Hackle:
Hackle, or the neck feathers from a rooster, is one of the primary elements of a fishing fly. The hackle is what gives fishing flies their organic look and feel and also their intricate color patterns. Though many people seem to think fish aren’t all that bright, they sure know enough to steer clear of putting anything in their mouths that doesn’t look natural or like it absolutely belongs in the water.

The patterns and movement of the hackle are difficult to match with synthetic materials. When tying your own lures or buying fishing flies online or at the tackle shop, keep a look out for lures with Whiting Farms feathers-or at least fishing flies with organic hackle versus those made with synthetic materials.

Hair and Fur:
An alternative to the hackle fly is hair and fur fishing flies. They types of hair and fur most used for fishing flies are deer, beaver, opossum, otter, fox, and badger. As with hackle, there are synthetic hair and fur fishing flies, but most fish seem to respond more favorably to natural hair and fur materials. However, there are cases such as when fishing on dark river beds, when fishing flies constructed of brightly colored synthetics are a better choice. When setting out on a fishing trip it’s best to have lots of different types and colors of fishing flies to try.

Thread, Yarn, and Wire:
Thread, chenille, braid, yarn, wire, and other spooled materials are most often used to recreate the thin, tight, body of the insect. Some types used are flat waxed nylon thread, gossamer silk thread, sparkle yarn, and mohair and all of these come in natural and bright colors. No matter how natural the color of the hackle of hair, oftentimes a little spark of color in the thread and yarn is what catches the fish’s attention.

Eyes:
Not all fishing fly gear have eyes, but eyes are sometimes necessary with certain types of gear, especially those that look like other fish or small mammals. Eye styles can range from the “googley” type doll eyes that kids use in projects to silver or bronze beads, to reflective stickers.

There’s no one correct style or material for catching every type of fish. For this reason, it’s important to make sure that you take lots of different types and colors of fishing flies with you when you try out a new spot. Even in the same river, different fish within the same species will react to different things. Half the fun of fly fishing is experimenting with new styles and techniques and finding what works.

Christine Harrell
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/the-anatomy-of-fishing-flies-54501.html

Chances are this person is you. You’ve done your research. You’ve gone shopping and spent a small fortune on fishing equipment. Now you are ready to head out to the water…technically. Sure you have all of the right gear, but have you been given any fly fishing tips?

This article serves to give you a few basic fly fishing tips that, hopefully, will help you come home much richer in fish than when you left.

Make sure that you practice casting. The more time you spend practicing your casting, the better you will get at it. The best way to practice casting is to use a flat surface outside of your house (definitely do not practice casting indoors, it would lead to inevitable disaster). Mark a few targets on this flat surface and then go out for a little bit each day and practice casting to these targets. This will help you to improve your casting accuracy.

Choose a rod that feels comfortable for you. You know what kind you will want, flexibility wise, but choose one that is the right length as well. If you are short, you will probably get hung up if you try to use a rod that is too long. To this end, you will want to learn how to hold your fly rod correctly. This type of fishing is not a quick sport. You will want to be able to hold onto this rod comfortably for long periods of time.

The best bait is a natural prey of the fish you are trying to catch. There are experts who swear that the fancy bait is not necessary and that all you need is a simple worm. In the event that you would like to buy the fancy bait, you should choose bait that mimics a worm or a grub and is brightly colored so that it will attract the fish’s attention.

Waterproof your dry flies. This will help them to float on the water for a longer period of time. You can do this with Scotch-guard (which can be found in almost any general goods store). The waterproofing keeps them from becoming waterlogged and sinking.

Make sure that your knots are tied tightly and effectively. A knot that is tied improperly or that is too loose could spell disaster in fly fishing.

These are just a few of the many fishing tips that anglers will share with each other when they are out fly fishing. A simple search through the internet or your local library is sure to turn up pages more.

Steven Magill
http://www.articlesbase.com/hobbies-articles/great-fly-fishing-tips-714267.html

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    When weather conditions are bad outside, I sit inside with a roaring fire and remember the time when I was brave enough to tackle the elements, hitch up the boat and head for the river.  The lousier the winter weather, the better the fishing for sauger on the Tennessee River.

    Down here in the south we call sauger, “jack salmon”.  As a kid, fishing on the river below Guntersville Dam, I never knew there was such a thing as a sauger until I grew up and read a copy of Field & Stream magazine, and for the first time saw a picture of the fish they called a sauger.  I thought they were confused!

    Last year on a dreary, cloudy, cold and miserable morning at daybreak, my brother and I drove down highway 421 from Huntsville, Alabama to the Guntersville dam.  As rotten as the day was, the parking lot just above the launching ramp was filled with cars and trucks with a boat trailer connected to each.  We immediately knew the jacks were biting.

    We put the boat in the water about a half mile west of the dam. If I thought I was cold before, I was shocked at how frigid it became as I was zipping down the river at forty miles an hour in the morning fog.  About six miles later, we rounded a bend and as if by magic we ran out of the fog and almost banged into group of at least twenty boats congregated up and down a narrow passage close to the mouth of the Paint Rock River.

    The water here was 30 to 40 feet deep where we anchored the boat.  Every few minutes one of the other fishermen would pull in another fish.  Most of the ones being caught were in the 2 pound and under class, though larger ones occasionally were being hauled into boats up and down the river.
 
    My brother was frantically trying to get his tackle together and start fishing.  I was too cold to think of anything other than grabbing the Thermos and pouring myself a cup of hot coffee.  When I  left the house that morning I thought that my brother and I were the only insane people in Alabama, now I was looking at a whole river full of nutty folks!

    Saugers tend to congregate around eddy pools such as those coming out of a tributary like the one we were close to that morning.  They are cylindrical fish, light brown speckled, with a couple of dark blotches on their sides. They have two dorsal fins as well as a mouth full of sharp teeth that will lacerate a finger if you are not careful.

    In my opinion the jack salmon, as I grew up knowing it, is one of the best tasting fish I have eaten out of southern waters. While the annual spawning run is in April or May, thousands of these tasty fish congregate in the tail waters of the Guntersville Dam, Wheeler Dam and Wilson Dam in earlier months.

    Like most of the fishermen I could see, I was also using a heavy jig tipped with a live minnow.  The jigs head was a fluorescent red with a three inch blue haired skirt.  After dropping the rig overboard, I pulled the bait about a foot off the bottom and was reaching for my coffee cup when I felt a tug on the line.

    I reeled in a two pound sauger just as my brother had one on also.  Within a couple of hours we had several good sized fish, and then a late morning sun drenched us with welcomed warmth.  The fish stopped biting for us as well as the other boats on the river.

    I have been trying to out think fish for years.  Counting the amount of time and money I have spent fishing, it is apparent that the fish have been winning.  Of all the things I have learned is, I still do not know why the sauger population on the river bites better on the most miserable of days, but I have a theory.

Bob Alexander
http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/it-is-never-too-cold-to-go-fishing-750178.html

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Fishing can be relaxing, fun and be a joy for all who choose to take part in one of nature’s most premier activities. However, fishing can often turn stressful and tough when it comes to planning out your travel and fishing plans. Planning the perfect fishing trip doesn’t have to be difficult, but it has to be prepared. Here is a quick guide to ensuring you take the best efforts in planning your fishing trip!

? Start by defining what you want your trip to be like! Every fisher wants something different or personalized about their fishing trip so make sure you have a definition of what a great fishing trip means to you. Maybe you want a relaxing week-end at a campsite; maybe you want a busy schedule of hunting combined with fishing and hiking; or maybe you want to spend all of your time on the river. It doesn’t matter what you are looking for, just make sure you know!

? What fish do you want to catch?! If you are serious about your fishing trip then you probably have an ideal fish that you would like to tackle. Think about it. Would you like to go after a fish species you have never caught before? Would you like to just catch as many ‘ordinary’ fish as possible? Whatever type of fish you want to catch will determine the location of your trip, so choose wisely!

? Figure out your style! No, we’re not talking about style as in fashion and clothing; we’re talking about fishing style! Fishing style means what type of fishing you wish to do- wading into the river, deep sea fishing or fishing from the river side. If you are going on your trip with a group make sure they all agree on the fishing style because if they don’t, there’ll be plenty of quiet time for them to complain!

? How much is this going to cost?! While most fishers don’t want to consider cost, it is usually the most important overall factor of a fishing trip! Ideally, you may want to head to the Colorado Mountains and find a remote river set apart from society- and just stay there for days! However, this won’t work for most people working within a budget because the longer and more extravagant a fishing trip is, the more expensive it tends to get!

The perfect fishing trip really isn’t out of reach, it is within your preparation!

Mark Hammond
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/planning-your-fishing-trip-134471.html

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The fish may be fewer and farther between, but not the fishermen. A steady stream of boat anglers casts to every inch of likely looking holding water, and the shores of popular rivers are crisscrossed by the muddy trails of bank anglers. The fish available in most streams get pounded hard on a daily basis. And it doesn’t help when prolonged cold weather results in cool, clear water and spooky, sluggish steelhead.

Those are just a few of the reasons why many steelhead anglers refer to February as the “mid-season break” in fishing, and others call it the “dog days of winter.”  February is a excellent time of the year for fisherman to take advantage of discounted guided trips.  The fishing is challenging, but still worth it!

Things I would use to catch Steelhead in the winter would be: Hardware (Plugs, large spoons or Spinners). Flies like Black Stones, Hex Nymphs, Bead heads, and Egg flies. Other methods, such as spawn, Drifting wax worms are also used.

Rainbow Trout can be caught on small stick baits, Tiny Spinners, Wax Worms, and Fly Fishing with Nymphs.

Make sure to check the hatch charts for the river you are fishing to understand more about the bugs under the surface of the water, this will give you a base to purchase or tie the right bug. Always remember winter fishing must be done slow and patiently.

I encourage you to experience a guided fishing trip for steel head on the Muskegon River in Newaygo, Michigan, which is less than an hour from Grand Rapids, Mi.  The Muskegon River boasts some of the absolute best Steelhead, Salmon, and Trout fishing in the Great Lakes Region! With expansive gravel bars, slow deep holes, runs and over fourteen miles of spawning gravel, it’s no wonder the Mighty Muskegon is home to so many trout and game fish species.

Enjoy your day on the water.

Article provided by Mike Marsh: Marsh Ridge River Guide Service & Evolution Sport Fishing Charters www.MarshGuideService.com and Sherri Russell: Hess Lake Rentals www.Hesslakerentals.com.

Brent Vanderstelt
http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/winter-steelhead-fishing-723595.html

Starting in District Two, you’ll find great catfishing opportunities in the Maumee River, thanks to the channel and flathead catfish that are readily found upstream from Toledo, where it cuts through a wide flood plain. You’ll find lots of channel cats that range around 16 inches in length and shouldn’t be surprised to reel in an average flathead that ranges from 20 to 40 inches. The rock bed river is extremely shallow, so check in the deep holes that run more than six feet deep for the best catch.

In the Huron River, Ohio catfish fishing continues to produce a number of channel cats and flatheads. Here, you’ll find holes a bit deeper than at the Maumee, and your catch will be about the same size. Don’t exclude the Auglaize River, either, a tributary of the Maumee in Northwest Ohio. Catfish fishing provides an abundance of big fish here in the summertime, with less bedrock and holes that dip down more than ten feet. While the river isn’t navigable at all in the summer in its upper section, you’ll find great shoreline fishing and plenty of channel cats in the pools in the lower area.

District Three also boasts several fine catfish rivers. Start with the tailwaters branching off the Tappan Lake, which are actually what’s left of the Little Stillwater Creek. The dam provides a great holding and breeding ground for catfish, and you will want to target area pools that range about eight to twelve feet in depths. You can expect to find a lot of flatheads and a smaller supply of channel cats here. Also check out the small rivers and streams that are tailwaters of Clendening Lake, also producing a flathead roundup that can range as large as 60 pounds and a few channel cats along the way. As long as you are in the area, check out the Atwood Lake tailwaters in Carroll or Tuscarawas County, where deeper pools have been created by unexpectedly high flows. Also pay attention to the surrounding flats at night.

Ohio catfish fishing continues to be productive in District Four, where the Muskingum River is a favorite for anglers looking for both channel cats and flatheads. There are six excellent pools on the river, including the Marietta Pool, Devola Pool, and Beverly Pool, all of which produce a fine catch for avid anglers, especially during the summer. Also be sure to check out Zanesville Pool in the Ellis Tailwaters, which flows for just over nine miles and offers great flathead fishing.

Daniel Eggertsen
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/find-the-best-ohio-catfish-fishing-114180.html

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Almost all lakes and streams in Central Oregon contain Rainbow Trout. The Deschutes River is world famous for it trout fishing. It begins in the Cascade Mountains Southwest of Bend. It is the source of water for Crane Prairie Reservoir and Wickiup Reservoir. It runs through the middle of Bend and eventually flows into the mighty Columbia River.

Crane Prairie Reservoir is known for its large trout (”Cranebows”). It is about a one hour drive from Bend. It was flooded in 1928 with most of the timber left standing. It is a relatively shallow lake with the deepest sections about 15-20 feet deep near the channels in the spring. The water level drops steadily all summer during the irrigation season.

The Cranebows spawn in the upper Deschutes in early spring and then return to the reservoir and are scattered around the shallower water. As the water warms in early summer the fish start congregating around the channels. Twenty to thirty inch rainbows are common.

All methods of lake fishing work on this strong fighting fish. Fly fishing is very popular once the fish move into the channels. Trolling flies, spoons or spinners is a popular method early in the season. Early summer brings on weed growth which makes it difficult to troll without fowling you lure.

There are numerous campgrounds and one resort on Crane Prairie. The resort provides rental boats, licenses and anything you might need for trout fishing. The owners are always helpful in pointing new anglers to where the fish are biting the best. It is difficult to fish here without a boat.

The Deschutes flows out of Crane Prairie and a few short miles into Wickiup Reservoir. Wickiup has large Rainbow and German Brown Trout as well as a large population of Kokanee Salmon. The Kokanee and Browns are the primary targeted fish.

Early spring brings out the die hard Brown Trout fisherman. They concentrate near the dam and generally troll Rapalas or similar minnow type lures. Ten pound fish are common in the early spring. Since Brown trout are nocturnal you’ll find the serious fisherman on the water at first light. Wickiup is best fished by boat but some large browns are caught from shore along the dam in the spring.

During the summer the Kokanee start congregating along the river channel. Jigging, bait fishing or trolling are the preferred methods for catching the Wickiup Kokanee. The Kokanee spawn in the fall with the Browns following them up the Deschutes channel.
Early morning and late evening is the best time to target the large Browns.

Wickiup only has one improved boat ramp which is located at Gull Point. There is not a boat dock so it makes it somewhat difficult for launching and boarding your boat. There are a couple of improved camp grounds as well as many unimproved places to camp.

The Deschutes River continues below Wickiup dam and flows through Bend. This section contains some smaller Rainbows and some nice sized German Browns. It runs through the Deschutes National forest. There is a good drift from the dam down to the Pringle Falls area.

Pringle Falls is dangerous and cannot be drifted. Watch for signs and be prepared to take out above the falls. This is a beautiful drift. The river from Pringle Falls to Bend has several different water falls that cannot be drifted. Check the numerous books available that discuss this section of river in detail.

The section of river that runs through Bend does not produce many fish as it is not stocked with hatchery fish and receives substantial fishing pressure.

The Deschutes flows from Bend into Lake Billy Chinook which is located between Redmond and Madras. Lake Billy Chinook is actually a reservoir that is backed up by Round Butte dam. “Round Butte” reservoir is filled by the Deschutes River, Crooked River and the Metolius River.

Lake Billy Chinook is known for its native Bull Trout population. Bull Trout are close to extinction in many parts of Oregon but not in Lake Billy Chinook. The state record Bull Trout was caught here in 1989. It weighed 23 pounds and 2 ounces. Ten to fifteen pound fish are still common with several being caught every year.

The best time to catch a large Bull Trout is in March and April. The Metolius arm of the reservoir boarders the Warm Springs Indian reservation and is closed from the end of October to March 1st every year. Early in the season the larger trout come into the shallows (10-20 feet) to feed on the abundant Kokanee salmon.

If you find the Kokanee you will find the Bull Trout. A boat is necessary to catch these fish. They are caught by casting the shore line with silver minnow plugs, trolling plugs, fly fishing with a sink tip line or jigging the deeper water if the fish have not moved up into the shallows yet.

If you are interested in pursuing Bull Trout check the authors’ web site for more helpful information, links and pictures.

The trout fishing in this article is all located within a one hour drive from Bend. There are many other lakes, reservoirs and streams within an hour of Bend that are not mentioned in this article.

Bend Oregon is a great place to live if you like the outdoors. There are many good trout fishing spots close by. The lower Deschutes below Bend is world famous for its Salmon Fly hatch but that is the subject of another article.

Jim Johnson
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/bend-oregon-home-to-great-trout-fishing-73640.html

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I’ve been fishing for over 50 years and even more frequently in the last 10 years; during this time I have learned a lot of countless things about fishing in general. The most important is that you can never know it all. Even a novice can show an old timer a trick or two.

Over the years I’ve seen hundreds of anglers come to the areas I fish full of enthusiasm and determination and they end up leaving frustrated and confused. With just a little advice this could have made for a better experience and more than likely created another fishing addict like myself. It may take some time to turn you into that pro, but the enjoyment of the sport would be more easily realised.

When starting out the very first thing you want is just basic information on where and when to fish. Sounds easy and generally just ask other anglers, lodge owners, bait store owners, heck just ask.

Now for the fishing equipment, the rod and reel. Sounds simple enough, but maybe not. As in most other sports, cheap or poor equipment will result in poor results. As an example I met a fellow from southern Ontario (Toronto) while fishing here at home for Northern pike and asked him how the fishing was. His remark was that he was going to rent a boat and give it a try. So I asked him if he would like to go out with me that evening and he accepted. I met him at the dock and told him to load his gear in the boat and offered him a life jacket and away we went. I did not notice what he had loaded at first except he had a nice big new tackle box, as we moved away I asked where is your rod and reel. He went on to open his new tackle box and proceeded to pull out one of those pocket fisherman rigs. Of course I had a hard time from not laughing out loud, but went on to offer him one of my other rigs already in the boat.

Once we hit the area I intended to troll he went on to politely say he wanted to use his own rod but asked what one of his lures he should use for northern pike. He had one large red and white spoon and I told him to use that and made sure he let out enough line for what we were doing. I believe I was praying for him to get the first strike and sure enough he did after about 15 minutes or so and the fun began.

Now this pike he had on was I guessed about 15 pounds, not that big but the struggle with that little, short toy he had was hilarious to watch. I did not believe he would get the fish to the boat but he did although to fast, I had the net and told him to slow down, he did not hear me as I leaned over to net the fish he had it reeled up to about 2 feet from the tip of that little rod, all that pike did was lean on the line and he was gone.

I must add here that he also had no leader on that rig. After that he was so excited and of course wanted to keep fishing, but asked if he could use one of my other rods which was fine because I wanted to see him really hook and land a nice fish. To shorten this story he did land 2 more northerns and a small walleye. Oh yes I did catch a fish, one walleye and one pike, but we had a new fishing addict here. The next day he went into town to the Canadian Tire store and got properly equipped.

I imagine that young man from southern Ontario had some great tall tales to tell when he got home. I wonder how big that one that got away is Now!

A light action graphite spinning rod and reel will handle most fish you will want to catch, plus it is light enough for the beginner to feel even the light hit of those walleye.

So just get out there relax, take your time. Bring some coffee or lunch or even better catch your lunch and cook on one of the many small islands all over these northern lakes. Mostly just enjoy it all the fresh air, wildlife and scenery. Enjoy it all while your watching that loon, deer or even a moose feeding, a big walleye might just swim up and inhale your bait sending that twitch up your line through your rod to your fingers. Set the hook and there’s lunch!

Well that’s enough from me time for supper and a 5 minute stroll down to the river and make a few casts and see what happens.

Jack Phillips
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/fishing-just-the-basics-54952.html