Fishing Frenzy

When you use carp bait blind without knowing how it works you are using blind faith. In contrast, if you understood far more how and why key aspects of that bait induced bites and had the power to manipulate these potent effect far more then your catches will definitely improve. Read on to find out more...

Most anglers use readymade carp baits because they have become conditioned to because of easy availability, but confidence form slick advertising and advertorials etc are most often the bait that hooks such anglers and certainly not first-hand experience. Often the catches on new baits are made by the best, sharpest and most aware anglers using the edge of a new bait, and most anglers over-look this. If you have not used a bait before and not only do not know what it is made with nor how it works in detail, then my friend, you are fishing on blind faith not confidence.

Why would you care of you knew anything more about bait anyway; after all you catch fish right, and you have confidence in your baits? The difference between you running against an Olympic champion and expecting to win is you can try hard as you can with the amount you already have or know, but the Olympic champion has prepared in as many ways as fully as possible for a very long time; and that is why he is the best; talent at the top is not enough! In many ways use of flavours is like a race, where so many are simple taste or flavour carriers and mere attractors, (not feeding triggers) but others are like live rocket fuel by comparison, but you could spend your life missing out by not finding out; because most anglers keep secrets to themselves...

Science is tricky and seemingly irrelevant for many anglers until they realise the enormous significance that chemicals change in solution with water and many substances are simply not the same in water as air, and fish are experiencing different chemicals all over their bodies and not just on the tongue like humans. Imagine garlic on the tongue; it is mixed with air and saliva, but in mixed just water, garlic produces different compounds and the tastes and smells we experience as humans will be different ones that carp experience. This means that the flavours or pungent smells we might imagine impact on the fish may well not be present in the same form at all, and this might mean that something else is triggering a response from carp, even an internal one where something in garlic is acting to produce thermogenic (metabolism and digestion speeding-up effects for example,) and even have very potent antioxidant and antimicrobial impacts etc.

Carp may be influenced far more profoundly by internal impacts on their bodies than a simple flavour or taste offers and many proteins are thermogenic involving extra releasing of energy, and salmon is a very successful example of this, but poultry too for instance, but bait ingredients and substances impact on the brain, some far more powerfully than others! I tried an experiment today by eating wheat-free biscuits and an wheat-free doughnut too! However, after even the first bite, even though ingredients were virtually the same as the wheat-containing biscuits and doughnuts (but for only one key aspect,) taking another bite was more of a pain than a pleasure. All those good sweeteners, taste-enhancers, fruit flavours etc should have made me want to eat more right, but they did not, because I had got used to expecting something else to happen that did not; a release of feel-good hormones in the brain...

Now when I ate these foods, the bit that made me want another wheat-based doughnut or biscuit after eating the first one had disappeared from the wheat-free products, (and what a surprise and disappointment that was!) This meant that something beyond just taste and smell impacts was involved. Something that effected the release of those feel-good hormones in the brain were gone and I really noticed the difference!

Just imagine eating a food for years without that feel-good feeling after each morsel; making you want another one, and then eating one which does have this effect. Which one would you choose?! I don?t think you would have much choice; your brain will decide for you, and that is one reason why over-weight comfort food eaters who binge on cakes, biscuits, chocolate and many other foods, regularly can?t help themselves.

In fact many of the same ingredients are in so many foods that in bulk are definitely harmful to the body, but induce people to buy them. Any carp angler knows that tiger nuts and peanuts for instance also have substances that also lead to this type of behaviour. Whether you term this induced habit-forming or addictive behaviour, it is just as profoundly significant, applicable and powerful when it comes to getting a bait edge over your carp and over other competing baits... This fishing bait secrets ebooks author has many more fishing and bait edges - just one might well impact very significantly on your big fish catches!

Tim Richardson.

We all know that fishing is not bound to any time scale of the day or night, so why not take some time out to go fishing in the dark. Night fishing is so much more relaxing, it can be even more intense than fishing during the day and the amount of fish you catch can be greatly enhanced, mainly because of the lack of other people using the same area to race about on and scare the fish away.

Many anglers only fish during the day time, whether it is around a lake, that is used for boats, jet skis and other marine sports, or a large pond area which is local to them and they know well. One of the things they all have in common, is the fact that there are so many other people using the same body of water, for different activities. This does not only disrupt the peace and quiet of such a relaxing sport, it also affects the amount of fish they can catch, in the time available to them.

Whether you go fishing in a local pond, stream or travel to a lake, river or reservoir, then after dark fishing can be a lot more fun, than when it is light. You don?t even have to have the best glow in dark wire fishing rods, and other night fishing equipment, to catch some of the biggest fish you can imagine.

The type of the fish you catch may also differ when night time angling - I hear bass and catfish are very active at nighttimes. I know it comes down to personal preference, but it is real satisfying getting one over on a type of fish that has always eluded you!

Fishing in the dark is one of the most satisfying things an angler can do, and the most challenging. Whether you are alone, or with a group, nocturnal fishing is just as much fun and needs all the skill you can muster.

The amount of equipment available for nocturnal fishermen can be even more astounding that the amount of stuff for general daytime use. Of course you can use all your main rods and line, but if you want that edge, then glow in dark wire fishing rods, luminous floats and a good source of light for yourself, can make all the difference.

The key to being successful when fishing in the dark is preparation. Things on your checklist should include a good torch, shelter, appropriate footwear and always letting someone know where you are going. These glow in dark wire fishing rods are amazingly helpful, as are the luminous floats and the light source, so you can see what you are doing, once you have caught the first of many fish.

Lastly a few final tips - don?t underestimate the requirement for a shelter when out after hours. You will need something like a tent or lean-to. Also don?t forget your waders, as getting wet feet isn?t pleasant! Another thing you should bear in mind is the size of the fish, as ones swimming around in the dark can get quite big, so you might need some heavier wire. Now go get some fin - fishing in the dark.

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Many anglers fish without ever knowing how their baits actually induce fish to behave the way they do; in taking bait and hook into their mouths. But if you knew better how to achieve this effect in practice, and how to manipulate it more appropriately at times, do you think this would increase your chances of bites and fish landed? If so, then read on!

Confidence in a bag, (or bottle) when it come to bait is one of great personal opinions for every angler, because the truth is everyone has different experiences even on the same baits, at different waters, and many anglers with put down other baits even though they have never even used them, which is a tad bit short-sighted perhaps. Confidence mostly comes from perceptions in fishing, and certainly not from first-hand experience. But it is first-hand personal experience that is the only thing you can truly trust as fact, but I do not mean by this that claims about commercial bait quality and effectiveness are not true.

Why would you care of you knew anything more about bait anyway; after all you catch fish right, and you have confidence in your baits? The difference between you running against an Olympic champion and expecting to win is you can try hard as you can with the amount you already have or know, but the Olympic champion has prepared in as many ways as fully as possible for a very long time; and that is why he is the best; talent at the top is not enough! In many ways use of flavours is like a race, where so many are simple taste or flavour carriers and mere attractors, (not feeding triggers) but others are like live rocket fuel by comparison, but you could spend your life missing out by not finding out; because most anglers keep secrets to themselves...

Many secrets are hidden from our senses but uncovered very easily by a little messing about with baits and some very elementary science, for instance, many carp bait substances change when in water into different ones to those we experience as humans in air... Garlic releases that pungent smell when broken in air and we are all familiar with similar compounds from onions and chives for example. But the smells from garlic we associate with its success are not strictly accurate, as certain of the key chemicals do not get produced in water the same as in air, and this might suggest to some thinking anglers that far more is going on, perhaps on a more deeper level to do with the biology of the fish in response to bioactive garlic substances rather than just a smell or taste.

Carp may be influenced far more profoundly by internal impacts on their bodies than a simple flavour or taste offers and many proteins are thermogenic involving extra releasing of energy, and salmon is a very successful example of this, but poultry too for instance, but bait ingredients and substances impact on the brain, some far more powerfully than others! I tried an experiment today by eating wheat-free biscuits and an wheat-free doughnut too! However, after even the first bite, even though ingredients were virtually the same as the wheat-containing biscuits and doughnuts (but for only one key aspect,) taking another bite was more of a pain than a pleasure. All those good sweeteners, taste-enhancers, fruit flavours etc should have made me want to eat more right, but they did not, because I had got used to expecting something else to happen that did not; a release of feel-good hormones in the brain...

What a disappointment it was to eat the wheat-free foods and not want more! Although they still have all the same ingredients like the flavours, sweeteners and enhancers etc, something vital was missing that made me want to keep on eating and this is why I only had one doughnut; Homer Simpson would have been shocked to say the least! There was no key vital substance in the food to make my brain release a rush of feel-good hormones that occurs naturally in the wheat-based foods.

If you apply this to fishing, it is like using a bait with a flavour and sweetener, and fishing next to it a bait with the same ingredients exactly, but with that extra vital brain chemical releasing impact. Which food or bait will catch more fish and which might you go for preferentially?! As it is your brain the makes the decision for your body you may have no choice and you may have noticed that so many people over-eat wheat-based foods and store-up fat as a result despite this being far from a healthy thing to do; it's natural drug-induced behaviour for sure, even though certain emotions are frequently still involved!

In fact many of the same ingredients are in so many foods that in bulk are definitely harmful to the body, but induce people to buy them. Any carp angler knows that tiger nuts and peanuts for instance also have substances that also lead to this type of behaviour. Whether you term this induced habit-forming or addictive behaviour, it is just as profoundly significant, applicable and powerful when it comes to getting a bait edge over your carp and over other competing baits... This fishing bait secrets ebooks author has many more fishing and bait edges - just one might well impact very significantly on your big fish catches!

By Tim Richardson.

As a plea to the average carp and catfish angler; it is possible to double and treble your catches (and more but you probably would not believe me,) by treating fish as swimming tongues! It seems to go right over most anglers heads that fish can be manipulated (big-time) by what is dissolved into the water that surrounds them from specifically adapted baits... So why not let this be the start of something big for you too!

Carp and catfish often live in the same waters and are targeted by anglers fishing in similar ways for each so I'll place these together. A good reason to use catfish and carp together as examples of tongues that swim is the sheer number of physical similarities in substance detection and also their shared quite similar essential nutritional needs that often means the same bait design can catch both; and very big ones too! Many anglers know little about the specifically adapted cells in and outside of fish that enable them to detect substances in water on a chemical level even down to a few parts in a million or even billion, and this is one of the most powerful aspects of fish we can exploit with our baits to make them far easier to catch!

Humans tasting a bait substance is rather an exercise in personal taste and opinion as opposed to a scientific method of selection, as our senses have been severely dulled over the course of evolution and recent cultural revolutions such as that of farming; but some indigenous hunter tribes eyesight is perfect at 20 / 25! Another point is that specially evolved cells called receptor cells are found in various concentrations on the external and interior of fish. These have many various special adaptations.

Carp find many potential food substances including your baits by using cells adapted for the purpose which are extremely sensitive to essential substances especially, like various combinations of amino acids. The cells that detect very many substances are located externally in the facial skin, areas of the head and flanks, the lips, fins, in the nose, the barbels, in the mouth, throat and other lesser known significant areas too! The so-called receptor cells are very sensitive and so can detect oils in water not supposedly water soluble, however, even these are to a small degree and using lecithins with oils obviously improves their detectability and attraction!

The smelling and tasting of chemical substances (and their changes) in water are well known in the various internal and external detection systems known as olfaction and chemoreception, and these are very complex, extremely highly evolved and sensitive to the presence of many natural substances and their copies etc and involves the utilisation and input of the lateral line too. This line extends from the tail to the mouth and composes of special pits and cells gathering vital information from the aquatic environment. The lateral line is very significant in bait detection (and it can be specially exploited,) and its nerves and structure have been essential for carp and other species survival for millions of years!

Over all carp possess an amazing radar array with nerves all combining in the brain for the fish to respond appropriately to, and this is where we can truly exploit all these systems together in our baits and fishing approaches and tactics etc together in our favour, to make them far easier to catch! Obviously the more you know about what you are hunting, the more you can exploit everything vital to them, and carp olfaction and chemoreception are prime examples to exploit! You might discover carp become more predictable when you think like one rather than like an angler; even sensing weather changing and air pressure changes; many top anglers develop extra sensitivity naturally by being outside so much and this can act like a sixth sense when casting into a swim, choosing swims and so on!

Your bait substances in solution (in the water) are detected by many various cells not least by the vital barbels covered in very high densities of receptor cells that help carp locate and identify potential foods (and threats too!) Your bait is very much more effective if it pumps out high concentrations of stimulatory substances that are easily dissolved or imbibed by water, and so much more easily detected by fish olfaction and chemoreception systems (and by others too!)

Fish will track-down your bait by following the concentration gradients of substances leaching outwards from your baits. Making the most of bait produced concentration gradients in many ways really gives you the edge, and making your own baits and ground baits, and being able to adapt ready made ones for this purpose especially is such a massive edge! A bait packed with many of the essential dietary requirements of carp will give carp far more reason to pick-up your bait and actually consume it compared to many baits with much less vital reasons on offer, and you can boost this effect in many extremely potent ways in your homemade baits and ground baits or in any ready made boilies, pellets, particle baits etc...

This kind of bait exploitation of vital fish senses approach can even give your own adapted or homemade baits greater advantages over other anglers competing baits. So as you can appreciate, it will certainly pay you to find out more!

By Tim Richardson.

Possibly the most overlooked secret to winning the fishing game comes from saving money on bait; but how, do you ask?! Many anglers miss-out on fantastic catches even though the baits they use are popular big fish catchers seen in the press and so on! But you can save yourself a fortune in wasted bait and improve your catches drastically!

Big catfish and carp fishermen use many baits as ground baits, including maize, sweetcorn, hemp, boilies, pellets, and commercially made ground baits etc,) and these can cost you a fortune through each year! The vast percentage of this is actually wasted due to it not transferring into fish caught. This means excessive amounts of money are wasted because obviously something is being missed in the thinking and angling approach being used by the average angler!

There is no point spending money to feed fish unless perhaps you are a fish farmer! If you keep on doing what is not working most efficiently and expecting different results, this is akin to the common definition of insanity. Carp and catfish are living dynamically reactive creatures and really do remember and associate with dangerous baits, rigs, spots in swims, tackle detected and so on.

This point does not just apply to angling-pressured carp, but catfish too, of that there is absolutely no doubt. So the point is, how to stop wasting money on feeding your fish with free baits when this does not consistently convert into increasingly better catches! The cost of simply spending time fishing often involves loss of earnings in time, or at the very least the increasing travelling costs, food and drink costs, fishing permit costs and all those renewed tackle item costs and so on!

So converting your bait money at the very least into better catches, is perhaps even more of an issue, especially in tough times. Of course every fishery is different and these days there are many waters that are over-stocked to the degree that it appears everyone catches fish successfully. But who is to know just how much better your individual catches can really be until you truly get innovative and prove it to yourself?

It is a very common phenomenon for the more wary fish to simply not feed upon fresh baits introduced by anglers upon first arriving at a fishery at all. This in effect means that the first 3 or more days and nights fishing can be mostly a waste of time. The fish just hang back while the baits become leached of flavours etc, and the fish become more confident on feeding on such baits because they have associated leached bait with safe feeding.

Many anglers on pressured waters introduce their free baits into a swim upon arrival and then after leaving fishless perhaps after 48 hours, another angler comes along and again introduces fresh bait in the same swim; mostly with the same fishless result! Looking at the bigger picture, this kind of thing must go on constantly all over the world on pressured carp waters. Of course over time the fish might eat the old baits gathering in the swim with more confidence and Mr average angler times it lucky and gets a surprise fish result while being oblivious that he's fishing over other anglers build-up baits. But sometimes the gathered bait can all go off and kill the swim completely (again, this is something Mr average angler may be completely unaware of as he proceeds to bait up, again...)

When carp fishing becomes an automatic function of relatively thoughtless actions, the results become mediocre and this is no surprise as so many anglers simply underestimate the sensitivity of carp to angling baits, tackle, and all the kinds of active and inactive presences of anglers they detect so easily; what worked previously is not guaranteed to work today! On pressured waters each day can find the fish acting differently as you might do in order to consistently stay one step ahead of a predator, (and sometimes this is one example of why man evolved being able to be self-aware, rationalise problems and think of solutions, but this is vastly under-used in fishing!)

I am lucky enough to have caught a rare very pale white 38 pound carp that had not been caught in over 7 years, from one UK water. In this instance it took the regular very unusually light style and frequency of baiting a swim, with a totally new bait to that water and for a week long period, that scored (and this big fish was followed by many more as a result.)

Using new attractant substances and feeding triggers combinations in a new baiting design, teamed with innovative bait application methods which rarely if ever have been exploited on your water before, will obviously give you great results compared to just going through the motions again and again! With a little thought you can always find something in your approach that is new and different on any water, that reaps you far greater catch results than otherwise would be achieved. This can mean literally anything!

Your fully considering the short and long-term impacts of the competing baits and similar rigs and methods upon fish behaviours over time is essential, for consistent success, on so many pressured waters and even easy waters! With the application of a little thought, your catches on many waters can become far better and more consistent; and the advantages of doing your own unique thing always pay-off handsomely with correct fine-tuning. But this is without spending hundreds or thousands of pounds on popular baits that fish may already behave cautiously towards; hence such bait wastage!

Your effort is never waster when it comes to making differences that can catch you more fish and save you a fortune in bait that simply does not translate into fish. Imagine the next occasion you arrive at a water and start automatically going through the motions; perhaps you will stop and think what this truly costs you, and how to make your bait really pay! Many great solutions thinking anglers will think up in 10 years may become apparent to you personally (right now) with a little extra thought... If you have been stimulated by this article then this bait and fishing secrets ebook author can help you in many other ways!

By Tim Richardson.

How your bait can really make a big difference to your catches in hidden and very obvious ways!

The scientific information available on essential dietary needs of carp most often does not take into account the presence of natural food in the presence of a test food item such as that of milk casein and gelatine. In fact it really makes a big difference when you consider that a carp is fully designed to fully digest and utilise its natural food items as opposed to an artificial food item composed of many foods such as in a boilie bait or pellet designed for salmon, trout or even specifically designed for carp! The actual energy and nutrient requirements compared to the actual biological conversion and energy supplied may well not be as great nor as efficient as thought by anglers.

Carp feeding stimulation involves many carp senses in a combined way; so why not exploit as many as possible to maximise our baits, after all; (baits do not merely work by exploiting nutritional stimulation but many other factors too!) We can take into account real life fishing variables such as the way carp exploit various natural food sources as the season progresses and this will impact on bait design and bait recipes, type of baits used and how they are applied on the hook and introduced as ground bait. When fish are very much orientated to feed upon natural organisms then this too can be exploited by good bait design, and we can exploit and manipulate the presence of natural organisms by using our bait to deliberately attract these too.

When I look back to my early carp fishing days of the 1970's I recall using a bucket of ground bait made from bread crumbs, perhaps cans of sweetcorn or luncheon meat or various special pastes, particle baits like wheat, pearl barley, hemp or live baits like worms or maggots. In the last 30 years carp fishing has exploded into a highly commercialised activity, and today introducing many kilograms of boilies, pellets or particle baits among others, all produce fish. Having seen someone catch a forty pound carp from a UK water, just ten minutes after introducing 20 kilograms of soluble pellets into his swim (done under suitable circumstances,) made me appreciate even more how heavy baiting can be truly decisive in many big and wary carp captures!

When I look back to the 1970's and 1980's, often carp catches composed of single and double figure fish because much of the time was spent fishing waters that had yet to grow fish to over twenty or thirty pounds. It seems mad that today on the right waters, you can pretty easily catch perhaps 5 twenty pound fish in a day plus many other big double figure carp, when 25 years ago such a catch would be the total for a successful season on the vast majority of UK waters! Because bigger carp simply did not exist in anywhere near the huge numbers and exceptionally bigger sizes found in UK waters today, it is very difficult for those newer to carp fishing today to imagine just how incredibly hard carp fishing used to be in the UK.

I recall in the early 1990's the first guy to catch twenty carp weighing over twenty pounds in a season on my Essex syndicate lake when I had only 7 over twenty that season myself, but only took 2 years later I achieved this myself and it seems that carp weights have been accelerating over the last 2 decades much to the pleasure of us anglers! Anyone who really does their homework can achieve the capture of twenty carp in a week of around twenty pounds or over, and the waters that can produce this will tend to produce quite a few bigger bonus specimens too. For the average angler, the effective application and leverage of bait is critical in being able to consistently achieve big catches of carp and the more you can get to understand about bait applications and how baits works, the more consistently good your results can be with the least wastage in bait!

I just realised it is now 18 years since I had a personal milestone catch of twenty carp whose average weight was just less than twenty pounds, including a mid-thirty pound carp, in just 5 days. My homemade bait recipe design especially, and the way I introduced my free baits, made all the difference in achieving this exceptional catch at that Essex syndicate water back in 1991 and UK carp have had twenty years since to grow fat on the tonnes of bait very many thousands more carp anglers have been introducing to UK carp waters all year round! If you consider that carp soon get very conditioned to baits and practice avoiding hook baits in many carp waters 24 hours a day, the significance of knowing that bit more about bait, how it works, and how to apply it in new and creative ways is obviously highly important to consistent success today.

I know anglers in Spain, France, and in the States and elsewhere can achieve catches that far exceed those possible in the UK; but still it is the effective suitable application of bait that really is a predominant and vital key factor in such giant fish catches. If you speak to leading anglers in various countries around the world, you discover that detailed bait know-how is one topic that is of crucial importance. Considering that carp are extraordinarily adaptive creatures, it is no surprise that by improving our knowledge of how our baits works and how to adapt and apply them creatively has always kept us ahead...

By Tim Richardson.

Like many pursuits, fishing has a more serious side when it is pursued as a sport. Whichever way you take it, it becomes doubly pleasurable if you have the right fishing equipment to fall back on, so there are some points for your consideration. The ways to reach the water is the first thought as you get ready to get started. Of course a number of people think of canoes as the ideal craft to fish from although they are not necessarily the most efficient boat to use. Canoes are nevertheless useful to reach the small crevices in water where fish sometimes hide, although be careful, as they often topples and cannot withstand strong winds.

Still the preferred method is a small row boat with a small outboard motor because a fisherman can actually stand in one of these when he wants to cast. Obviously motors disturb the fish, but they can get you fairly close to where you want to fish and then some manual rowing can be used for the remainder of the journey. Larger pleasure boats with outboards are also recommended, although a boat with high sides is best as big lakes and broad rivers are prone to winds that can whip up big waves.

Fishing equipment also includes footwear and this becomes especially important if you are going to fish by the side of a lake. This is possible if you buy yourself a pair of hip boots, which can be rolled down when needed, if you are not going to plod through water. They can double as a wader in shallow water and rivers but ideally if there is any depth and current you need hip waders or preferably chest waders. When choosing chest or hip-wader boots select ones that have a loose fit because having waders that are too tight can restrict leg motion and place undue stress on the seams which can leave you wet.

You will also need to keep dry which can be done with a waterproof jacket and this piece of angling equipment can normally be purchased in either a long style or a shorter variety. A long jacket is needed if you are trudging through water or trying to fish from a boat. When you decide to wear chest waders, wear short jackets instead of long ones, because otherwise the bottom part will get wet. Carrying lures and other small pieces of angling equipment becomes more convenient when you buy a jacket which has lots of pockets. Carry a hat with a visor as staring into the glare from the water might hurt your eyes, and this will provide some protection.

Anglers always have more than one tackle box, in fact it is usually three because they like to keep a spare in their car, one with them in the boat and another at their home. This provides protection against any loss or in the event of any mishap. If you purchase the angling supplies in abundant quantities, then you are free to go for angling at night.

There is nothing wrong with spending time to obtain the correct fishing equipment if you take this pursuit or sporting activity seriously. You will never want a situation where you miss the right catch simply because you do not have the right equipment by your side. Being ready is one of the most critical aspects of angling because this ensures that you can make every moment of your fishing experience memorable.

Imagine being out on a boat angling in crystal waters, surrounded by sunshine and fresh air. Suddenly, your line gets a hit. If this sounds exciting to you, a Costa Rica fishing vacation could be something for you!

Sure, you can fish on a little lake or stream by your house. Those little crappies and sunnies were fun when you were a kid. But, havent you sometimes wondered what itd be like to catch a sailfish or giant marlin? Come on, you deserve it!

On Costa Rica's North Pacific coast, the favored fishing centers are Flamingo and Tamarindo. Sailfish are available here year round but the peak season is May through August. From August to October, you can easily find large schools of tuna from 40 to 400 pounds. If roosterfish are your interest, visit the Bay of Papagayo around November to March, staying near the shorelines. Depending on the time of year, you also have a chance to hook wahoo, marlin, or the shimmering dorado.

If you are looking for billfish, the spectacular Central Pacific coast is where you want to be. From December to April, you can visit Quepos or the Los Suenos Marina for a guided charter to angle in deep offshore waters for marlin and sailfish. The colorful dorado fish can be caught from May through October. If you explore closer to shore, you can expect to find wahoo, roosters, snapper, and snook.

Golfo Dulce, Drake Bay, and Puerto Jiminez are places to be aware of when fishing along the South Pacific coast. In the months where the waters are warmer, you have a great chance at hooking marlin or sails. For the best inland fishing in Costa Rica, go to the Golfo Dulce area. It is haven for many species of fish because it is rock terrain and contains several coves. Expect to catch barracuda, grouper, sea bass, snapper, amberjack, wahoo, and even roosters here. You will not be let down if you angle in these areas!

Costa Rica's Caribbean waters contain the fishing areas of Barra del Colorado and Tortuguero. Although these waters are often very choppy, you can catch many types of deep sea fish on days when the water is flat. Avoid going during the rainy season, which is roughly January to March. The prized tarpon gamefish are plentiful here from May to November, and some reach about 150 pounds or more. This coast is one of the only places where you might catch a rare Atlantic sail. Other fish like snook are also readily available. You may even hook a giant grouper, guapote, tripletail, or Jack Crevalle!

Costa Rica fishing is rumored to be second to none. Their bordering waters offer a staggering amount of fish species. For a great experience, Costa Rica sportfishing vacation packages can be found online and through travel agencies and there are many outfitters if you decide to go on a spur-of-the-moment. So get out of your cubicle, away from your computer, and into the tropical sun and surf!

The best thing about making homemade baits is the control and incredible satisfaction they provide in terms of control over your costs and catches and actual ingredients and so on you might choose to exploit to best effect! Most anglers discuss baits in terms of their favourite flavours or brands with very little focus upon exactly how such baits really impact upon fish senses which is a great shame (this aspect is a massive advantage lost on the majority of average anglers!) So if you want to know more about the truth about the real power of homemade baits and need help in designing and making them fast " just read on!

These days more and more carp anglers are getting into making their own baits and this is no surprise! The average carp bait sold for a price of around 6 pounds here in the UK is very easily out-fished by cheaper better-designed and far more potently stimulatory homemade baits and all formats of ground baits, stick, slop, method and other baits including particles and pellets (besides boilies.) Very frequently Ive personally out-fished much more expensive popular brands using my own homemade baits. As I and many others have proven over the last 30 plus years, anyone with the desire to find out more about bait-making, can take back control from all the bait companies and fish their own unique baits exceptionally successfully (and with this knowledge, experience and skill, can out-fish leading brands.)

Having banked twenty forty pound carp from UK lakes I realise many things have changed about carp fishing in the past 40 years and especially the size of carp now available, but it is very obvious you need to fish the waters with fish of the size you wish to catch " I know anglers who have very few twenties under their belts because of the limited lakes they fish within a particular region of the country. Your fishing goals are very personal and weight of fish is very irrelevant in many aspects; your personal success can be measured in many ways beyond fish weights and any sponsored angler can sit full-time on any water until they catch all the fish in the lake (i.e. big deal!) It is best to measure your success by setting your own goals and exactly how you aim to achieve them and fulfilling those goals than by comparing just how many thirties or whatever you have caught in a year and catching them on your own homemade unique baits makes all the difference to and gives a far deeper meaning to catch results in my opinion!

Most of us have to compete with bait and tackle-sponsored anglers and having the ability to either top their baits or make your own is a very potent edge in such circumstances! Also the willingness to constantly adapt your thinking and develop your personal fishing skills and take risks with your fishing styles and approaches provides endless competitive edges that stuck in a rut carp anglers who follow fashions and the crowd miss all the time. The obvious answer to how to beat the herd is to be the first to do something different in terms of baits and methods; in making your own baits and developing your own approaches you always improve your chances " permanently and you will be a true thinking angler and a genuine sharper carper!

Many anglers are concerned about making their own baits with no reason whatsoever; over the years I have caught big fish on well over 90 percent of my own experimental homemade baits and even the mistake ones always turn out to be excellent solutions for different fishing situations and challenges and when fished against competing ready made baits too! Mistakes in bait making are simply where the bait or results did not turn out as expected but the nature of such baits and there impacts on fish are priceless feedback that lead directly and very fast straight to awesome homemade baits for many more fishing situations and solve many problems many readymades do not address at all and the cost homemade baits always means you can over-boost with natural carp feeding triggers - which is a gigantic edge (see my unique bait making and bait design books at Baitbigfish for details and much more!)

Talking to average carp anglers on the bank just shows how much they are missing out on tremendously better catches if only they knew more about bait than references to their favourite flavours or brands; this it a tragedy because everyone can get better educated about bait design and exploitation and leverage bait to much greater effect than they ever previously imagined. Many anglers have heard of balanced or high nutrition baits or so-called food baits, and having the knowledge to be able improve the performances of all kinds of carp baits, from particles to pellets to boilies to ground baits etc by leveraging potent natural feeding triggers in particular is hugely beneficial to multiplying your catches! The digestibility of carp baits is very much an edge and most anglers know next to nothing about how this is achieved and why it is such a powerful advantage over fish and most competing baits in the long-term, producing the biggest fish that incidentally require the highest energy requirements repeatedly!

Of course flavours are such a popular subject for carp anglers, but most realise that the majority of flavours are just average or worse while a relative few are very potent by comparison to others and really do work, if not directly in effecting feeding responses, then indirectly helping enhance and improve ionising effects of other bait substances such as betaine and amino acids and so on etc! Some very most effective flavours are the type that by methodically testing against standard baits you can overdose and top standard baits so they catch far more fish at almost any water you visit than the very same standard bait from the same bag but with no extra added flavour, but please be aware that anything has a flavours of some sort even plastic and rubber baits, and carp can detect some substances to a few parts in a billion (this is fact.) Although chilli extracts are very popular few anglers rally appreciate the many aspects of their impacts upon fish senses, digestion and metabolism, long range chemoreception and lateral line sensitivities and mode of feeding they can induce and so on; it may come as a big surprise that carp actually enjoy the pleasure from the pain response initiated by the hot peppers " just as we enjoy hot curries and spicy foods for the same reason (see my flavours and feeding triggers ebooks for more!)

Carp are a product of the evolution of the food around them that provide the basic energy to survive " fish utilise proteins and amino acids incredibly well for all purposes including energy compared to humans; how many carbohydrate foods can you think of in lakes, rivers, oceans (can you see why highly potent natural protein-related feeding triggers that carp are by definition most sensitive to are so vital in bait making!) The more you know about baits the better because you can double or treble your catches or simply avoid blank sessions; do you know the best squid extract, where to get it and how it works and even which companies employ it in their readymade baits and how to boost its levels correctly for awesome catches " find out more in my ebooks! Even a bait-making beginner can immediately go out and start catching big fish on their own baits, for instance by boosting a very simply low value semolina bait with highly potent flavours, or some of the most potent soluble protein products or combine the advantages of these for example " at a price that will save you thousands of pounds over the years, so see my unique ebooks at Baitbigfish right now and get catching more big fish and fulfil your carp fishing dreams!

By Tim Richardson.

The most successful baits are different to ones that have caught them previously so the biggest point is to make your bait alternative and new to versions of baits which have been previously successful! All fish have a strong survival instinct and will relate baits they have been hooked on before with danger, with enough exposure. To keep using a bait just because it worked previously is not necessarily the best thing to do when your fish may already be feeding far more warily on it, making hooking them far harder!

Improving your baits competitive edges is all about adapting their ingredients or adding extra ones soaked in, or treating the bait with a new process so it smells and tastes different to its previous version. Other carp can senses come into the equation and be exploited in regards to texture, colour, density, shape, buoyancy, firmness, solubility and permeability etc. However you do it, changing a bait in even one small way can sustain your results on it or even totally transform your results far more positively!

To prolong the life of a readymade bait or produce a new homemade one, you have an amazingly diverse fishing bait industry offering decades of experience and field tested products proven to catch fish. So finding new products and combinations of them you can trust is easy. But there are literally thousands of products which can be exploited which are not usually used by carp anglers and theses often have potent competitive edges over the most popular proprietary ones on pressured carp waters.

Many anglers love to use flavors and others steer clear of using them. But one thing for sure is that the majority of anglers are only aware of a tiny fraction of forms of flavors and flavor substances and components available to use in our baits. The concentrated solvent based flavors so commonly used to change the smell and taste characteristic of a bait are a minor part of what you can leverage for great results!

We can associate flavors with fruits and sugars of many kinds from oranges and pineapples to apples, pears, butter and cream, spices and herbs, molluscs and crustaceans, fish and everything in between and those besides. But many flavors are beyond what most anglers would even term flavors and have bitter, sour, salty, sickly, acidic, highly pungent even repulsive effects on us humans, but carp absolutely love them. It is an interesting fact that complete digestion of many substances occurs as a direct result of bacterial action to help break down food in the gut which enzymes alone cannot digest. In this example, this means that flavors and ingredients that are partially digested or even represent or mimic these can be super attractive to fish

Big carp can come from any bait from highly flavored ones to ones with zero added flavor including plastic and rubber baits and even artificial lures and live baits. Carp do go predatory at times and are programmed to detect exploit any potential suitable new food source. Various anglers argue the cases for using rubber and plastic baits and others recommend highly flavored instant attractor baits or balanced profile biologically beneficial food baits.

It is obvious that nearly any bait will catch a carp once. Much of the reason fake plastic and rubber baits catch carp is the lack of suspicion aroused by them, compared to conventional round boilies for example. This often because they do not contain the concentrated substances carp can recognise and relate to previous experiences of getting caught, but even these baits are far from sterile, having natural and human hand added attraction too like butyric acid.

So what is the translation of making a bait different in order to achieve perpetual edges over your fish especially in regards to bigger fish? The fact is there are thousands of substances to exploit and just one can make all the difference and transform your results. Put as simply as possible, fish and humans share numerous very vital processes which all relate to energy and its efficient use.

Fish and humans share many of the same vital processes and body chemicals we need to survive. A familiar and popular bait additive today is betaine which fish and we use in digestive juices which is also significantly used to remove harmful products in the body. Betaine is one of those substances which is found naturally abundant in nature and which our and fish bodies extract from natural foods for a balanced healthy body. So it makes sense being abundant in our natural foods that our bodies can instinctively senses its need for it and our food detection senses code for this substance strongly.

In fact I focus on betaine because it has an even more intense feeding stimulation impact on carp sensory systems than the fellow feeding stimulator, the amino acid alanine. Most anglers already appreciate the impacts of amino acids upon fish feeding but do not relate this intense feeding response to hardly any other substances. But just in the same way that betaine and amino acids are significant growth and health and balance promoters etc, thousands of other substances have very significant bioactive effects on fish we can exploit in baits for big fish.

From the active enzymes in hemp seeds, peptides in milk powder ingredients, theobromine and polyphenols in coco, sugars, flavonoids, ketones, acids, esters and enzymes etc in real fruit juices, even salts and acids in mature cheese; these are all potent feeding triggers and attractors. Next time look at the ingredients list of a readymade meal and count how many stimulate you and how and might be fish attractors and feeding triggers to exploit in your baits. These ingredients are often included for powerful bioactive and habit-forming reasons to get you and your body to crave for more... Whether your first priority is the fishing, hunting camping or just pursuing hobbies outdoors for recreation and sport, your bait will make all the difference; so the more you know the better your results will be for life!

By Tim Richardson.

With so many different types of fishing reels on the market today it is almost impossible for the beginner fisherman to know what to select when it comes to fishing reels. To make things a bit easier this article will present the characteristics of the bait casting reel.

After you decide what type of reel to get you should know what to look out for in every reel and be able to distinguish between a good quality and a bad quality reel. Even when it comes to bait casting reels the things you should keep an eye out for are quality of construction and materials by which the reel is made of.

Even though people think that bait casting reels are better used by experienced fishermen bait casting reels can be easily used by someone who is just getting in to fishing. Most of the reels available today are of high quality and are manufactured with the user in mind. That means that even someone without much experience can use one of them. There are techniques involved with using a bait casting reel but someone new in fishing can learn them and master them fairly fast.

Most reels are manufactured using two kinds of materials. These materials are either aluminum or graphite. Graphite reels are a bit more expensive just because this metal is more durable and can withstand corrosion. As a result a graphite reel including a graphite bait casting reel will last longer. On the other hand aluminum is a stronger metal than graphite and will be more flexible. Either way, as long as you are not going for really heavy fish a graphite bodied reel should do the job.

When looking for a bait casting reel you should keep an eye out for the ball bearings or bushings inside the reel and make sure everything is at good condition. These components are the ones that impact how smooth the reel feels when you use it. In general most fishermen prefer to use stainless steel ball bearings than bushings.

Reels come with a minimum of two ball bearings and the maximum is six ball bearings. The more ball bearings a reel has the better because the cranking will be much smoother. A reel with smoother cranking will enable you to sense movement on the other end of the line. That means that when fish bite you will know immediately and be able to pull the line at exactly the right time.

Another thing you should look out for when looking to buy a bait casting reel is how fast the crank turns. This is referred to as the turn ratio of the crank. Reels have different turn ratios, ratios that can vary anywhere from 2:1 to 1:6.The first number of the ratio represents how many times the crank turns for every turn of every rotation of the spool. The greater the number of rotations of the spool the greater the power of the reel, in other words it has more cranking power. A higher cranking reel is good for bottom bouncing.

As you can see there are many things you need to keep in mind when buying a reel even when it is a bait casting reel. Look for the best price, and go on the internet to see that there are many great websites that sell low priced bait casting reels.

Robin Red is a carp bait additive that has had an incredible effect on carp catches for decades, but its recipe and how it works is surrounded by controversy and relatively few carp anglers use it to its full potential. Discover some clues about it and its very effective use here...

Robin Red is part of the range of bird foods from a company called Haiths of Cleethorpes England. At present their top ten selling products include the following: Robin Red, Red Factor, Nectarblend, Red Band, Prosecto Insectivorous, Soft Bill, Multi Mix, and Carpticle Mix, Super Red and hempseed. This company have many decades of experience formulating specialised foods for birds for all stages of development and for enhancing plumage, growth, health and so on and these products ideally fit the bill as it were for carp!

Among such bird food products Robin Red is the best known and is literally a legend when it comes to carp bait ingredients and additives etc today. Hinders offer other bird foods which have also been integral in the success and universal use of bird food based carp baits throughout the world today. Countless modern carp bait companies have taken hinders and Rod Hutchinsons leads for example and formulated their own commercial bird food based baits ranges and now additives and liquids etc based around robin red and chilli for instance are extremely fashionable and successfully proven; such as the Ccmoore Red Venom additive.

Robin Red has been used by most commercial bait companies at some time or another and is so prevalent that in some cases it might be your unique homemade bait perhaps is the only boilie bait that does not contain it on your water! Beware that any successful ingredient, additive or flavour etc, when over-used, can conversely act as a marker for danger and it might be a bonus to use very little of it in your bait sometimes. You might choose to use a component of it instead, perhaps just the red chilli peppers part instead, or add these to boost a proportion of Robin Red perhaps for a winter and spring bait.

Uses and methods of application of robin Red are many, and it can be added to boilie and pellets base mixes, ground baits of all forms (and clouds water and dyes your dyes fingers red! Try dampening Robin Red with PVA-friendly liquids such as the excellent Ccmoore Red Venom, (which is absolutely ideal for the job,) and contains certain very concentrated levels of similar Robin Red bioactive components! Robin Red used in solution (with water added) produces a good bait soak for boilies, pellets and as liquid boosts for ground baits and maggots etc; although this watered-down version is not as intensely stimulating as Red Venom which as a concentrated product is most excellent for summer conditions and winter especially.

So exactly what is Robin Red; after all it certainly colours up the water attractively and even stains your hands a distinctive red?! The recipe of Robin Red is shrouded in mystery, controversy and endless speculation, and perhaps all you can say for certain, is that is does not contain Carophyll Red, (but this does not exclude it containing cantaxanthin perhaps...) Robin Red certainly does contain many bioactive components and substances, including antioxidant pigments (plumage colour enhancing agents highly stimulatory to carp!)

In making homemade boilies just using an ounce of Robin Red per pound of dry mix will certainly boost the effectiveness of very many base mixes and especially when you use a very cheap mix based on crushed Red Band, semolina and soya flour for instance. While adding Robin Red to dampened pellets and to liquids to make Robin Red dips works why not try the purpose-designed Red Venom from Ccmoore which is highly soluble and clouds the water red; ideal for winter and summer use! One combination from Haiths that is particularly outstanding is their Super Red which is a mix of the following and can be used dry in PVA bags:

Robin Red, crushed tiger nuts, crushed Carpticle, peanut granules, crushed hemp seed, Red Factor, teasel seed, and aniseed oil. You can apply this as a paste bait, method mix or ground bait and many bait companies have their own unique versions so do investigate them and get catching big-time, (for more big carp secrets read on...)

By Tim Richardson.

Sausage meat is now part of carp and cat fishing history having proven its worth as a very effective cheap bait ingredient for small and big fish (many thousands of times, and for decades.) It is far cheaper than using the popular Pepperoni and similar luncheon meat type products for example. But how do you make extremely effective but very cheap baits and ground baits using it; see a few very proven big fish suggestions right now!...

Using sausage meat is rather more ethical than basing your baits on very valuable marine resources, but you can use it to bulk-up certain fish or shellfish bait mixes to cut costs and create different nutritional profiles, tastes effects etc. you can easily get sausage meat fresh or frozen fresh and fresh is best although catfish are also renowned for loving baits just souring, but I would prefer to use this effect with blood based baits for instance and not pork. Often the biggest fish in your water will take a new safe bait pretty quickly and certainly sausage meat based baits are not trendy so can really give you many competitive edges!

You can use the minced products or use a mincer to make a sticky pliable material to use to base you bait on. Pork meat is very nutritionally stimulating to big catfish and carp, supplying many essential nutritional needs including many amino acids and energy packed oils. Sausage meat may be made from pork alone or with other materials, but even adding very cheap wheat flour, or with a few eggs to meat with sausage rusk will bind bait to make practical bait dough for paste or boilies.

So how do you further produce one of the cheapest home made protein baits fast and easily?

Use a large pan or bowl to make a bait mix using a test batch of about half a pound of meat plus about 2or 3 hen's eggs and enough wheat flour added to bind into dough. This is practical bait to use immediately, or you can store it in plastic bags and store in the freezer or fridge for future sessions. Although these meat baits (like any bait ingredients) may vary in nutritional profiles and fish effects and catch results, they are normally instant type baits and reliable fish catchers straight from the first cast.

Like the majority of carp and catfish baits, the best way to start fishing with it is to feed perhaps 2 to 6 pounds or more of it into your swim, in advance. (This is certainly not absolutely necessary however!) You might for instance, over a period of 3 days prior to fishing, start introducing paste pieces about an inch in diameter just by pulling them off your balls of dough you have made.

The effect of pre-baiting is that the fish will be far more prepared to eat your bait with even more enthusiasm when you start actually fishing; so hold onto your rod! Sausage meat in this form makes fantastic ground baits too. Fishing paste balls has always been extremely effective, but these days you might prefer to make your baits more resilient to smaller fish (by par-boiling,) so they are still intact when the bigger fish arrive; but add some dough to your bait or hook or PVA bag anyway too!

You might make your boilies from small half inch odd shaped pieces and these odd baits will have a competitive edge over all those expensive uniformly shaped machine-rolled baits! Just get a half pan of water boiling and add a handful of baits at a time usually for about 2 minutes on average before removing them. Use handy towels or papers (or special drying trays from Gardener tackle) to dry your baits and remember to keep your water boiling at all times.

Boil your baits for anything from a minute to 5 minutes; the longer boiling makes them harder, but this loses more attraction in the process. To help attraction there are so many choices to add to your bait, or just to keep results coming. For instance you could add sea salt at about a teaspoon per 2 eggs worth of bait mixed, or add curry powder at a heaped teaspoonful per egg used in the mix or more depending on the form of curry powder used.

You might just add a teaspoon of black pepper powder per egg used. Other examples of well proven kitchen favourites are yeast extract products like Marmite or Vegemite; add at a heaped tablespoon per egg, or even Parmesan or blue cheese powder which is ideal in sausage meat baits. You can simply add some Minamino or proprietary fishing liquid amino acids supplement like Nutramino to boost feeding stimulation and nutritional profile of your bait; or add fish meal, keratin, or poultry meal, or ground bird foods and lecithins for more digestible baits in winter, for example...

The fact is that there are thousands of additives, liquids, flavours and some very refined and advanced bait ingredients and extracts you could use. Many ingredients are often used to most exploit the food detection systems of fish which have internal and external specialised cells which enable fish to instinctively home in on your bait. You might use a proprietary flavour like Secret Agent, Megaspice, Mulberry Florentine or Maple steep liquor, vodka, spice oleoresins, or add MSG to enhance taste, or simply add salted liquidised liver or liver pate, (just a desert spoonful per egg of 2 these will keep big results coming your way!)

The options are limited only by your imagination; but using proven fish feeding triggering substances and metabolically stimulating substances are among the best proven substances when you look at bait components... Homemade sausage meat baits (and ground baits) for big carp and catfish are well proven against any popular modern baits (even enzyme-active ones,) and I've proven this myself (although my baits are sometimes rather more complex than here.) So give them a try and you might decide to get much deeper into making your own homemade baits; but beware - they can become addictive!

By Tim Richardson.

Jon boats are the basic open rough boats that are suitable for sport fishermen or to use as a transport boat in shallow waters. These types of boats are usually flat-bottomed with a square stern and this why they perform so well in shallow and calm waters.

These types of boats are typically using an outboard motor and since theyve been around for quite a while the original material for Jon boats is wood. Even though a lot of people still prefer Jon boats in the original material there are many other types of materials that require less maintenance than a wooden boat naturally does.

The most popular materials are fiberglass, polyethylene and aluminum and they are all making a boat that is strong and light. The qualities differ some between them and which kind of material you want to choose depends on what type of waters youre going to use your boat in.

While aluminum is strong and adds extra protection if youre driving your boat in rocky areas, it is not as suitable for salty water since this can have a negative impact on the boat and have a corrosive effect which can lead to leakage and other unwanted damages.

If this is the case, youre probably better off with a polyethylene boat since this material is very resistant to salty water. This boat is also strong and can take a few beats yet you should avoid dragging a Jon boat out of polyethylene over rough surfaces.

If you want a boat that is quiet and still usable for salty water, fiberglass is a good choice. This material makes less noise than polyethylene boats when youre moving it over sand bars, through vegetation or when youre moving interiors around the boat.

When you know what it is youre going to use your boat for and what type of waters youre going to use it in you can easily get a Jon boat that is made out of a material that will suit your needs perfectly.

If you want a boat that is easy to handle, safe to drive and that is good to use for fishing and shorter transportation, a Jon boat is a very good choice. Make sure youre getting your boat from someone that has a lot of knowledge and you can be sure that you will have a boat thats perfect for your needs.

Fishing can be a great relaxing activity that brings you closer to nature. The thing is that many people don't really get the best out of a fishing trip primarily because they encounter problems when dealing with their fishing equipment. It is important you get the right kind of fishing equipment and you are properly prepared for your fishing excursion.

Reels, rods, lines, lures, bait, tools and accessories...there are so many things sold these days in fishing supply stores. And not to mention how many kinds of each item. Many brands and manufacturers making pretty much different variations of the same thing. In order to stay on track and not to overspend by buying too much unnecessary gear you should get an understanding of what fishing gear is of the more important kind.

Fishing hooks are an integral part of your fishing kit. You should view the hook or the lure as the "tip of the spear". Aside from the line, the reel and the rod hooks are important because that is where you will place the bait for the fish to bite. Hooks are relatively cheap items and come in a variety of sizes. They should be an important part of your fishing kit.

Another thing you will need to acquire and have are rigs. Rigs are used to catch different kinds of fish. The two most common rigs are the Bobber and Crappie and bobber rigs are best used for catching Bluegills. Bobber rigs are best for beginners.

Sinkers are also a very important component of your fishing gear. Sinkers are used to cast lighter lures and to quickly drop the bait to the bottom of the water where the fish are located. Together with the bobbers, the sinkers are used to hold your line at any given point and keep the hook where fish can see it. There are many variations of sinkers that come in different sizes, weights, and shapes. The speed and the depth of the water is what should determine the weight of the sinkers you will need to get.

The swivel is also something you should have in your fishing kit. Swivels also come in various shapes and sizes but they all do the same thing...they swivel. They do so in order to create the illusion that your bait is alive. They are best used with specific kinds of bait for best results.

By compiling the aforementioned fishing supplies to accompany your rod, reel and line you are pretty much ready to go fishing. Shop for your fishing accessories and all kinds of fishing supplies online. You will save a lot and in the end you will have a great fishing kit.

Boating can be a relaxing pastime, floating along on a river or lake without a care. For most people, the boating itself is the whole point of the hobby: once you're in the boat, you're set.

Plenty of people bring their boat to wherever they are going to be going boating on a trailer attached to the back of their automobile, provided the boat is small enough - larger boats have to be kept in marinas, which can be expensive. Even today, lots of people still build their own boats out of nothing over wood, nails and ingenuity.

There's lots of different kinds of boats, from the small to the large. The smallest boats are those designed to be rowed effectively by two people, followed by family-sized small boats. Most people who are into boating tend to have been boating with their family, their friends, and the main reason they take their family and friends along is because they've had such fond memories in the past, they just want it to be far better.

Once you get above small boats, you start to get into powerboats (also known as speedboats and motorboats). They start off as only too large to row, but can go as large as fifty feet long with cabins and large engines - in other words, you can get powerboats that can be as big as a mid size vehicle and about as big as a truck.

While boating is fun, however, it is also hobby in which you need to pay a lot of attention to safety. Lots of boaters die each year, mainly by falling overboard and drowning. It is important that you use common sense as well as making sure to comply with the relevant safety laws, particularly by always taking lifejackets with you.

Indeed, boating isn't entirely limited to just cruising around. You can also set up water-skis on the back of your boat and go water-skiing, or even enter boat races, if you think you're swift enough. You can also fish, both in freshwater and in saltwater, with freshwater fishing being 1 of the most popular things to do with a boat.

If you are considering finding a pontoon boat for sale there are a few things to look at before you buy. Getting a pontoon boat can be a great investment and can make your time on the waters a lot more enjoyable than ever before.

You want to be clear about what you are going to use your pontoon boat for so that you can get the kind that is right for your needs. You can find lots of different kinds of pontoon boats for sale and you want to know how many people it should be able to carry so that you can choose the right size and material.

If youre going to have a pontoon boat for yourself only you might be best off with a small, one-man inflatable pontoon boat. This type of pontoon boats is great for fly-fishermen for example that want to have a boat to use around the rivers. There are plenty inflatable pontoon boats for sale and they normally are the cheapest kind.

Pontoon boats really are great for fishing and this is related to the special shape with a flat bottom which makes it possible to access also shallow waters. Because of the flat bottom together with the pontoons on the sides it is also a stable boat which makes it easy to move around the boat without any risk of falling over.

If you are looking for a family boat to go on day trips with, a larger pontoon boat might be your choice. There are many pontoon boats for sale that have room for all family members and a lot of extra package too. In the rear of the boat is a space that is suitable to go swimming from, which makes it great to make a stop and have a nice swim.

Larger pontoon boats are often made out of aluminum and this is a great material since the boats are strong while at the same time being light. Perfect to use on lakes and rivers where there might be a few rocks.

For salty waters, however, its a better idea to have a pontoon boat that is made out of fiberglass or polyethylene. Aluminum is more sensitive to corrosion from salty water whereas the other materials withstand it easily. You can find plenty pontoon boats for sale also in those materials so you can be sure that there is a boat for you wherever youre planning to use it.

Make sure that you are consulting with an expert when buying your pontoon boat and you can be sure that the boat youre getting will suit your specific needs.

Whether it is almost time to put your pwc on a trailer and get it to the lake, or that time of year where you drain the oil and put it in the garage, you're going to need a pwc cover to protect your favorite summer sporting toy. Finding a cover that fits your watercraft to a tee is one of the best investments you can make second to buying the thing in the first place. And the best thing is, it's super easy to find pwc covers online these days, specifically designed to fit your make and year of pwc.

The most important thing to consider is finding a pwc cover with a perfect fit - this will server two perposes: 1) it will look better, but more importantly 2) it will protect your pwc better. When you load up your pwc to go boating for the weekend, towing a trailered pwc with an improperly fitting cover can cause wear and tear on your boat, in addition to causing a potentially dangerous situation for you and/or drivers behind you on the highway.

Now, second to a tailored fit, material is probably the second most important factor when you are considering pwc covers. The material that is used will determine how well and for how long your cover will protect your boat.

You've most likely already heard of the Sunbrella brand, but it's popular for a reason: it is probably the best choice available when it comes to canvas pwc covers - it is sun-resistant and tough enough to stand up to any weather, especially in the south. The woven fabric is not only tear resistant, it also helps to disperse heat and moisture, which are the primary causes of mold.

The same principles of material selection and attention to precise fit will apply, whether you are looking for a pwc cover, sea doo pwc cover, Yamaha pwc cover, Kawasaki pwc cover, mooring cover, dodger, bimini, helm cover, or just about any manner of marine canvas cover.

So do you need to get your pwc cover right from the manufacturer to ensure the best fit and quality? The truth is, there are a lot of after market pwc cover manufacturers that design covers specifically for each particular make and year - so no, the best quality doesn't always come from the manufacturer. Your mileage will vary though, and you need to ensure you are getting the quality you expect, so do a little research before you choose a brand. However, if you really want your pwc brand logo on your cover, then you may have no option but to buy from the manufacturer.

So when you are researching what to buy, and whether to try and find it in stock or order online, you now know the two most important specs to watch out for. If you take the time to make sure that you get a good fit and a quality material, you'll end up with a cover that not only looks great, but keeps your pwc looking great as well.

In the Virgin Islands a wide range of diving and other amazing activities can be found, the Us Virgin Islands consists of over 50 islands with the most famous ones being the islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix. Reaching these 3 islands is fairly simple with many airports in the US flying their.

St. Thomas

Typically the dive centres will take you to a dive site located at the waters of Pillsbury Sound between St. Thomas and St. John to dive the various shipwrecks encrusted with bright sponges and coral. One nice example is the General Rogers what is a 120-foot US Coast Guard buoy which was sunk to form a reef which sits upright in around 60 feet of water. The reef as grown on the buoy and has created an Orange cup coral and others with abundance of fishes such as angelfish and grunts.

Named the best diving in the Virgin Islands, Sail Rock reaches up 125 feet in the air off the West End of St Thomas and is teeming with jacks, wrasse, barracuda and turtles.

Island of St. John

Located between the islands St. John and St. Thomas are two very popular diving locations called Congo Cay and Carval Rock. Carval rock a nice dive site which is home to many turtles, swarming silversides, cruising reef sharks, and waving sea rods and gorgonians. The swim-through is a must do which tower is between two towering rock faces is covered with vibrant marine life.

Congo Cay's is a totally different experience and is a lovely drift dive using the currents to move long the reef. Complete with their own resident string rays and the weathered rocks create a lovely dive. Both Congo Cay and Carval Rock are diverable by all skills except in bad weather.

St. Croix

North side of St. Croix is known to be one of the best wall dives in the Caribbean, the wall starts only 100 yards of the beach line and drops to several thousand feet, there are around 20 dive sites located along the wall with varying natures features such as pinnacles, ledges, walls and caverns.

All the Dive shops on all three islands of St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix will offer resort courses, complete certification classes and rental equipment. Many package deals are available with local hotels and dive operators combining for a single price package. Accommodations range from 5-star resorts and villas to small, family run inns and hotels. Camping is even available for those who want to rough it a bit outdoors.

Have you seen or heard of LunkerLink.net yet? Probably not, thats because its brand new, and was just launched on 4/26/09. Lunker Link is an all Wisconsin fishing report forum and fishing information source, so if live or fish in Wisconsin be sure to check it out. This site is super easy to use and is not plugged up with advertisements, imagine that no ads on a website its a miracle.

The Lunker Link team Ben and josh have been fishing Wisconsin lakes since they were knee high to a grass hopper and also have been good friends since then, but the button line is they know their Wis fishing. They have fished many tournaments and place very well doing so, but they are not afraid to share their valuable fishing info as well.

Ben and Josh have created the Lunker Link site to greater enhance your fishing experiences by creating a site filled with Wisconsin fishing info and a Wisconsin only fishing report forum free for anyone to use. Use the report forum before you go fishing and see where other fishermen have had good luck on a particular lake or river

Ben and Josh need forum users to post their fishing reports, and when you are a registered user you will have a chance to help the further creation of the Lunker Link report forum by posting suggestions upon what lakes and water ways you the user, find to be the most valuable.

With the help of our future users Ben and Josh expect Lunker Link to grow considerably, but remember they can't do it alone. Lunker Link hopes you will become a user and share you input to make Lunker Link something great for everyone.

Sign up for Lunker Links newsletter and receive valuable fishing info, Lunker Link researches fishing topics and produces an informative article every month.

Also find great fishing articles at Lunker Link as well. Lunker Link also provides you with local up to date weather and that is also a free service for you to use .

So what do you say, will you help us create something great? The next step is to go to www.LunkerLink.net sign up for the newsletter of you choose to, then click fishing reports and become part of the Wisconsin fishing community. Your reports will be valued to us and by your fellow Wisconsin fishermen. By frequently posting fishing reports and pictures you will be on your way to becoming recognized as a Wisconsin fishing expert.

There are literally thousands of choices when it comes to selecting your fishing gear. There are many manufacturers of both rods and reels, many different combinations you can use and many possible outcomes. It all depends on finding the reel and rod that is right for what you intend to do with it. You need to know what you will want to do whether that is fresh water or salt water fishing, light tackle, medium tackle, heavy tackle and even fly-fishing.

If salt water fishing is the fishing you intend to be doing then you have narrowed down your choices regarding equipment a bit. The next thing you need to decide so that you even have less choices is whether you will be doing deep or shallow water fishing. This important to know when selecting a rod, a reel and all the accessories you will need.

In order to get the best results when out fishing you should consider getting specific equipment for the job. For instance, if you are going after Spanish Mackerel, King Mackerel, and Cobia in the gulf of Mexico then you should be looking for specific kinds of gear.

Fishing in salt water for Spanish Mackerel for example requires a medium light to medium action rod at a minimum as the fish can reach a weight of seven or eight pounds in schools of large fish. The reel you choose should be something along the lines of a Abu Garcia 7000 Inshore Classic or Abu Garcia Revo Toro 50 HS.

If you are doing shallow water fishing near the coast then you should select a spinning reel. You should be looking for a reel that at least 200 yards of 10 to 12 lb. test monofilament line. For best results you should tie a steel leader of 12-14 inches just so that you keep them from biting through the line.

The general rule is that the heavier fish you will be targeting the heavier the gear you will need. If the fish you are after is the King Mackerel and because these fish can reach 20 pounds in weight you will need heavier gear.

A King Mackerel will need much more than just 200 yards of line. They are fast and heavy and can draw that line of yours in a few seconds just by swimming away. The rod length you should be going for should be 7 to 9 feet in length. A good reel for this job is the Abu Garcia Revo Toro 50.

If salt water is the way to go for you then in general you should consider getting an Abu Garcia reel. These reels are durable and can take a beating. Try to search for one online because thats where you will find the best prices for Abu Garcia reels. Prepare your self with the right fishing gear and you will see that fishing trips will become fun and rewarding.

You wouldn't think that choosing the right fishing line would be so complex but indeed it is. Fishing line needs to be geared toward the type of fish you will be catching as well as a number of other factors. Line is perhaps the most important item in the fisherman's box.

It will determine whether you're going home with a line of fish or you're going home with nothing but a failed day at fishing. The different lines to choose from today can be overwhelming since there's so many. However choosing the right fishing line can be easy if you know what you're looking for!

As with anything there are pros and cons. The fisherman needs to know what they are. A lot of fishermen today don't understand this and this is part of the biggest reason they fail at fishing. By educating yourself on the different lines you'll be able to bring in the big fish in no time.

One of the most used lines today is monofilament line. This line dates back to 1938 and was created by DuPont. This is a synthetic super polymer which can make any textile fibers stronger. This line is primitive and is used by many today. However if your looking to do some deep sea fishing or any deep water fishing this wouldn't be a good choice when choosing the right fishing line. This line just doesn't have enough strength for larger fish.

The most popular line used before nylon was discovered was braided line. Braided Dacron isn't great for trying to catch fish that's going to put up a fight because of its poor strength and lack of ability to get the job done.

Fluorocarbon is also a polymer and can be essential in choosing the right fishing line. The line is practically invisible in water due to the fact that it has nearly an identical refractive index. It also does not absorb water at all, so this can make for a line that will last a very long time.

Like super lines, Fluorocarbon lines require special attention. The best knot to use with this line is the Trilene knot. When knotting the line make sure to get the line wet as to allow for a more secure knot. This will keep the line from weakening. It is highly advisable to test your line before using it as many fishermen have lost their most cherished lures because of this.

Choosing the right fishing line may seem more complex than it really is and will become easier for the years of practice. Always remember to choose the line that will best fit your needs when it comes to the type of fish you'll be catching and water you'll be in.