Fishing

Fishing equipment is called “tackle.” This will include everything in your boat such as:

Hooks, Lines, Sinkers, Floats, Roads, Reels, Baits, Lures, Spears, Nets, Gaffs, Traps, Waders, Tackle Boxes, Leaders Swivels, Split Rings, Snaps, Beads, Spoons, Blades Spinners, Clevises and most important Banjo Minnow Lures Kit

The vessel you use to fish can be almost anything, as the definition of a recreational fishing boat is fairly broad. One could catch fish using a dugout canoe, a kayak, a raft, a pontoon and a dingie, a runabout, a cabin cruiser and even a yacht.
One of your first considerations will be in determining where exactly to start fishing. Are you going to fish in a small river, a large lake or near the ocean? Are you looking forward to fishing from a boat, surrounded by deep waters, or would you be more comfortable fishing off a dock? Remember, just because there are “plenty of fish in the sea” doesn’t mean that they are going to be confined to one general area.
Is there a secret to fishing? Just remember the four R’s—the Right equipment, the Right location, the Right time and the Right people.

Using quality equipment is important, particularly lures and baits, Equally important is fishing at the right time of day and working with people who know how to fish. If possible, try and meet with locals who know the best fishing spots in the area. Find out the most active times of day and how much fish a person can expect to catch.

For example, in Dallas-Fort Worth fishing on the reservoirs of a wildlife park is very popular, as are small lakes scattered about. A few sites have public piers and even handicap access. Popular fish in the region include bass, catfish, sunfish and carp. Some parks actually stock rivers with channel catfish, giving beginning fishermen an easier start.
Practically every county in the U.S. has a fishing report accessible on line if you are willing to search for it.
You know the drill. You settle down in a particularly warm and comfy spot and then you put Banjo Minnow Lure your hook.  You cast in the rod and wind it in. If there is no activity you can cast a second time, and so on until you get something. You will know when you have something because you will feel a slight tug. First comes the nibble and then the rod dips.

Gotcha you got fish to go home with!

In discussing the advantages of Banjo Minnow lures over traditional or even natural baits, one has to take a lot of factors into consideration.  Let’s first discuss the advantages of lures (artificial bait) over natural bait.  There is a large variety of lures available, including jigs, spoons, plugs, plastic lures and spinner or swim bait. 

Lures have some ecological advantages over natural bait.  In some circumstances, natural bait can bring contamination to the river or lake they are put in.  Some fisherman prefer lures because they simply perform better than natural bait, especially in unsettled waters, stained waters and dark nights. 

Another issue with artificial minnow bait is that it’s much easier to use than real bait.  Some fishermen just don’t like natural bait, period.  They don’t like the feel of a live worm or a dead frog on their hand, go figure.  Furthermore, artificial lures tend to last much longer than natural bait because they are manmade and do not quickly decay.

The Banjo Minnow fishing system has even more advantages over traditional, artificial bait.  Banjo fishing lures go beyond just mimicking the vague shape of a fish.  The minnow actually looks like a fish, right down to the squishiest detail.  This artificial minnow also moves and swims like a real fish. 

The Banjo Minnow was designed to appeal to a fish’s predatory instincts.  With most artificial lures, the fish bait simply waits for another fish to attack it.  With Banjo bait, the predatory fish thinks it is swallowing an injured fish.  The Banjo Minnow actually jerks, pauses and changes direction, mimicking the spastic movements of a dying fish.  Because it plays on the instinct of fish rather than just their hunger (the urge to dominate other species) fishing with banjo is far more effective than traditional fishing lures.

When you order a minnow kit you get a video DVD that instructs newcomers how to use the system.  Your focus will be learning how to jerk your hand quickly but without moving your arm.  You will also learn the importance of pausing in between jerks and making the bait change directions. 

If you want to catch more fish but can’t seem to do it, then think about how to improve the quality of your bait.  Your bait must look real, act real and seem real in every possible way.  This is the edge that the Banjo Minnow brings.

Read More in www.BanjoMinnowLures.com

Are you thinking of buying new Banjo Minnow lures?  We’re not going to lie to you, using this superior lure will indeed improve your fish-catching ability.  However, it’s important to emphasize that you do not need a magic trick when you go fishing.  We would rather you learn how to fish properly and then use Banjo Minnow lures to catch that much more trout than your cocky fishing buddy.  So let’s review three of the most common mistakes.

• The Secret Bait

One common mistake that new fishermen make is thinking they have “secret bait” that is sure to work and embarrass all their competitors.  They know a minimal amount of fishing, and think that if they use their “secret weapon” minnow bait they are going to turn the fishing industry on its head.  Not quite!  It’s important to realize that things are always changing in fishing.  So you have a good day and catch a lot of bass on Monday using your secret “jigger.”  So you keep using it, Tuesday and all the way till Sunday.  And guess what?  It doesn’t happen.  Just remember the fish make the decisions.  You can’t force feed a trout! 

• The Secret Spot

This is a similar mistake—the cocky new fishermen thinks he’s got a fool-proof plan for minnow fishing.  He camps out at the same location, perhaps even under the same tree, because he remembered how many fish he caught three summers ago.  However, banking your time on a secret spot is a big mistake—especially if your logic is telling you that you’re not getting any bites.  You have to use common sense and know when you’re beat.  If the fish aren’t biting one day, then you sitting 12 hours in the same spot is not going to solve anything. 

• Poor Quality Bait

Okay, let’s admit it right now—the quality of the bait is an issue.  You can call fish stupid, but you can’t insult their intelligence with poor quality bait.  A fish is smart enough to know that artificial lures that look like metallic orbs are not food.  Fish are smart enough to know when a fish-like creature is moving mindlessly like a hook.  Investing in quality bait is important. 

That brings us to the Banjo Minnow fishing system.  This system offers an artificial minnow that looks and acts like a real fish.  Remember to adapt to your fishing environment for the best success…although an artificial lifelike minnow always helps!

Read more in www.banjominnowlures.com

Are you new to minnow fishing?  What are the types of game fishing that you can catch?  First of all, understand that it’s not always the bait that will determine what fish you can catch (though baiting is one aspect that must be considered). 

Some fish are seasonal, whereas others tend to swim in freshwater or saltwater habitats.  Some fish are found in currents whereas others stay in freshwater lakes.  Some fish may only respond to natural bait, perhaps even insects.  Other fish will only fall for artificial bait because of its versatility and stability. 

Some of the most popular types of fish for gaming are:

• Bass
• Salmon
• Pike
• Trout
• Halibut
• Sunfish
• Walleye

The best thing to do is to read up on the type of fish you hope to catch and to ask some of the locals when is the peak time to catch them.  Many fish are seasonal (such as salmon) and you have to catch them at just the right time in order to get any nibbles.

You also have to understand that there are very different types of bait available to fisherman.  There is insect bait as well as reptile or amphibian bait and fish bait.  Minnow bait is one of the most popular types of bait, both natural and artificial in creation.  Natural minnow fishing is sometimes discouraged because of the risk of contamination.  However, artificial minnow fishing is quite popular—it has become the standard for many fishing tournaments.

What are some types of fish known to be attracted to minnow bait?  Some of the most notable types include bowfin, crappie, gar, perch, pickerel and rock boss.  Chub, golden shiner, fathead minnow and blunt nose minnow are especially well-regarded because of their ability to attract northern pike fish, bass, pan fish and walleyes.

Of course using live or dead minnow bait is not always the preference of fishermen and women.  Therefore, many embrace the Banjo minnow fishing system.  Fishing with Banjo involves using an artificial bait fish called the Banjo Minnow. 

This minnow is specially designed to look like a real fish and move like a real fish.  With certain casting motions, this artificial minnow can create spastic movements which look to other fish like a waiting prey. 

If you want to improve your fishing abilities then consider using Banjo minnow lures.  It’s healthier than using natural bait to you and the sea.  Plus, it gets fast results!

To read more go to www.banjominnowlures.com

I used this strategy to win Angler of the Year and Runner up Angler of the year in Wisconsin. I just retired from the Navy and had paid my rent six months in advance. Truck and boat paid for. It was May and time to go fishing. I military for 20 years. I never had the opportunity to truly commit to a season like this one in 2004.

First, I developed my schedule. I belonged to the Salem Bass masters in Wisconsin and wanted to purse the top spot in the club. I fished as a non-boater for most of my time. I bought a Bass Tracker 17 with a 40hp motor from another member in the club. I never have been a good back seat fisherman. This year was going to be different.

Having the smaller boat than most in the club. It was really important to have a great tournament strategy. My son was out of school and he could help me with the baits, colors and things to try and find bass.

I bought a book of lake maps for all the lakes we were going to fish. I got the contour's and layout of the lakes. Helped with Navigation and with the fish finding.

Most importantly now, we could fish the lakes a week prior to off limits. So I would schedule my practice time as close as I could during these times. Sometimes hitting the same lake 3 and 4 times to find what I call sweet spots. Spots that actually hold fish.

I am a firm believer that 90% of the lake does not hold fish. So I set out on a quest of finding area's that had fish. Pull one or two fish from a spot and leave it alone but mark it on my map for tournament day.

I did this for every lake and river we fished.

I also made sure I found a starting spot that was near the launch ramp. Whether I fished it first or not. This gave me a distinct advantage. Time with a wet bait while the boys with the big boats ran all over. I estimated if I fished close. Kept my boat off plane as much as possible. I would gain one hour fishing time with my line wet on the competition. Also it gave me a place to fish prior to weigh in.

By having 3 or 4 spots that I knew held fish, I truly was able to keep my running time to a minimum.

I think the tournament director caught on to my strategy. My first location was near the launch ramp. For about 300 yards was a no wake zone into the main lake. So, they decided to idle out to the main lake for launch. Serious curve ball. Adapt and overcome.

Luckily I had drawn a early boater position. I think it was three. My second spot was less than 100 yards from where we actually had blast off. Now, I had been to that second spot at about noon time with my son. We saw a giant bass and plenty of fertile grass. I hit plane and idled right down on the bank I needed to fish. Within the first 10 casts I had a 5lb largemouth bass and a 2.5 largemouth bass in the boat. My non-boater did also.

After the morning bite wore off which wasnt very long. We went back up the canal to my original starting spot. I pulled in one bass for another 2.5 lbs.

We hit 2 other spots that I had discovered during my pre-fishing but I came up quite empty and so did my non-boater partner.

We came to weigh in and I was seriously concerned. I only had 3 fish and 3 others were rumored to have limits of 5 fish.

Luckily all the 5 fish limits were at the limit and very small. Second place was 5 fish at 7.33 lbs. Mine was 9.99 lbs. Big fish and 1st place cash.

The spots that hold the fish will always hold the fish. Having marked 3 or 4 spots that I knew had fish always kept me confident and in the fishing zone.

We had no need to search for fish. We had spots that were camped out on by us. Keeping our line wet and knowing fish were abound.

I repeated this success for all of the tournaments. Find those hot spots that you know that hold fish. Never search for fish in a tournament. If they are not biting for you. They are probably not biting for them. If your in one of your spots and they turn on for that 5 minutes. It may be the tournament strategy you need. Your on fish constantly.

The small boat limitation also works for the Bass Cadillac's. Try and see if you can pinpoint your bass locations and show your competition how it is done. Never leave fish to find fish. Happy Angling.

Mark Duane

Imagine a bright sunny day outside with blue skies.  It's 80 degrees and there is no wind.  It's quite possibly the most beautiful day of the year.  You are taking a walk through your yard but notice that the kids are not outside playing.

Inside, the Playstation 3 is on and the eyes of your children are locked on the tv screen.  One of the 2 playing is so intensly into it that he doesn't even realize his tongue is slightly sticking out the side of his mouth.

This situation is unacceptable, but happens many times throughout the summer.  We live in Minnesota and you just don't get this many beautiful days.  You can't waste them when they come.  I do have a solution for this problem.

Go out to the shed and get the fishing rods and the tackle box.  Bring them into the living room right in front of where the kids are playing their video games.  Don't say anything to them.  You won't have to.  Just start working on your rod, getting ready to go.

If they see it, they will come!

Kids nowadays are action junkies.  They are on the internet, doing homework, listening to music, chatting with their friends and probably playing a game all at the same time.  When they aren't on the Internet, they usually have schedules that constantly keep them going.  Sitting still and being patient is as foreign to them as being dropped off on an alien planet is to you.

So, when you take the kids fishing, you have to be careful you don't ruin the activity for them.  You can't just have them sitting on the lake with a bobber, going for that big lunker.  Sometimes it takes days to get that lunker to bite.  The kids won't last an hour.

My solution is simple.  You have to get them on a breed of fish that will bite consistantly and keep the action going.  Some dads will put the kids on a bunch of sunfish while others will choose perch.  They can work for younger kids, but not always for the older ones.  Those fish are too small.

The fish I choose to go after many times is probably one of the most discriminated against fish.  It's the kinda fish that you even mention it's name and people look away in disgust.  You just mention the name of this fish and people will respond with, "I hate those things."  The fish I choose quite often to go after with the kids is the bullhead.

Why do people hate them so much? 

"They're ugly." 

I don't catch fish to take out on a date.  I catch them to have fun and eat.

"You can't eat them."

Oh yes you can.  They are very tasty.

"They bite!"

So do northerns, walleyes and 2-year-olds if you put your fingers in their mouths.

"They poke you."

They can't poke you if you handle them right.

Fishing for bullheads is one of my favorite things do it with the kids because of the ease of it.  Sure, a hole of walleyes is fun to get on but you need a boat for that.  You can get on a hole of bullheads from the shoreline or dock.  There is no hauling the boat around, getting it in the water and loading it up with gas.

You don't really have to outsmart bullheads with fancy lures either.  Take the kids out one rainy day/night and collect nightcrawlers/worms.  That's a fun activity in itself and it's all you really need to catch them.  You can't get any cheaper than nightcrawlers from the backyard.  Bullheads will bite on most baits, but nightcrawlers work just as good as anything.

When fishing for bullheads I use a simple set-up.  All you need is a floater and a sinker.  That's it.  I usually put the sinker about 9 inches to a foot up the line.  You are going to want to experiment when you get to your bullhead hole on how big of a hook and how far up your sinker will go.  Obviously the bigger hooks will be better if there are bigger bullheads around.

Ok, as for technique, you are going to simply want to just cast your line out and leave it alone.  The sinkers will take it to the bottom and the floater will keep it up off the bottom slightly.  The bullheads usually won't hit it hard.  You will just notice your line slowly starting to swim around.  YOU GOT ONE! Now set the hook and enjoy the kids' faces when you pull up that big monster.

Usually, where there is one bullhead, there are many.  Once you catch one, you know you are on them, but as a dad, you have to be prepared.  You aren't going to get to fish much yourself.  The bullheads will be biting left and right and the younger kids aren't going to be able to handle the bullheads.

I have had many friends (adults) that can't handle bullheads.  I've seen full grown men scream like little school girls when they catch one.  I've seen many others step on them and break the fish a little bit and then throw them back. This is all unnecessary. 

Handling bullheads is actually pretty easy.  You will want to grab the bullhead by it's belly and slide your thumb and last two fingers up holding the "pokies" (as my daughter likes to call them) out.  Then take your first two fingers and rap them around the head of the bullhead.  If you can grab the floater with your fingers it's easy.  If you can't, you will want a needle nose pliers to get your hook out.  Don't go sticking your fingers in the bullheads mouth or you will be screaming like a school girl too.

Cleaning bullheads is easy, which is another reason why I love catching them.  Before you start catching them, have a board you can use to clean them, ready to go.  Pound a nail through the bottom end of it so that the sharp point comes out quite a ways through the top.  Do it at an angle so that when you put the fish on the nail it won't come off so easily.

Once you are ready to start cleaning the bullhead and you have your board ready, cut the skin right below the bullheads head all the way around.  Slam the bullheads head on the nail.  Take your pliers and rip the skin right off of it.  It should come off quick and easy.  Then cut the head off.  Cut out the "pokies" next and gut the fish.  Some people leave the tail fin on.  I cut that out too.  Then it's ready to cook!

Yesterday the kids, a friend of the kids and I all went bullhead fishing.  It was a day of no fighting amongst the kids and many laughs and smiles.  Today for lunch, we eat the fish.

In the, "who caught the most fishing contest", my 11 year old son bested me by catching 43 fish while I only caught 40.  I was ok losing because yesterday, for 3 hours, my kids were outside in the sun, away from the computer and video games, spending time with dad fishing. 

By Derek of The Sportmeisters

As the fantasy guru of the Sportmeisters, it’s my job to do research on fantasy sports and the players that participate in them. However, Ryan and I came across something while watching the Andy Roddick vs. Roger Federer Wimbledon final. We got in the discussion of how far fantasy sports have come and Ryan told me something that I couldn’t believe. He told me he saw a television promotion for Fantasy Cycling, highlighting the Tour de France.

Now, I couldn’t believe it, but he assured me it was true so I went and researched and, lo and behold, I found some fantasy sports that I couldn’t believe. I understand mainstream sports having a fantasy alter ego, like Football, Baseball, Basketball, and Hockey.

But Fantasy Cycling, Golf, Tennis, Soccer, Fishing, and Auto Racing? Have we fantasy experts taken the art of fantasy sports too far? I mean, Fantasy Fishing? Come On!

I don’t even understand how you would score something like that. Having to pick players or competitors in sports where the top ones are most widely known in makes no sense to have in fantasy. I mean, if everyone chooses Tiger Woods for their Fantasy Golf team, where’s the competition? Or, if everyone takes Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, or Venus or Serena Williams, how do you tell who wins?

Besides, who else in fantasy Golf or Tennis would be worth drafting and/or using? Those players win just about every time. Picking out sleepers and creating teams based on randomly placed brackets and foursomes is impossible!

I’ve heard rumors of Fantasy Movies and Fantasy Television shows, led by the famous Talented Mister Romo, Matthew Berry. ESPN’s Bill Simmons once created a US Weekly fantasy league.

Outside of sports, fantasy is becoming way too mainstream. In what was once a sport designed to give the armchair GM’s around the world their “shot,” has quickly multiplied into a multi-million dollar industry that takes away from the game, and now, sullies strong international competition for the top individual prizes in cycling, golf, and tennis. Seriously, how long until the Fantasy Olympics start?

I understand that with sports like Football and Baseball there are enough players that no two teams have the same players and, thanks to ESPN and Yahoo, we all know who they are, as well as have actual competition where the same people don’t win every time. There is a percentage of luck drawn in. Look, as much as I love fantasy sports, and as important as it has made my Sportmeisters career, there are just some sports that aren’t designed for fantasy.

I mean, even the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) had a fantasy game at one point. If that’s not taking things too far, I don’t know what is. Well…I guess fantasy cycling and fishing would be taking things too far also, but isn’t that my point? So please, ESPN, Yahoo, and all other fantasy sites out there, rethink your fantasy game ideas before you launch them and answer me this…have we taken fantasy sports too far?