Fishing

For those who missed it, gas prices jumped considerably during the past week. July 4th is tomorrow, we fuel-guzzling Americans know all too well what that means.

However, before you start hyperventilating or popping some Paxil, just remember that it could be worse. Much worse.

You see, Exxon and Chevron have nothing on Mike’s Bait Shop.

Mike’s provides live bait to be sold at convenience stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and other eastern states. Obviously, if you are shopping at a convenience store you aren’t shopping for value, but for the convenience of not having to run the extra five miles to a larger store. For that convenience, you expect to pay a little extra for your loaf of bread, gallon of milk, or Snickers bar.

But paying $3.89 for a dozen Canadian nightcrawlers is just plain ridiculous, no matter where you buy them. You can buy one gallon of milk, one-and-a-half gallons of gas, or three loaves of bread for the same price as 12 worms.

However, that’s only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. According to various online sources, the average nightcrawler weighs approximately one gram. (Seems a little light for a nightcrawler, but who am I to question information found on the internet?) So, for $3.89, you get 12 grams of worm.

That converts to $9.20 an ounce, or $147.14 per pound of nightcrawler.

That may be short of the gold standard (currently $913 per ounce of gold), yet nightcrawlers, at $9.20 an ounce, rank up with plenty of other high-end products.

Silver right now is selling for $14 an ounce. Ritzy perfume Chanel No. 5 can be found for sale online for $11 an ounce. High-end pure maple syrup sells for 57 cents an ounce. Whitefish caviar sells for $6.75 an ounce. Black Truffle Puree sells for $13.71 an ounce.

Pretty disturbing, especially if you’ve driven on a local rural road at night during a soaking rainstorm. During the 20-mile drive home from work the other night, I must have killed well over $1,000 worth of worms.

At least fuel prices aren’t as unbearable as they were last year. Goodbye gas-gouging, hello worm-gouging.

Who is confronting the live bait industry? Who’s protecting us small-time, procrastinating fishermen who forget the bucket of garden worms at home and swing into the Turkey Hill on the way to the trout stream?

Of course, the only real solution is to take matters into our own, individual hands. Buying your worms in bulk drops the price considerably. Taking a little time in the backyard with a shovel helps out even more.

While roto-tilling our garden this spring, and taking care of a septic problem, we made an extra effort at the Zaktansky homestead to harvest the worms we found while digging. They currently live in a neat styrofoam worm habitat my wife purchased for me two years ago.

There are plenty of alternative live bait options online. For those who like fishing with waxworms, which is my bait of choice for trout fishing, there is a waxworm breeder kit for $24.95 at www.waxwormkit.com. According to information at that site, you can use the kit to raise “hundreds—even thousands” of waxworms.

Not only does this sound like a neat family project (yes, to some of us raising little white worms that resemble maggots can be considered neat), but it is a good investment. At the convenience store, two dozen waxworms are $3.89. That means for the same price of a waxworm breeding kit, you would only get six containers—or 144 waxworms.

No matter how you personally deal with the treacherous economics surrounding live bait buying, there are two lessons here. Some pre-planning, getting back to basics, and doing more for yourself isn’t just a smart way to prepare for a fishing trip, but also makes a wise lifestyle choice for those trying to tackle bigger economic situations.

And the other lesson?

If a pound of nightcrawlers costs $147.14, just imagine how much you are worth!

F - friend

A - available

T - trust

H - helpful

E - expert

R - respect

The memory of my father is a precious memory of a man

who was my friend

who was available and always there for me

who was a man I trusted

who was always helpful when I had difficulties

who was an expert on everything

who was a man that I respected

One of my father's favorite sport was golf. When I was a child, I would play with his golf clubs, looking at the shapes and wondering about the function of each club.

Fishing was another favorite sport of my father. He and his buddies owned a boat. They would go out somewhere near Galveston, Texas and fish with rods. Sometimes they would use a net, throw it out, and drag in fish.

One time my father made his own large net. He wove it and it became so large it almost filled the floor of our living room area. As a child, I watched him weave a pattern and tie knots in certain places. As I recall, some weights were put on the edges of the finished net.

Dad and his friends practiced the art of throwing the net out into the water. As a young girl it was so much fun to watch them enjoy fishing. 

Sometimes, Dad and his friend would bring a grill, light a fire, and fry the fish on the banks of Galveston Bay.

The taste of that fresh fried fish was just wonderful.

Remembering my father is a healing experience as I grow older. My mother was great, too. Dad, however, was the athletic and outgoing parent.

The strength and wisdom I have today is due to the nurture of a good father.

Every little girl and little boy needs a nurturing father who is a friend, who is available, who is trustworthy, who is helpful, who is a child's expert, and who is someone the child can respect.

I loved my Daddy.  I love the memories of him.

Happy Father's Day!

Dedicated to Pastor Edsel Warren, Mr. Forest Cook, Mr. Rayfield Grimmett, Pastor T. Jones, Pastor C. L. Jackson, Mr. W. Wells, Mr. R. Whitlow, and others.

For better or worse, for richer or poorer. I think fishermen should know these vows, married or not.

I was fortunate enough to take a vacation last week and visited my wife’s side of the family out in California. We were there for a wedding, congratulations Shannon and Javier, and my future brother-in-law planned to rent a pontoon and take everyone out for a day on the lake.

The weather was better than it had been but was too cold to go swimming. I found myself getting chilled when the sun ducked behind the clouds. We headed across the lake near where the river fed the lake. Evidently rented boats don’t utilize anchors so we drifted the pontoon to shore and climbed out onto the rocks to try our luck for a few rainbows.

Drew described the lake as a decent fishery but not spectacular. Fish and Game regularly stocked the lake and had just stocked it the week before. This meant that there should be 800 more 9″-11″ fish swimming around and that was what he was used to catching.

I shipped some of my fishing gear the week prior but had not planned on trout fishing much. Instead, I was set up to tackle bass on New Melones Reservoir.

I looked through my hard bait selection and came up with one decent option. A Bass Pro Shops brand spoon that is no longer in production to my knowledge. It’s a simple shad type pattern, black top, silver side, red throat, and a silver backside. It was a bit over-sized but it was the best I had in my box, so naturally I decided to give it a try.

I climbed out on the rocks and looked for a spot. The wind was creating some mild waves and I tucked into a small bay surrounded by massive boulders. I began throwing my spoon and almost instantly I had a hit.

No hook-up though, so I slowed my retrieve. Another bump and another bump. The slow retrieve was getting attention but no hook-ups.

“Maybe the fish are too small for this larger spoon offering”, I thought to myself.

I decided to stick with it and I sped up my retrieve to a medium speed and threw in a few erratic jerks immediately after it hit the water. Steady medium speed, all the way in. Bam. Hook-up!

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Location, location, location right? Well not exactly.

If you want to get after big bass then it's about more than location. You have to have the right tools to get the job done. The truth about big bass is they are either out in the open and don't like to bite, or they are feeding in a forest of weeds and muck.

There's a reason big bass get big, they stay out of range, eat well, and survive longer. Big bass are in every lake, very rarely are there not big bass in a water system that contains bass. There may be more or less but they are there.

Many of the biggest bass I've caught have come from places where it didn't look like there was enough room for a fish to hide. Areas of sometimes less than 18" of water, full of weeds, wood, and junk.

In order to get to these fish it takes something more than your average mono filament line. You have to step it up.

To get to these fish requires patience as the fishing can be very slow and it requires presentations that match the slow speed. This type of fishing requires soft plastics, tough line, and plenty of weight.

So what are the things I need exactly? Well luckily that's what this article is all about.

If you want to probe the watery jungles for big bass then you have to bulk up your gear. Start with a 7' or longer, medium action rod with fast action,it an be spinning or casting. I prefer spinning gear which goes a little against the grain, just a preference for me. This kind of fishing is somewhere between vertical jigging and flipping so either will do.

Attach a a larger reel, something with fast line recovery. For spinning gear use a 4000 series reel. The idea is to have something that can rip the fish right out of the cover. You don't want anything that allows the fish to dig down into the cover. Get them up fast and keep them on top all the way to the boat.

The line is probably the most important selection. It can vary depending on just how thick the cover is. You want a braided line, Fire Line, Power Pro, or Stren Super Braid are some examples of good braids. I typically will rig up 30 lb. test Power Pro for jungle fishing. The use of 65 lb. braid is not uncommon in fishing tournaments. The 30 lb. Power Pro is the same diameter as 8 lb. mono filament. The size of the line is irrelevant to the fish for the most part, blending in to the surroundings quite easily. I would stick with dark colors, grey or green, for example, will blend in much better than gold or red line.

For knots I would stick with a Palomar Knot. It is very simple to tie and tests out with enormous strength. Here is a link that can help you tie a Palomar Knot.

So now you have the gear, time to bait it up. This is the fun part. For fishing in thick cover you need a few important things.

First, you need to use a rig that is weedless. Texas Rigs are my favorite, they are easy to work with and provide a quick change option. They resist weeds and snags very well. I would strongly recommend using a wide gap worm hook. These hooks can be pushed all the way through the plastic with the tip being flush or even slightly re-inserted back into the plastic. This holds the plastic in place better and allows for slightly better hook sets.

For working holes in vegetation you can dry a drop shot rig or a jig as well, just remember that you WILL have to clean things off between casts.

Second, you will need weight. As you saw in the Texas Rig images a bullet weight is often used. It wicks off weeds and slides through the water. There are multiple types of bullet weights. If you really want to get into the thick stuff you should look at going with Tungsten weights. They offer considerably more weight than lead in the same size. They also come in more colors and do not get dents like soft lead weights.

Third, the lure. Soft plastics come in all shapes and sizes. Tubes, Worms, Creature Baits, Minnow Mimics, and many more options are available. For another look into some of the top Bass Fishing Baits on the market today check out this slide show about the Top 10 Bass Fishing lures for 2009. A good general rule is that bigger baits catch bigger fish. It's not always true but there is some truth to it.

Last, you need patience. It takes many casts to catch big fish. It takes a methodical approach and presentation. You have to work slowly and remember to pause when a fish takes the lure. Make sure it has it and then try to rip it out of its mouth. This drives the hook home and lifts the fish out of the weeds before it can respond.

The picture at the top is of a spring bass over six pounds caught in my home state of Michigan. It was caught on a Zoom Super Hog in Neon Flash, Texas Rigged with a 3/8 oz. Tungsten Weight and a 4/0 Eagle Claw Wide Gap Worm Hook.

Check out my Website for more info and articles. I am building a discussion board so join in on the fun.

""Excuse me, I said. I thought you were a trout stream."
"I'm not, she said."
— Richard Brautigan (Trout Fishing in America)

The Zen-like experience of fly-fishing can be experienced by other fishermen and non-anglers, too, of course. Here's my guide to fishing in Ontario.

With this year's trout fishing season set to open in about two weeks, it's time to get out the tackle, find your waders and head for the stream. Maybe you are thinking of getting into the kayak craze.

A kayak let's you get into remote hot spots no other angler can reach.

Springtime in Canada can be a wild time in the outdoors, with winter slowly giving way to longer days and warmer weather. For trout fishing enthusiasts, that often means dealing with hazards, from lingering ice to cranky bears emerging from their dens.

Many trout waters are most productive right at ice-out, but you need to be extra cautious about lingering ice and be ready for a challenge.

When a large portion of the waterbody is still covered in ice, or chunks are still floating around, vertical fishing with a jig may be your only option, since casting and trolling will be too difficult.

Use a stable boat and avoid heavily iced areas. When wading this time of year, keeping an eye out for fast, high water, as well as chunks of ice.

There are many types of trout to fish for in Ontario. Our lakes are teeming with both Lake Trout and Brook (Speckled) Trout.

Lake trout like the cold, dark depths of deep lakes. The bigger lakers in the region can exceed 30 pounds.

Community activists are giving the Ontario government low marks for its response to a series of attacks on Asian anglers since 2007. A number of Asians had been harassed by people demanding to see their fishing permits and inspect their catch, resulting in some anglers being pushed into the water or attacked in other ways.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission released its final report on the Inquiry into Assaults on Asian Canadian Anglers. Entitled Fishing without Fear: Follow-up report on the Inquiry into Assaults on Asian Canadian Anglers.

Those warnings and that controversy aside, here's my top 10 list.

1. The lakes and rivers around Tweed, north of Belleville, beside The Zen Forest, are famous for muskies, but the trout fishing is also good.

In 1996 the town made news when it applied for a CFL team, in an attempt to become the Green Bay of Canada. Had the attempt been successful, the team would have been known as the Tweed Muskies.

Tweed is also known for some good swimming and awesome fishing spots. Lake Stoco, which borders the town, is home to the popular sport-fish, the muskellunge or Muskie

Perry's Tackle Wholesale Distributor - Perry's Tackle is a Canadian distributor of wholesale tackle located in Tweed, Ontario.

I don't know if the Zen Forest Retreat is open. It appears to have disappeared. I can't find it on-line and a machine takes phone messages.

2. Lake Scugog, pronounced skew-gawg, beside Port Perry, is a man-made lake.  The old river bed is marked by buoys.

The lake is shallow and the waters are murky and very weedy. The dark waters are a perfect home for the elusive walleye.

3. My favorite fishing hole is the Muskoka River, around Bracebridge. It has the most waterfalls of any municipality in the world.

Fishing here is focused on smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye, on Lake Muskoka, Rosseacuh, Lake of Bays, and Lake Joseph, as well as the Muskoka River.

4. Owen Sound is Salmon Fishing City but it's good for trout fishing, too. This part of Georgian Bay is very deep, cold and clean, making our tasty fish 100 percent edible.

The Sound is sheltered from prevailing winds and the waters over Owen Sound are remarkable for several reasons.

Lake Effect Snow with 80 inches of snow and long, long weeks of dull gray weather doesn’t deter salmon anglers on Owen Sound.

To combat the Great Gray Funk (or the Seasonal Affective Disorder) lots of locals go salmon fishing. There are heavy runs of salmon and trout.

5. Lake Huron: The top 25 fish in last year’s CFPS Chantry Chinook Classic on the east end of Lake Huron weighed in at more than 22 pounds each, with the largest tipping the scales at 26.08 pounds.

There's over 90 miles of shoreline on the east side of Lake Huron. Off Sauble Beach, a runs of five to six miles is required.

6. The Almaguin Highlands, north of Muskoka, in the Near North of Ontario has been ranked by many as one of the top 10 places to fish in Canada.

There is a series of lakes that stretch for miles giving you a hundred miles of shoreline with great fishing spots. Six-pound small mouth bass are not uncommon here.

Almaguin Highlands has hundreds of lakes, rivers and streams is probably one of the most overlooked in Ontario for its quality sport fishing

7. Lake Nipissing, north of the Almaguin Highlands, is the fifth-largest lake in Ontario. It is relatively shallow for a large lake, with an average depth of only 4.5 m (14.8 ft).

The little city of North Bay sits along the lake's northeastern shoreline. The lake has over 40 different species of fish.

Most anglers target walleye, smallmouth bass, muskie, and northern pike.

8. Lake Ontario: Held each summer on Lake Ontario, the Great Ontario Salmon Hunt is Canada’s largest tournament.

Last year approximately 14,000 anglers vied to be the first to reel in a specially tagged salmon worth $1 million.

The biggest fish caught during last year’s 50-day event, meanwhile, was a tournament record: a 46.38-pound chinook.

The most popular harbours are Bronte, Port Credit, Bluffers Park (Scarborough), Oshawa, Port Hope, and Wellington.

9. Fishing in the nation's largest urban centre may sound strange but there are lots of places to go fishing in Toronto.

Tournament-worthy smallmouth bass surround the Toronto Islands. There are pike in Toronto harbour.

Big carp haunting the Humber River marsh in the west end and in G. Ross Lord Park.

The Rouge River is known for perch. So is Tommy Thompson Park (Leslie Spit) in the inner lagoon just after ice-out.

10. Lake Simcoe, off Jackson's Point and out from Willow Rocks, in water between 65-75 feet deep, is very popular. You'll see a flotilla of boats.

P.S. I haven't been fishing for decades but I've been to all of the above places, over the years, for the Zen experience of fishing. I've kayaked and canoed in these places and eaten trout or salmon from the northern spots.

There are many great fisheries to find success in the state of Maryland.  Obviously with only a top five, many will be left off.  I am somewhat of a new resident to this state so if your favorite spot doesn't make it on the list, please tell me what it is and why in your comments.

These are in no particular order, but all offer a great outdoor experience.

Savage River/Reservoir

Located in western Maryland's Garrett County, this river/reservoir has a load of fishing opportunities.  Below the reservoir is a fly fisherman's dream. The Savage River has year round bait and creel limit restrictions due to the amount of wild Brook and Brown Trout that can be caught here.

It is considered a trophy area because of the wild trout populations. A population study conducted on this four mile stretch from the dam to the Potomac River in 2002 revealed an estimated 1,000 wild trout per mile. 

Not to leave out the reservoir, it owns the state record for Rainbow Trout, a lunker weighing in at 14lbs. 3oz.

Deep Creek Lake

This very popular lake offers 3,800 acres of fisherman's playground.  It also holds two state records; Blue Gill and Northern Pike.  Many species of fish are found in this lake, everything from Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Yellow Perch, Rainbow, and Brown Trout, and everything in between.

Whether your on a weekend get-a-way or a week long vacation, Deep Creek Lake offers all the opportunities for a great fishing trip. This is the largest fresh water lake in Maryland, and is located in the northwest corner of the state.

Liberty Reservoir

Located in and supplies Baltimore County with fresh water supply.  This 3,100 acre lake offers a striper fisherman a chance at 40+ pound fish.  Stocking of Striped Bass began in the early eighties, and are now naturally reproducing in the lake.  Also White Crappie and the Bass species often reach trophy size. 

A major factor in this impoundment staying a great fishery is the restriction of no gas powered motors on the lake. Also one must obtain a permit from the city to launch a boat, as well as sign an affidavit that they will only use the boat on Liberty, Loch Raven, and Pretty Boy Reservoirs.

Zebra Mussels are the cause of such caution and will take over a body of water when introduced. These restrictions only help the future of fishing in these waters.

Potomac River

This river flows from western Maryland, bordering West Virginia, through Virginia and dumps into the Chesapeake Bay.  I'll get to the bay a little later.  The Potomac offers a great fishing experience to citizens from three different states everyday.

My family has a private boat dock at a fish and game club located close to home. So I have fished this river in a few areas numerous times.  It offers great Smallmouth Bass fishing as well as a variety of other warm water fishes.

The North Branch of this river offers some of the best trout fishing in the state.  Some put-and-take areas as well as catch and release.  The area below the Jennings Randolph Lake is known to hold and produce natural reproduction of all trout species. 

The North Branch of the Potomac River holds the state record for Brown, Brook, and Cutthroat Trout.

Chesapeake Bay

Maryland, being a coastal state also offers salt water fishing.  No Maryland list could be complete without having the bay on this list.

Some of the more popular species in the bay are; Rock fish, Black Drum, Flounder, Gray Trout, Croacker, and Bluefish. With the coast being a top vacation area, one could take the family on a day trip on one of the many charter fishing boats.

The Chesapeake Bay has really been cleaned up due in large part to the environmental regulations put in place in the vast tributaries of the bay.  Also in tidal waters of Maryland a fisherman must have a special permit to fish, but this is readily available in local tackle shops in coastal areas.

There are so many more great fishing locations throughout the state. My favorite, Town Creek, didn't make the list because of its location and accessibility.  I recently caught and released 18 trout in about four hours. What a day!

Support the local tackle shops wherever you fish.  These are more often than not the places to gain a little more information that can turn a pretty good day fishing, into a great day.

If you can, take a child fishing so they too can enjoy the outdoors.  Always remember, no matter what the endeavor, safety above all else!

So the famous statement holds true: "A bad day of fishin' is better than a good day of work" (author unknown).

When I think of fishing, a few things come to mind. It's not a hobby; it's a lifestyle. Like anything else in life, you have to love it. If you go out the first day of the season and then call it a year—don't call yourself a fisherman.

One last thing comes to mind when I think of fishing. The Chinese proverb that states "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

Throughout this article, I will fill you in on the "hot spots" in Pennsylvania. The list consists of the top 10 fishing locations through the entire state, ranging from creeks to lakes to rivers.

10. Wiconisco Creek

The Wiconisco Creek is located in Central Pennsylvania, approximately 20 miles north of Harrisburg, flowing over 42 miles long. The creeks watershed covers nearly 116 miles throughout Dauphin and Schuykill counties. The creek covers 11 different townships and seven different towns throughout its entire flow.

The Wiconisco Creek ends in Millersburg, PA where it enters into the Susquehanna River. In 2003, the Wic Creek was the most stocked creek throughout the entire state of Pennsylvania. The Wiconisco Creek is stocked with numerous amounts of beautiful trout. These trout consist of rainbow, brown, brook, and palomino.

9. Slate Run

Slate Run ranks among one of the best trout fishing streams in all of Pennsylvania. The creek is located in the North Central part of the state. Slate Run is known for it's significant mixture of pools, pockets, riffles, and runs that are stocked with a large mass of trout. The creek is known mainly for it's clear water and great fly fishing. The Slate is stocked with rainbow, brown, brook, palomino, and tiger trout.

8. Youghiogheny River

The Youghiogheny River is referred by many as the "Yuck waters."  The river is located in the Southern western part of the state and ranks among the top trout fishing waters. 

Although the Yuck is known for its trout, there are many other fish that roam the waters consisting of walleye, saugers, small and largemouth bass, along with spotted bass. The Youghiogheny River held the Bass Master Classic in 2005. The Yuck is best fished starting in late spring.

7. Penns Creek

The Penn is located in State College, Pennsylvania. Penns Creek was voted in the "America's Top 100 Trout Steams" this past year and continues to be publicized due to it's great fishing. The major why this creek is so popular is it's large Green Drake hatch May through June.

The Penn is known for its inconsistent waters ranging from still to some of the most rapid moving waters in the entire state. Penns Creek ranks among the very top in fly fishing within the state of Pennsylvania. Penns Creek is swarmed with numerous amounts of trophy sized trout.

6. Ohio River

The Ohio River is considered the best catfishing waters through the state of Pennsylvania. The river's rapid moving water is accompanied by stretches are still areas. The most frequent catfish caught in the Ohio are the flathead and channel catfish.

A number of fisherman have ranked the Ohio the rest fishing in PA, not only because of the quality fish, but the quantity. Besides the catfish, the Ohio provides other great fishing opportunities with other fish consisting of trophy sized striper, crappy, smallmouth bass, and much more.

5. Monongahela River

The Monongahela River is considered one of the "Big Three" Rivers in Pennsylvania. The river is located in the south western part of the state and flows nearly 128 miles. Until this most recent decade, the "Mon" was no where near the tops of fishing in PA. In fact, many believed that the great fishing had faded away completely.

Over the next few years, the "Mon" improved greatly because of treatment facility upgrades. Now, the Monongahela ranks as one of the best Sauger fishing areas in the entire state. With the improvements of the "Mon" over the years, it is now known for it's smallmouth bass, pike, walleye, and much more.

4. Kinzua Dam

The Kinzua Dam is located in Warren County, Pennsylvania and ranks among one of the largest Dams in the entire United States. The dam was opened in 1965, and has been heavily fished ever since.

For many who don't know, the word Kinzua actually means fish. When many say the Kinzua is loaded with fish, that is not an understatement. The Dam is filled with mass amounts of trout consisting of rainbow, brown, brook, tiger, palomino, and hybrid. Not only is the Kinzua known for it's trout fishing, but its exceptional musky, northern pike, and walleye.

3. Lake Raystown

Raystown was voted the second-ranked Lake for fishing throughout the entire state of Pennsylvania. The Lake is located in Entriken, right outside the central part of the state. Raystown Lake is accompanied by a numerous amount of guide services, tackle recommendations, and tournaments. It's also filled a massive amount of trophy fish.

The Lake is filled enormous catfish andcarp, along with several different types of bass such as striped, rock, small and largemouth. Raystown is also known for its great trout fishing with a number of rainbow, brown and lake trout. Atlantic salmon, crappy, bluegill, panfish, yellow and white perch, andsmelt can also be found in Raystown Lake.

2. Susquehanna River

Arguably the top fishing location in the entire state of Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna flows approximately 444 miles long running through the states of PA, Maryland, and New York. The Susquehanna is the largest river on the East Coast, and ranks as the 16th largest in the entire United States. The Susquehanna is connected to many well-known bodies of water such as the Chesapeake Lake Bay, Otsego Lake, and the Wiconisco Creek (No. 10).

The Susquehanna River can be fished at it's best through private tour guides. Two of the best tour guides in the state consist of Tony and Anthony Sissero. The Susquehanna is well-known for it's large mass of smallmouthbass. The 'Hanna is also filled with a great deal of walleye, catfish, and smaller panfish. Other fish consisting of musky, northern pike, pickerel, American shad, and much more are found within the bases of the river. Due to the smooth flowing water of the Susquehanna and it's large population of fish, the Susquehanna ranks among the top of rivers in PA.

1. Lake Erie

As you may have assumed, Lake Erie ranks at the top of the charts for the best fishing location in Pennsylvania. Being one of the five Great Lakes, it is obvious why Erie has earned this honor.

Lake Erie is connected to Detroit and Niagara Rivers. The Lake itself is over 220 miles long, one of the largest lakes in the United States. As for fishing, Erie is one of the largest freshwater fisheries in the United States as well. The Lake is swamped with walleye and yellow perch.

Lake Erie is highly targeted for it's great steelhead fishing as well. Lake Erie is also known for its well-rounded amount of salmon that surround the waters of Erie and it's consistent fishing of smallmouth bass. The number of fish species in the waters of Lake Erie are countless and that's why Erie is considered the fishing capitol of Pennsylvania.

Bass fishing has become as much of a pastime as baseball in America these days, or so it would seem. Americans are very blessed to have so many locations to go find bass in every state in the Union except Alaska. Even Hawaii has seen Peacock Bass stocking efforts.

The state and local governments have created outstanding methods for managing both the health and population of bass in lakes and rivers all across the land. They have also allowed access to countless lakes and rivers, whether by boat or on foot.

With so many great locations, it can be overwhelming to decide where you should go. You may have a few favorite spots near your home, or you may be close to some of the big name bass waters. No matter where you are, with a little work, you can find a great place to fish.

The following list includes 25 of the best bass fishing waters in the continental United States. The lakes all have solid reputations and are well worth the trip. Largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, and peacock bass were all a consideration when adding these lakes to the list.

These lakes are in no particular order and all are worthy of your time in search of quality fish.

Texas is home to many incredible bass fisheries. Most notable are:

1. Falcon Lake
2. Lake Fork
3. Toledo Bend
4. Sam Rayburn Reservoir
5. Lake Amistad

Florida is also home to numerous big bass spots, including:

1. Lake Okeechobee
2. The Everglades
3. Lake George

Georgia checks in with:

1. Lake Lanier
2. Clark's Hill Lake

California, which has become the best place to look for record book fish, has:

1. Lake Amidor
2. Castaic Lake
3. Casitas Lake
4. The San Joaquin Delta
5. Lake Folsum
6. Clear Lake

Michigan has several good bass waters, especially for smallmouth bass, check out:

1. Lake St. Clair and River
   
2. Lake Erie and the Detroit River
   
3. Saginaw Bay and River Basin
4. Fletcher's Pond

Some other lakes to consider:

1. The Santee Cooper Reservoir in South Carolina
2. Lake Champlain in New York
3. Lake of the Woods in Minnesota
4. Pickwick Lake in Alabama
5. Bull Shoals in Arkansas
6. Lake Mead in Nevada
7. Lake Havasu in Arizona

There are many great bass fishing locations stretched across the country, all you need is an open mind and a fishing rod in your hand!

Michigan is known as a great state to go fishing year round. It contains more fresh water access than any other state and is home to a great diversity of species. As a result, spring fishing in Michigan offers one of the most rewarding fishing experiences an angler can hope to find.

Spring fishing is largely controlled by the spawn, which is largely controlled by changes in water temperature. Species such as walleye, salmon, crappie, white bass, steel head, and many more head to shallow waters to continue the cycle of life.

With so many options, good fishing is easy to find. There are a few places, however, that stand out:

The Detroit River

The Detroit River offers multiple different species in the spring. It is most famous for its massive spring walleye run and both trophies and limits of eating size fish can be harvested throughout the spring.

If walleye is your species of choice, then there is no finer destination in the world than the Detroit River.

The River also boasts a large white bass run as the walleye run winds down and provides an excellent opportunity for new and young anglers to try out the sport of fishing.

Sturgeon and muskie also inhabit the waters, though, and you never know what you might hook in to.

Lake St. Clair

Lake St. Clair connects to the Detroit River and offers many of the same species. It is a particularly great lake for spring small mouth, large mouth, and pan fish. Small mouth over five pounds are not uncommon, and three to four pound fish are caught regularly. Lake St. Clair has plenty of access and plenty of room to fish.

If you plan on fishing Lake St. Clair or the Detroit River, you may want to get a license in both Canada and Michigan so you don't limit your options.

Lake Erie and the Maumee River

Almost parallel to the southern border of Michigan, the Maumee River is home to one of the largest walleye runs in North America. It is a unique place to fish because you can wade into the water.

Parks around the town of Maumee provide excellent access. You need an Ohio license, but it is well worth it! Limits of quality walleye can be caught in as little as an hour.

Where the Maumee dumps into Lake Erie is another great spot to look for walleye, as they stage for the spring run and leave the river.

Perch fishing in and around bays and canals can be very productive in Lake Erie as well.

The Clinton River

The Clinton is a lesser known fishery that has seen a rebirth of sorts. Thanks to the DNR and private groups, such as the Clinton River Watershed Council, the Clinton River is quickly becoming a hot spot for local anglers to catch Steel Head and Salmon as they make spring runs.

Most of the fishing action starts at Yates Dam in Rochester and continues all the way to Lake St. Clair.

Walleye, pike, and even sturgeon are caught by salmon and trout anglers. There is good access with numerous park locations along the length of the river.

The Many Lakes in the Area

There are many parks and good access to lakes as a result in Southeast Michigan. Some good spots to try include the following:

Stony Creek Impoundment, located in Stoney Creek Metro Park.

Stony Creek Impoundment is best known for its spring crappie fishing. The numbers aren't huge, but the fish that are caught are often very large.

Kensington Lake, located in Kensington Metro Park.

Bass fishing can be outstanding on Kensington Lake in the spring. It is a quiet lake with no motors allowed, which makes for a peaceful fishing environment.

Cass Lake, access is from Dodge State park No. 4.

Cass lake offers one of the more diverse inland lake fishing experiences. It has impressive depth and many shallow back channels. Bass fishing, crappie fishing, and even walleye and trout can be found. Cass Lake is also home to good populations of both small mouth and large mouth bass.

Those are great places to start looking for a great day on the water, but they are not the only ones around, that's for sure!

If you still want some guidance on where to catch the fish of your dreams, then try visiting http://www.lakestclairfishing.com/home.html and book a trip with Bass Masters Elite Series Pro Jon Bondy. An unforgettable day on the water is sure to be found.

-David McClure is an independent writer located in Michigan. You can contact him @ DaveMc883@yahoo.com or by signing up to Bleacherreport.com.

-His profile can be viewed here: http://bleacherreport.com/users/85709-David-McClure