'll find the bass.

Topics: Points, marker, bouy
13
Vote

Color-coding your rods

This may just be overthinking common sense, but if you have a lot of rods rigged differently, and keep them stored in a rod locker, I've found that color-coding to identify which is which saves a lot of time searching or trying to remember what rods go where.

The system is simple - put a small piece of colored electrical tape (different colors for each type)on each rod near the handle, and make a small laminated chart that you can stick to the inside cover of the rod locker to identify the rods. Some examples:

Red = Crankbait
Green = Spinnerbait
Blue = Flippin'
Orange = Jigs/worms
etc., etc., etc.

Find a system that works for you and help get yourself organized. For fun fishing, it isn't such a big deal, but to make the most of your time on the water, and especially for tournament fishing, if you can spare yourself the time and frustration of digging for a rod, the better the day will go.

Topics: Rod, Colorcoded
10
Vote

Runnin N Gunnin

There's something to be said for standing on a bank and fishing while relaxing, or trolling along a lake, but most of the time, I prefer to "run n' gun". Basically, this means constantly moving and going from place to place at adecent pace while using reaction or fast-moving baits. You won't catch 20-30 fish (usually), but the 7 or 10 that you do get are usually the 7 or 10 most aggressive fish.

The key is to find an area that will likely produce, like a point, weedbed, or are with lots of different cover and structure, and have a few rods rigged up - medium crankbait, deep crankbait and a spinnerbait. Work through the area, not stopping, and moving from spot-to-spot while making casts along the structure and to cover.

If you do this every time, you get worn out quickly, but if you only have a few hours to be on the water, this is a great way to make the most of it.

Topics: Crankbait, Spinnerbait
8
Vote

Keep those rod reels covered

Sounds simple, and maybe I'm just making a big deal over nothing, but rods & reels are expensive - and can be a lasting investment if you take care of them. Reel oil, grease and cleaning aside, I keep my rods covered by Bass Pro Shops rod socks while in the boat and for winter storage, and I use Bass Pro Shops reel covers during the wintertime. For $7.98 I can keep each rod & reel protected and in good condition all year long.

Topics: Rod, reel, cover, protection
15
Vote

Go Silent

OK, so if you haven't figured out by my catches, I'm a big crankbait guy. I love to fish crankbaits and cover a lot of water - runnin' and gunnin' can be very fun, or very frustrating, depending on how you look at it. Anyway, there are times, through trial and error, that a silent approach is better than a standard "rattle-y" approach. If you're throwing crankbaits in every direction and at all the cover you can see, and you're still not getting bit, switch to a non-rattling or silent crankbait. Sometimes just the little difference in noise makes all the difference.

If you're wondering, I fish with Strike King Pro Model Series 1-6, and the Silent Stalker versions of the same sizes, primarily in Sexy Shad and Gizzard Shad.

Good luck, and go catch some fish!

Topics: Silent, Crankbait, Bass, Strike King
14
Vote

Fishing journal

I like to keep a notebook filled with information that I can reference from time to time, maybe to be successful in similar conditions or to find a pattern.

I keep notes of what lake, date, time, weather conditions, bass & catch locations, lures used, structure, cover, water temperature, depth and clarity, and any other information I think would be important.

Topics: Log, Journal, Notebook
10
Vote

NH Lake Charts

An invaluable tool to have, even in these days of high technology, are good, reliable lake charts. While not every lake has a chart, most of the bigger lakes are covered by paper and electronic charts. Bizer is popular, but I've found that Duncan Press makes charts with some better information for fishermen. I have the following lakes on paper: Winnipesaukee, Winnisquam, Squam and Newfound. I can't tell you how often I've looked at them ahead of a trip to pinpoint the spots I'll start fishing at.

Topics: Maps, Charts
12
Vote

Winter storage

Just a quick little tip - probably common knowledge - like to store all of my gear either in the basement or a closet, just to avoid exposing everything to the freezing weather from December tho Mid-March. I have a large rubbermaid tote that I store all of my tackle, tools and small gear (including fishfinders, which get wrapped in bubble wrap) in. Also, I picked up some rod socks and reel covers (about $3 each) from Bass Pro Shops for each rod & reel combo. Before I store my rods, I spool on new line and spray it with BPS line treatment. I think that if you're going to make the investment to have nice things you should make an investment to keep them nice.

Topics: Tackle, Storage
21
Vote

Offshore Structure - Lake Winnipesaukee

OK, I'm guessing three more weeks and the ice will be gone. Tht means that spring bass fishing will be upon us. But what about when the spawn ends, and it gets into mid-to-late June, and the bass seem to disappear from the shallows? If you're on the big lake, try these two spots (please leave a few for me):

1. There is a nice hump between Eagle Island and Stonedam Island in Meredith - lots of rocks, tops out at about 5 feet, one side slopes gradually, the other has a quick drop. Awesome for summer smallmouth;

2. Another nice sunken ridge between Pine Island and Three Mile Island in Center Harbor. Tops off around 10 feet, with steep slopes and a gradual ridge drop off both sides.

Try the 6-8 foot depth range around some structure whn the weather has been stable, a little ahllower if it's overcast, and go right down to about 18 feet after a cold front blows through. Cover the whole area with crankbaits, and you won't be disappointed!

Topics: Bass, humps, offshore, Lake Winnipesaukee
15
Vote

Spring is here Start thinking about the pre-pre-spawn...

Well, the ice will all be gone in another month, and as soon as the lakes open up, you can expect to find me (along with a bunch of other guys) out on the water chasing down some late winter/early spring bass. As the temperatures hit 40-45 degrees, the bass will start to move around a little, and after a couple of warm days, you'll find them coming up on shallow flats to feed. Just make sure to look for shallow flats, near cover, and close to deeper water - a quick break into the depths usually holds more fish. Once the temps reach above 50 degrees, the fish will start to stay a little shallower, cruising around for a quick meal. 55-60 degrees and they're almost into spawn mode.

Slow-rolling spinnerbaits, jigs, carloina rigs, and big deep-diving crankbaits are great early spring baits. Once you start to see the vegetation returning, especially in water 7-10 feet deep and near a breakline, lipless crankbaits are almost unmatched, especially on warm days.

Remember, warm sunny days will draw the bass shallow, and once the weather stays warm, overcast days with a little breeze are the most productive. 3 days before to 10 days after th full moon seem to yield the most big fish, and remember to tune your lure size, color and action to look as natural as possible when the bass are inactive/sluggish.

Topics: Bass, Spring, Lures, Season, Jig, Crankbait, Spinnerbait
9
Vote

Catch the big Northern Pike

Younger and smaller northern pike spend time in shallower water near reeds and lily pads and other cover. They eat bugs, frogs, minnows and other small food. Medium sized northern pike will usually be near the outskirts of these areas feeding on other small fish.

The really big pike eat walleye, chub, whitefish, and even trout, and they will hang out where they can ambush these fish. Places like rocky shoals, islands, and mouths of streams and rivers are great places to catch big northern pike.

Topics: northern pike, pike, big fish
5
Vote

Always come back to good fishing spots

If you catch a fish near cover, it was probably sitting there because it was a good ambush point. Even if that fish leaves or you take it home, another fish will probably move in to take the spot. It may take several hours or days, but a good fishing spot will usually continue to be good.

Topics: bass, cover, ambush
6
Vote

Bass stay under cover on sunny days

Bass stay deep under cover on sunny days, and will swim around freely under rain or overcast skies. So on sunny days, flip worms and grubs deeper into cover. On rainy or overcast days, use more horizontal baits and lures to cover more water and catch the bass that are out swimming around.

Topics: bass, cover, weather, sun, clouds, overcast, rain
7
Vote

Cover a lot of water in weed beds and flats

When fishing weed beds and flats use a lure like a spinnerbait. You can cast out and reel it in quickly to cover a lot of water, and it is bright and flashy. Fish will swim up from the weeds to take the lure, so keep it brightly colored and cover a lot of water.

Topics: bass, pike, lures, spinnerbait, flats, weed beds