How to Predict Rain While Fishing

OK, you are out fishing and it starts to rain. Could you have anticipated it?  Here are some tips to be more aware of conditions leading to a rain storm.

First Things to Notice

What Effect Will Rain & Lightning Have on Fishing?

Watch animals in your area.  Are sea birds moving to shore and staying put?  In our area, thousands of seagulls leave the coast and gather on an old (closed) Walmart  parking lot.

Marine biologists believe fish have evolved to the point where they sense rain — or  at least weather changes!

The Effect of Humidity on Weather

As humidity rises, the chance of rain increases.  Watch airplanes as they pass overhead. Those with a vapor trail indicate high levels of moisture in the air.

The longer the vapor lasts, the higher the humidity and the closer rain is. If there is no vapor cloud after a jet, or it disappears quickly, then the moisture/humidity level is low and the weather is stable.

Predicting Rain at Night

Use the stars to predict rain!  The more the stars seem to twinkle, the higher the moisture content in the air!

When Rain Turns to Lightning

Science Daily (http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/1011-mysteries_of_thunderstorms.htm) indicates that lightning requires ice!  It’s so hot where I live, how on earth can there be ice in the atmosphere?

The ice they are talking about is VERY high up in the atmosphere. These pieces of ice can be positively (+) or negatively (-) charged. When these -’s and +’s collide, they build up a charge. Lightning is the release of the charge!

Since we cannot see how much ice is in the atmosphere when it is raining, it’s tough to be the angler-meteorologist  (weather person) to decide, “Will lightning start soon?  Should we go? or Can we stay?”

There are lots of factors in your decision.  Are you in a boat, far from shore?  Are you in a high, flat area, with no place to hide? Are you surrounded by trees?  All of these are good reasons to go home.

Unfortunately, a rod is an excellent conductor of electricity.You do not want to be holding it during a rain storm that turns to lightning!

Remember, smart anglers fish with one eye on their line and the other on the weather!

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Part 2: Fishing in Cloudy Waters

Murky Water Can Be Prime Fishing Time!

Marine biologists tell us that fish are more likely to feed in turbid (cloudy) waters. There are two main reasons for this.

Predator Fish & the Light Shining into Cloudy Water

As sunlight shines down into cloudy water, there is a sharp contrast between the look of the fish (the predator wants to eat) and whatever surrounds it.

Therefore, the predator (eater) feels more confident that he will be able to see or sense whatever live food that comes his way!

Small Fish’s View of Murky Water

On the other hand, the small fish (the predator is looking for) thinks that the murky water will protect him from ‘the big, bad fish.’  Therefore, he is more likely to scurry around, looking for insects, worms and other morsels to eat.

Therefore, both the eater (predator fish) and the eatee (smaller fish) think they are both in a better position than their enemy. They are both suffering from delusional thinking (also called “stinkin’ thinkin’).

How Can an Angler Take Advantage of Cloudy Water?

Water that becomes cloudy (through storm or flooding) offers anglers great opportunities for snagging fish!

Is a fish’s sense of smell affected by cloudy water? No, not at all.

The predators that need their eyes to “see” small fish, must now rely on their sense of smell to lead them to fish! Thus, this is an excellent time to pull out the stinky baits!

Stinky Bait and Other Tools for the Angler

Start by fishing with scented/stinky/smelly bait near the surface of the water.  If you get no bites on the surface, keep moving your “stinkers” lower (in the water) until fish start to bite.

This is a great time to use metallic-headed lures or lures with shiny threads.  Since fish have a harder time seeing, their eyes are attracted to shinier objects.

This is also a great time to imitate the slower-moving fish species – by twitching and pulling flies along slowly.

Another idea is to cut open your freshly-caught fish — to see what is in the stomach.  If there are lots of flies and insects, this is what you should be using for bait — real or artificial (your choice).

Tomorrow: Making Your Own Stinky Baits!

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Wind, Wave Action and Fishing

How is Wind Created?

The Wind Affects Fishing!

In a previous article (Barometric Pressure and Fishing, posted 6/22/09),  we discussed the idea that areas with high barometric pressure have fine weather and that low barometric pressure creates rain and wind.

Wind is the result of trying to create a balance between low and high barometric pressure.  Air is always moving from areas of high barometric pressure  to areas with low pressure.

As light air rises, heavy, cool air moves in below the rising air. The greater the difference between the high and low pressures, the higher the winds.

If you remember your science, winds generally move from west to east.  Also, as the barometric pressure rises, bodies of water absorb more oxygen from the air.

The opposite is also true: As the pressure falls, water releases oxygen into the air.  If you recall from yesterday’s post (Fishing in the Rain, posted 8/9/09), having more or less oxygen in a body of water has important effects on fish and fishing!

Active Winds = Active Fish

Marine biologists have discovered that some fish species are more active during high winds.  High winds bring millions of insects, grasshoppers and invertebrates to bodies of water.

Few of these insects, etc., can escape the surface film of the water.  Thus, high winds create feeding bonanzas!

Fishing and Wind Direction

If the prowling fish do not eat this food immediately, it is pushed toward the leeward shore, where it collects. Therefore, when winds increase, fish move to the leeward shore to feed.

Higher winds create larger waves. These waves increase the amount of oxygen in the water, thus increasing the fish’s activity.

Another effect of high winds is that much of the food/plankton/insects blow into shallow areas.  Fish move from holes to partake of the fresh food.

This brings larger fish to the shallows, to eat the smaller fish. Thus, strong winds cause fish to move to more shallow areas of a body of water.

Finally

From this discussion, we can see that wind and waves have strong effects on the movement and actions of fish.  High winds create new opportunities for successful fishing!

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

How to Catch Brook Trout

Brook Trout Info

Aggressive and Fun to Catch! *

Brook trout are not really trout, but members of the char family. An easy way to determine “what you have” is to look at the underside of your fish. The beginning dorsal fins of ‘brookies’ are always  white.

Next comes a line of black.  the rest of the brookie’s fin is usually orange.

Brook Trout

This fish is the only trout that is native to the US.  We have to worry about the continuation of this species because of the brook trout’s:  need for “clear waters of high purity and a narrow pH range in lakes, rivers, and streams, being sensitive to poor oxygenation, pollution, and changes in pH caused by environmental effects such as acid rain.” 1

Smaller than either the brown or rainbow trout, the “brookie” lives comfortably in water too shallow for the other trout. They use the green vegetation as hiding areas.

Spawning season is from late summer to early autumn and at this time, they are their most colorful.  They prefer waters between 47 and 67 degrees.

Catching a “Brookie”

Like his cousins, the rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout, brookie’s prefer deep pools. This is where the termperature is most stable.

“Brookies” are aggressive and fairly easy to catch. If you catch a 14 inch ‘brookie’ — it’s a genuine trophy game fish — and it is about 5 years of age (they generally live ~6 years).

If you are hoping for a “lunker,” you might want to use live minnows. As the trout grows, he spends more time chasing small fish for a meal, and less eating insects.

Fly fishermen indicate that these are the most successful lures for catching trout:  spawn egg imitation patterns (ex: single egg patterns ro egg sucking leech), crustaceans (freshwater scud patterns).

Of the streamers, anglers are successful with leech , wooly bugger and bait fish imitation patterns.  These wet flies are faves with fly fishermen: Quil Gordan, Adams, Black Gnat, LeadwingCoachman, Butcher, Blue Zulu and McGinty.

Of the dry flies, these are favorites: Adams, Black Gnat, Black Midge, Cahill, and the Poly Quil Spinner.  Nymphs: Prince Nymph, Peeking Caddis, Sparkle Larva and Zug Bug.  Hook sizes should range from #10 to #20.

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*This brook trout is shown by permission of Vantage Point – provider of clear window graphics. This is part of their Wild Wings Art Collection.

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Part 2: How to Catch Cutthroat Trout

How To Catch Cutthroat Trout

This handsome boy is always hungry! ***

Depending on where you fish, it’s possible to get a crack at the sea trout that have moved back into fresh water.  Generally, it takes a few years for the fish to mature before they  return to spawn. The adult cutthroats feed and spawn from fall through  spring. They prefer water between 55 and 62 degrees.

These fish, even after years in salt water, have no problem finding their home waters.  They spawn in the months of April through June.

What Cutthroat Trout Eat

By July, the first of the young cutthroats are leaving the gravel nests of their birth.  Always hungry, cutthroats seem to bite everything: lures, flies and live bait!

This branch of the trout family eats lots of insects; fly fishing is a great way to enjoy successful angling.  In Alaska, these fish are the most common trout species in the state.

Younger cutthroats, spend their days in lakes, hiding in and around submerged logs and vegetation.  They rush from their hiding places to snag insects and small fish (they’ve been known to eat other fish, up to  1/4 th their size)!

By the time they reach 14″ in length, they give up this slow process to a meal and turn into predators of smaller fish.

Where Cutthroats Hide

Here are some of the most common ways to catch cutthroats:

• Looking for trophy size?  In land-locked lakes, troll off of steep shorelines.*
• Spinners & spoons are great for lakes with deep pools. Fish deeply here & along steep shorelines (with plenty of vegetation).
• In small inlet streams, use wet or dry flies.
• The combination of a muddler minnow** and underwater vegetation is a winner for the cutthroat angler.  Make sure your line sinks quickly.

Finally

Remember that cutthroats prefer the deeper pools of water; they don’t like extreme water temperature changes (deeper waters remain a more constant temperature).

When fishing deeply, remember that light only penetrates so far down. Use larger lures or bait — so the fish have an easy time finding them.

Please fish responsibly! These beautiful creatures are endangered in some areas.  Check their status in the waters where you plan to fish!

* According to the Alaska Dept of Fish & Game

** Muddler minnows are artificial flies that are very popular.

*** Used by permission of Vantage Point Concepts.  This image is part of the Wild Wings Artwork Collection.

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Part 1: Fishing for Cutthroat Trout

Facts About Cutthroat Trout

Note the Band of Bright Color from One Gill to the Other! *

The unusual name “cutthroat” comes from the splash of color along the throat.

Other than the bright orange-red color from gill-to-gill, this game fish comes in an amazingly broad range of colors — from yellow to green to gray. The coloration depends on the waters he lives in and his history.

Like the rainbow trout, this is a Pacific-area freshwater fish, related to the salmon family.

The Bad News About Cutthroats

Generally, this is a prized game fish in many parts of the US.  In others, especially Colorado and Yellowstone Park, the remaining subspecies of the cutthroats are either endangered or state fish departments are trying to get them added to the endangered list.

There are reasons for the dropping numbers of cutthroats. First, is the loss of habitat — pollution is taking its toll.  These fish were protected for thousands of years by living in isolated watersheds and river basins.

As man has moved into the further reaches of America, he has disturbed the balance that has protected cutthroats for so many years. When non-native fish have been introduced to a cutthroat trout area, they have often been more aggressive than the cutthroats.

Brown and brook trout tend to replace cutthroats in regions were they have been introduced. Because of their slow reproduction rate, cutthroats are very sensitive to over-harvesting.

Cutthroats freely breed with rainbows  to create a “cutbow.”  They also easily breed with Apache trout and Gila trout. Thus, there are fewer cutthroats each year.

Many of the cutthroats migrate to sea (Pacific Ocean) if they can and are then called sea trout. They can reach 20 lbs. However, most of these trout say in freshwater and stay in the 1-2 lb. range.

Next Time: How To Catch Cutthroat Trout

* This photo is used by permission from Vantage Point Concepts. I  sell their rear window graphics.   This image is part of the Wild Wings Artwork Collection.

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Following the Rainbow – How to Catch Rainbow Trout!

Rainbow trout are probably one of the most beautiful fish available to anglers.

Rainbow Trout Info

Rainbows are native to waters in the west coast. They are genetically more like the Pacific salmon than the brown trout.

Poetry in Motion! *

Because rainbow trout do not reproduce in local waters, they are grown in fisheries and restocked by state wildlife and fisheries departments.

In nature, they have a narrow band of red from cheek to tail.

Rainbows occur naturally in the Pacific Northwest and travel to-and-from the sea. In these areas, the fish is called a “steelhead” and is silvery in color.  Steelheads are a whole-other-game-fish and outside of our discussion today.

How to Catch Rainbow Trout

The thrill of catching a rainbow is partly due to the impressive display they put on when caught. They leap! They fly! They fight!

Look for rainbows in faster-moving waters (than the other trout-types).  They are also found in shoreline fishing, in rip-rap, deep holes and in underwater structures.

Generally, look for splashy water around boulders and rapids.

What Rainbow Trout Eat

Most successful anglers start with flies – wet and dry, and nymphs — with fly fishing tackle.  You can also try live bait — worms, salmon eggs & insects with fly fishing and spinning tackle.

Rainbows have also been known to fancy corn, marshmallows, cheese and bread!  Go figure!

In the artificial class, you can use light spinning tackle with spoons and spinners.

In early spring, rainbows are lethargic and usually are bottom feeders. During this season, make sure you are fishing on bottom too.

Rainbow Trout Recipes

They can be prepared by barbecuing, broiling, baking, frying or smoking.

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* This photo is used by permission from Vantage Point Concepts. I am an approved seller of their rear window graphics.

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Tips for Live Worm Fishing – Part 2

Now You See Why the Wiggle is So Important in Fishing!

Live worm fishing is a tried-and-true way to catch fish.  Here are a few more tips to help you make the most of your worms in the water.

Do Fish Learn?

Fish do not learn as humans (their brains are tiny), but they recognize when something is not “right.”  Since the length of their lives depends on their recognition and movement away from danger, they are wary by nature.

Before a fish strikes at a morsel of food, he has already determined “Plan B.”  If the morsel isn’t an innocent, free meal, the fish already has a place to run and hide.

You see evidence of this when a fish drags your line into submerged tree branches, under rocks, etc.  Once the fish bites, he heads to Plan B and we (often) get to cut our line.

Fishing Upstream

The worm must look natural for a fish to bite. It’s best to cast your worm upstream and let it tumble along the bottom past a fish’s hole – naturally.

When a trout decides to eat your bait, he will start nibbling at the worm. After a few nibbles, he generally takes the worm to his hiding place, so he can finish off the worm in peace.

Otherwise, he risks losing his lunch to a larger fish.  At the point where he is moving away with the bait, you need to set the hook with a sharp tug of the rod.

Adding Weight

You can fish with worms using a casting, fly, spinning or cane pole. The size of the creek, river or lake will determine your tackle.

A fly rod or spinning gear will meet your needs in a small creek or streams.  Larger rivers or lakes would call for spinning or casting gear.

Casting gear requires adding weight to the line. Use the lightest weight possible. A fish will drop a worm that feels too heavy!

Hooks and Worms – Part 2

While fishing, using sizes 6, 8 and 10 will meet most needs. If you are using a night crawler (worm), you may want to use a worm ‘gang’  (2 or more hooks – a few inches apart – on a single leader).

Essentially, you are hooking the crawler with 2 hooks (leaving the tails to wiggle).  If you do “catch-and- release” fishing, do not use a worm gang.  This style causes too much damage. The fish often swallows both hooks, making for a messy removal.

Next Time: Rainbow Trout

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Tips for Live Worm Fishing – Part 1

Live worm fishing is a tried-and-true way to get a fish.  Here are a few tips to help you find worms and make the most of your worms in the water.

Fishing With Live Worms

Brook trout and largemouth bass are particularly fond of worms and tend to strike quickly.  However, as fish become more-experienced, they tend to pay attention to ‘what looks natural.’

Largemouth Bass Lookin' for Lunch*

Most experienced anglers have created their own way of attaching a worm to the hook. The most important idea is to make sure that both ends of the worm are free to wiggle.

It is important to replace a worm that looks worn out (chewed up or seriously torn) or appears dead. Fish are looking for wiggling worms.

Kinds of Worms

The  small pink garden-variety worm is best for small bodies of water where fish aren’t expected to reach a huge size. Larger fish prefer the dark red wiggler or night crawler.

Are You ‘Lookin’ for Worms (In All the Wrong Places)’

The three best places to find worms are: vacant lots, garden areas and along river beds. From personal experience, I can add — in compost piles.

Don’t waste your time looking for worms anywhere commercial fertilizer is used, such as golf courses. Worms can’t stand the chemicals.

One of the best ways to collect lots of worms quickly is to wait until after a rain storm. They come out of the ground and collect on sidewalks and driveways.

Folks wonder why worms do this and the short answer is: It’s a good time to look for a mate. Generally, above ground is too hot and dry for worms to spend much time there (although they prefer to mate above ground).

Thus, after a rain storm, the air is moist and cool. They can take advantage of the situation – to find a mate – by traveling faster above ground.

Collecting worms at night? Make sure your flashlight has a diffused beam (red or yellow cover). Bright, clear light sends worms back into the ground.

Hooks and Worms

I learned a neat trick recently. Do you use the treble hook? Cut off the 3rd hook and use the other two to hook your bait. That way, as your bait trails along, it is less likely to snag on weeds, etc.

Tomorrow: Part 2 (of 2)

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* Used by permission of Vantage Point Concepts.  This image is part of the Wild Wings Artwork Collection.

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com

Fly Fishing Equipment

If you ever get a chance to go fly fishing, DO IT!  Without a doubt, it is the most elegant and graceful fishing around.

Fly Fishing

The good news is that it doesn’t require very much equipment to get started.

Basic Fly Fishing Equipment

A fly rod (5 or 6 weight), with appropriate line for the rod

reel

leader

extra tippet

flies

glasses or sunglasses – polarized will help you see fish in the water

Buying Equipment

The easiest way to get started may be to buy a beginner’s kit, but I’ve never been one to take the easy way. I find collecting my own equipment to be more satisfying.

The purpose of fly fishing is to use an artificial  lure with a fly rod and line.  It is best to go fly fishing with someone and use their equipment for the first time or two.  By having some experience, you will make better purchases.

Additional Equipment

Once you have the main equipment, there are a few other things that will make your fishing more pleasant.

A box to store flies

Nippers to cut line

Waders

Vest of fanny pack for gear

A landing net

Finally

It is critical to get equipment specifically make for fly fishing.  The line, specifically is heavier than used for casting reels.

Most of the action is in the wrist. As the angler flips his wrist, the line starts its move. When the arm action stops, the line is unfurled and creates a loop or an arc  before striking the water.

Fly fishing was created to catch trout and salmon. However, over the years, anglers have broadened their range of fish.  Some anglers spend their time trying to catch an ever-expanding number of fish species, using their fly fishing skills.

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I’ve been busy this week making major changes on my website.  In a few days, I will show you some great new products!

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This blog is a companion to my website: EasyOnlineOrdering.com