Posts Tagged ‘sports and recreation’

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The Advantages Of A Fish Finder

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

Many outdoor enthusiasts look to modern technology to help them in their outdoor adventures. For these people, utilizing a fish finder is a valuable implement to help them catch fish. Many people swear by old tried and true techniques to find the best fishing holes. However when used properly, modern technology will take some of the guesswork out of catching the big one.

Instinct is one way to find great fishing grounds. But it is nice to be able to verify your hunch with technology. If you eventually learn how to use the piece of equipment with the same precision as you use your fishing rod then you may very well never have a disappointing fishing trip again.

A fish finder depends on sonar to find the fish that you are looking for. The sonar emits sound waves to calculate depth. When the sound waves bounce off an object or the bottom of a lake, the distance can be calculated and objects can be seen on the screen.

When you find a good location for your fish finder you’ll want to make certain that you are mounting it in compliance with the directions. Misaligning the equipment can lead to faulty readouts. Finding the ultimate sensitivity setting for the finder is an interesting trick. Most manuals come with recommendations, but on the whole you want the sensitivity settings to reflect the locale which you fish. If you’re out on open deep waters you may find a higher sensitivity does the trick.

It might very well take you a bit of time to learn how to read your fish finder just right. It’s not uncommon for logs or debris to be confused with one really big fish just below you. Once you get the hang of it you’ll find that those mistakes are minimal.

The improvements and enhancements that have been applied to this technology are really quite astonishing. You can often see things like the smallest school of fish to the kind of fish that are circling your lure. It is a fantastic gadget that can still be utilized together with your gut feeling, if you prefer.

You can still use all of your intuition when fishing. Actually, using a fish finder tends to work more effectively if you still utilize your gut feelings and put your well earned knowledge into action. Keep in mind that this is a tool made to help create a more pleasurable experience for you, so you get to be in charge of how much you rely on it.

It’s always a good idea to read some fish finder reviews before you buy. To get you started, visit our site to read a Furuno FCV 295 review, and browse the other reviews while you’re there.

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Fish Upon A Star In California

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

The diversity of California in terms of geography, climate, culture and region is well known but the Golden State provides a broad assortment of fishing experiences for the dedicated angler as well. From clear mountain streams and lakes in the High Sierra to Pacific deep sea fishing off the southern coast, fishermen of all stripes are going to come across it all on their California fishing vacation. Choose from cozy California romantic getaways in one of the state’s mountain hideaways or beach rentals that are only yards away from the shore and during specific times of the year, can be enjoyed for a song.

When you are planning your California fishing vacation, you will most likely want to check out the Fishing Network which delivers information on virtually anything you want to know about California’s freshwater and deep sea fishing for the season of the year and region you are planning to visit. This site is a free resource and involves no enrollment unless you want to post to the forum. You can realize a few tips from your fellow anglers and even have a chance to win a free t-shirt if you have tips to share.

An exceptional online resource is The Outpost Mall, which offers information on all sorts of fishing in California, including coastal and deep sea charters. And yet another fishing site you will want to visit is the California Department of Fish and Game in order to obtain any essential licenses or permits.

One of the more colorful and outgoing forms of fishing, particularly in Southern California, is pier fishing. It is a tactic to catch those tasty saltwater fish without having to charter a boat and go far out to sea. In fact, it is amazing how many distinctive kinds of fish one can catch from some of the piers of a picturesque bed and breakfast in SoCal. Two piers worth mentioning are Goleta near Santa Barbara and San Diego’s famous Balboa and Newport Piers. At Goleta, fishermen have reported catching over thirty different species that include halibut, bass, rockfish and even sharks. Balboa of course is one of the most well-liked points in San Diego for couples seeking a romantic date though there are a number of fish to be caught here. Newport is thought of as more of an “angler’s pier,” where most tourists simply go to snag dinner.

Tahoe is a different world completely. Up in the Sierra Nevada, straddling the California-Nevada state line about an hour northeast of Sacramento, is the highest alpine lake in the continental U.S. at an elevation of 6000 feet. Fly fishing in the Truckee River, which drains Lake Tahoe, is excellent and if you choose to visit in the winter, you may very well want to test your luck at ice fishing as well. There are magnificent cabin rental accommodations all throughout this vicinity with spectacular views and amenities to cook up all that fish you lay claim to.

In addition to California’s mountain lakes and streams and pier fishing, there are many charter boat services that will be happy to take you out to the fishing grounds between the SoCal shore and Catalina Island, some of which start out as low as $35 a person.

James Harden is part of the travel team at FindVacationRentals.com and FindBedandBreakfast.com. These directories provide detailed information on beach rentals and things to do.

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Carp Hooks – Barbed Vs. Barbless

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

The most important piece of gear in your tackle box is the carp hook, without it you are not going to catch any fish. You need to ensure that your carp hook is strong or even the best rod won’t help you make the catch.

There is always conversations in the angling community about barbed hooks and barbless hooks. It’s not always just a question of which you prefer, but there are also some areas that prohibit the use of one or the other; researching area laws is important. Both types of hooks have a large role in fishing for carp, opinions on both differ greatly.

There are many things to consider about barbed hooks, naturally, more fish can be caught using these types of hooks. A barbed hook latches itself to the inside of the carps mouth, a barbless hook is often spit back out.

The catch rate increases drastically when using the barbed hooks, but there are some down falls to them as well. If you have any respect for the carp, and many carp anglers do, then you know what can happen if you lose a catch that still has your hook in its flesh. Additionally, if you catch a carp and don’t remove the hook properly, you will cause significant damage to the carps mouth. Many fisherman catch and release, it’s all about the sport of it, it is frustrating when they catch a large carp that has had its mouth damaged because of a barbed hook.

Barbed hooks may yield more catches for you, but using barbless hooks provides a better challenge and makes the sport of carp fishing that much more interesting. For popular fishing areas, having a barbless rule is a way to ensure that carp fish are handled correctly and are not damaged needlessly. Because it’s not as easy to catch carp with barbless hooks, the game is much more fun. Regardless, some carp have found ways to eject the hook, barbed or barbless, before you know what really happened.

As well as choosing between a barbed hook and a barbless hook, you need to consider the hook wire you will be using as well. Its simple really, the bigger hook gets the thicker wire. The thickness of the wire could be the difference between catching a carp or losing a carp. Which would you prefer? Before heading out on a carp fishing trip, look over your equipment and learn the area rules. If you are headed out to the lake, stream or river for the first fish of the season, a quick check on your hook sharpness, strength and venue rules before you go may save you much needed time to be spent elsewhere, perhaps catching ‘the big one’.

Ashley Davids recommends buying barbless carp hooks. If you are after carp gear then try www.hairrigs.com

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Lets Have Tea For Tuna In Cabo

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

The Baja Peninsula stretches southward from the border of California for approximately 800 miles before terminating at Cabo San Lucas and is separated from the rest of Mexico by the Sea of Cortez. Despite its reputation as a parched, barren desert, it is actually a very rich expanse with several different ecosystems ranging from Mediterranean to moderate woodlands in the mountain ranges.

It is also adjacent to several of the most amazing saltwater fishing on the Pacific coast. The kind of fishing obtainable from one of the peninsula’s Mexico beach rental facilities is virtually as varied as the terrain. To be sure, there are lots of deep sea charter trips with experienced guides who will be happy to take you out into the Pacific or the Gulf in search of marlin, mahi-mahi or dolphin, but it’s just as feasible to take a more passive line of attack. Many fishermen who camp out along one of Baja’s unspoiled beaches find it just as fruitfull to set up a fishing pole, a line and some bait and let the fish come to them.

When it comes to low tech fishing, the natives can often teach visitors a thing or two. Using nothing more than glass bottle as a float, a lead weight and most any kind of inexpensive hook, local fisherman are able to cast a line a considerable distance into the water from the beach and wind up with some amazing catches.

If you wind up camping beside the Sea of Cortez, you might do this kind of fishing out of necessity given that markets are far apart and travelling over the region’s rustic roads can be a bone jarring experience to say the least. A beach rental accommodations with a sizeable refrigerator and kitchen is enormously convenient so you can store up and not have to make too many trips into town for groceries.

There is a different side to Baja fishing and that is the competitive deep sea fishing tournaments that are repeatedly held out of San Cabo. There are three of these held each year, one of which is near the end of July and the others which take place just about the middle of October. These are earnest contests with equally significant prizes. In the 2010 East Cape Tournament, fifty six teams walked away with a sum of over $304,000 in prize money, with one top prize of $64,515 going to a fisherman who snagged a nearly 600 pound marlin.

Baja is more than fishing. With some of the most gorgeous, unspoiled beaches on North America’s Pacific Coast, surfing is a popular pastime with visitors and the waves compare quite favorably with those off the coast of Hawaii. Baja ecotourism also include whale watching excursions during the migration season as the California gray whales make their way to and from Alaska. The tour boats get close enough to these huge, but friendly denizens of the deep for people to actually touch them. Baja Ecotours also offers scuba diving tours and photo excursions as well as eco friendly romantic travel inns that are solar and wind powered.

Wesley Mathews is part of the travel team at FindVacationRentals.com and FindBedandBreakfast.com. These directories provide detailed information on romantic travel accommodations and things to do.

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A Guide To Fishing Hooks And Treble Hooks

Friday, August 13th, 2010

Fishing is a sport and fun pass time for many people around the world. Many people use fishing as a means of making a living as well. There are a number of different tools that are needed for fishing.

In this article we will learn about hooks and their types, characteristics and functions.

The hook is shaped just like a ‘hook’, hence the name. A hook is divided into various parts, such as:

- The eye. This is the point where the hook is attached to the line.

- The Shank. This section is the straight part of the hook that separates the eye from the ‘hook’ section.

- Bend. This is what makes the hook.

- Point. This is the sharp part that stabs the fish.

- The barb. This is found on some hooks and works with the point to grab the fish.

Fish hooks have been used since thousands and thousands of years. Its been proven that hooks have been around sense 7000BC. And through time, the materials and elements in the developments of hooks have changed. Wood, stone, bones, shells, bronze, iron and other sorts of materials were used in the production of hooks; and it is a fact that people still use non metallic hooks in some parts of the globe today. Hooks which were made by using steel first appeared and then significantly grew popular for professional use after the sixteenth century.

The Treble Hook

There are three different types of hooks. The single hook, the double hook and the treble hook.

Treble hooks are most often used with fly fishing. Treble hooks are covered in colored feathers, stimulating lures and baits. The treble hooks grip on a fishes mouth is one of the most noticeable functions. Treble hooks are used on lures, as they capture a fish easily.

Lures are available in numerous types such as bobbed – These give the illusion of swimming upside and downwards, whereas some sorts of lures are designed to go all the way down to the floor and collide with the sand in order to give the fish the illusion of activity. However, irrespective of what sort of lure you use, it is best advised to use a treble hook in order to ensure that the fish does not escape you.

The down side of a treble hook is that it can damage a fish if it is not snagged correctly. If you are fishing for fun, and plan on releasing the fish then a treble hook is not advised. The struggling fish will have significant damage to its mouth. But if you’re out to catch and eat, by all means, use a treble hook!

Ashley Davids buys treble hooks from online carp fishing gear retailers, HairRigs.com

categories: carp hooks,fishing hooks,carp tackle,fishing tackle,carp,fishing,outdoors,sports and recreation

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Carp Rigs – Info For Novices

Sunday, August 8th, 2010

The carp rig is designed to position the hook away from the bait to improve the chances of hooking the fish. Instead of the bait being on the hook itself, it is placed above it, so that the carp takes the bait first and the hook follows. This allows the bait to pass through the throat of the carp before the carp knows that there is a hard hook attached. The carp rig is becoming increasingly popular all through the Untied States.

Carp rigs are a new concept to many fisherman, but with the proven results the rigs are popular and rightly so. The concept is a simple one, the carp moves the bait through their mouth and the rig allows them the chance to feed on the bait before hooking them. Before the invention of carp rigs, the fish would taste the bait but would also feel the hard hook and spit the whole thing out quickly.

Carp fishing methods have grown over the years and will continue to do so. The methods of catching carp has grown rapidly in recent years and will continue to grow. New insights into the way carp fishing works has revitalized the fishing gear industry and new hook arrangements pop up at a fast rate. You will find yourself catching more carp the more you learn about the different rigs and the different uses and applications associated with tem. To put it simply, if the fish can’t see your rig, the easier it will be to catch them. Hiding your rig as much as you can is the object here. Fish are actually quite smart and can sense things in their environment better then we believe.

Just because you caught a great size carp in one place using a certain rig does not mean that the same rig will work in a different area. More often than not, it won’t work. Adapt your rig to the fishing location and changes in feeding. To state the obvious, make sure that the color of your rig is the color of the lake bed so that it blends in much better.

Tricking the carp is the main focus when fishing- it’s almost a mind game, so being alert is a must. You will find many times that at the end of the day without a catch, more than likely, you have been out-witted by the fish. Whether you are a beginner angler or have been doing this for years, there are always new rigs and methods to try.

Want to find out more about carp gear, then visit this site that Ashley Davids’ recommends to choose the best carp rigs for every application.

categories: carp rigs,carp tackle,carp,fishing tackle,fishing,outdoors,sports and recreation,sports,recreation

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Tips For Getting The Most From Your Electronic Fish Locator

Friday, June 18th, 2010

Congratulations! Now that you’ve purchased an electronic fish locator you’ll never have to waste time trolling for fish again. Fish finders are very easy to install and use and will be the most important fishing tool aboard your boat, other than your rod and reel of course. In this article, we’ll look at how to maximize the performance of your fish locator.

The secret to the effectiveness of a fish locator is the transducer. This is what sends out the sonar signal in a cone shape and transmits the information back to the screen on which you can view it. By bouncing a sonar signal, you will be able to see not only fish, but underwater structures and weeds. Many fish locators use a dual beam sonar. One beam is emitted at 60 degrees to find the fish and the other is at 20 degrees to accurately display the bottom of the body of water and its structure.

Some of the more compact models have transducers attached to a suction cup that can stick to any surface. These versions are compact enough and lightweight enough to be utilized in small vessels like speedboats, canoes, and even inflatable boats.

For those purchasing fish locators for larger boats, figuring out where to mount the components is important to ensure the best performance. Most fish finders come with a standard mounting bracket and transom mounting transducers. Ideally, it should be mounted somewhere convenient and accessible, like near the steering wheel. The transducer is mounted on the transom in a spot where it will be submerged both at low speeds and high speeds so that the sonar signal can do its depth finder job and scan the water even while you’re moving.

Operating a fish locator is as straightforward as pushing a button. After you turn on the unit, digital readings will show up on the screen. Based on which model you have, these will correspond to depth, water temperature and boat speed. The line running across the bottom of the display relates to the bottom of the body of water. The undulations on the screen indicate the terrain on the bottom. A thick, dark line represents a hard bottom, and a thin, light line points towards a soft bottom. Fish will appear as arches or icons.

Once you have installed the view screen and transducer, it’s time to program your unit. Most electronic fish locators come with default settings that you can modify to your needs. Start by selecting the “Normal” operation mode. This is suitable for most fishing situations. To adjust the settings, press the “View” button while in “Normal” mode to cycle through the different sonar modes. There will be several different options on this menu, from standard fish finder sonar all the way to side-looking sonar. You can save these settings so that you don’t have to reset the device every time you use it.

If you’re looking for the best GPS fish finder for your needs, it’s important to research your options carefully. Reading reviews is one of the best ways to do this; click here to read fish finder reviews on many of the most popular models of fish locators.

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Reviewing The Humminbird SmartCast RF-35 Wrist Mount Fishfinder

Saturday, May 29th, 2010

People got tired of carrying around huge, bulky cell phones so the industry answered back with smaller and smaller phones. The same thing is true of computers. The first computer took up an entire room yet new laptops are so small and thin you can slip them into a backpack. Fish finders are also being downsized. The best example of this is the Humminbird SmartCast RF-35 Wrist Mount Fishfinder with RSS. It is absolutely the smallest fish finder on the market today. But before you rush out to buy one, you need to read a bit more.

The Humminbird SmartCast RF-35 Wrist Mount Fishfinder with RSS is basically a watch that you wear along with a sonar buoy you cast out. The sonar buoy, which resembles a neon duck or a kid’s bath toy, sends back readings of the water bed and all the fish within range. The range is 75 feet with a depth of up to 125 feet. All you have to do then is look at the watch. Sounds pretty great right? Well it really is not that great.

The downside is, the SmartCast RF-35 Wrist Mount Fishfinder rates low in customer satisfaction. Every single reviewer who bought this product had the same type of complaint. It’s not sturdy, and it doesn’t last. One customer even had trouble switching it off and could only do so by taking out the battery. This is highly inconvenient, given that each time the battery is removed, the watch has to be reprogrammed.

Others reviewers complained that the device simply stopped working all of a sudden, often just past the six month warranty period. And if this happens to you, you can forget about getting a replacement.

The premise and idea behind the Humminbird SmartCast RF-35 Wrist Mount Fishfinder with RSS is great. And the price is not bad either. You can pick one up for around $100, which makes it really affordable. But with so much negative feedback from people who have purchased this fish finder, it simply is not worth the money; period. You can find other fish finders that work better and are not that much more expensive. They may not have the “wow” factor but at least they will work.

Don’t know your Garmin Fishfinder 140 from your Furuno FCV? Read a fishfinder review to help you make the right choice.

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Tips For Using A Fish Finder

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Fishing can be an exercise in futility if you can’t find the sweet spot where a great catch is waiting for you. That’s why a fish finder can be the perfect tool to add to your fishing gear. A fish finder scans the area beneath your boat to help you locate the best spots to cast your line. In this article, we’ll look at how to go about using a fish finder, for those who have never done so before.

Fish finders are made from sturdy, long-wearing hard plastic which gives the best possible defense against the elements and any potential harm that may take place during use. Some instruments have a cover made of stretch neoprene to protect them from water damage. Some have protective cases designed to protect the mounting assembly as well. They are small enough to be used on canoes, speedboats and even inflatable vessels.

Mounting a fish finder can be easily done with a few hand tools. It’s best to do this with a friend so that you have an extra pair of hands available for holding the parts in place. Pre-drill the holes to prevent damage to the boat. Mount the unit in the desired location, using the hardware that came with it. Next, connect the electrical leads from the unit to the relay box of your boat, connecting the power to a hot wire and the ground to your ground plate. If you don’t have a relay box, then the leads can be connected directly to the battery. Match the negative to negative and the positive to positive. Finally, mount the transducer to the bottom of the boat. This is normally done at the rear of the boat. Put silicone around the transducer to prevent any water from penetrating where the holes were made. Route the cable from the transducer to the input of the view screen and screw it into the input jack. It’s quite a simple process but make sure to read the manual carefully.

After turning on the fish finder, examine the digital readings that show up on your display. Based on the model you have, these are usually depth, water temperature and boat speed readings. These readings are determined by the placement of the transducer that sends sonar signals from the water to the fish finder.

Once your fish finder is installed, you will need to program the settings. Generally, choosing the “Normal” operation mode uses factory set defaults that allow some control over the settings. This mode allows you to quickly use the unit’s sonar functions without making in-depth setting changes. For more options, you can cycle through the different sonar modes, which typically range from standard sonar all the way to side-looking sonar. Once you’re familiar with using a fish finder, you will wonder how you ever fished without it.

If you want to increase your odds of catching fish, you should consider investing in a fish finder. Fish finder reviews can help you figure out which make and model is best for you. Click here to read Lowrance fish finder reviews along with many other popular models.

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The Exceptional Technology Underlying GPS Fish Finders

Monday, April 5th, 2010

If you spend a lot of time fishing from your boat, then the features of GPS fish finders can make the experience more than you’d hope for. These units come pre-loaded with maps of the shoreline or inland waters, as well as satellite images that help with navigation. They will alert you to the nearest campground or marina. They can even offer real-time weather updates and radar images so you don’t get caught off guard by a sudden storm. And, you’ll never have to drift around aimlessly looking for fish again. In this article, we’ll look at how this GPS and fish finder combo can help you.

GPS fish locators send out a signal that communicates with a GPS satellite orbiting the earth. The satellite returns a signal to your equipment that produces a three dimensional likeness of the water beneath your boat. Utilizing this picture, the sonar will locate the fish and their images will be shown on the screen. While you pass over a body of water, the GPS / fish locator/ depth finder will constantly revise particulars and images of the water underneath you, which means you can satisfactorily determine if it is a spot you want to give a try.

GPS fish finder combos have all kinds of high tech bells and whistles that can make choosing just one a tough task. Some of the factors that you should consider include the size of your boat, how much time you’ll be spending on your fishing expeditions and what kind of waters will you be fishing in.

However, with so many options to choose from, how do you know what to buy and how much to spend? Before you begin to shop around, compile a list of features you would like to have on your device. Once you know exactly what you want, you’ll be better prepared to compare elements and prices.

One of the most important features to consider is the monitor. Your device should be waterproof and have glare protection on the display so you can view it in direct sunlight. The image on the screen should be easily visible. Small and inexpensive fish finders will not produce nearly the same quality of picture as a higher-end model with full-color VGA display. There are many kinds of GPS fish finders on the market, ranging in price from approximately $300 to well over $1,000, so shop carefully for the perfect device for you.

If you want to increase your odds of catching fish, you should consider investing in a fish finder. But how do you know if the Lowrance X96 fishfinder is superior to the Garmin 140, for example? You need to read some fishfinder reviews to help you decide on the perfect model for your needs.

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