Buying your fishing pole

First you need to figure out the level of fisherman you are. Are you a novice, someone that may go fishing once or twice a year and what type if equipment you are now using and do you understand how to use it. Next choice is the experienced fisherman, that would be to person that goes fishing several times a year and you know how to use your equipment well and have a well stocked tackle box. Next choice is expert. This fishermen has several types of fishing poles and reel and know how to use them all. He will pick out different types of equipment depending on the type of fishing he want to do that day.

Most of us do not fit in the expert class of fishermen. There is a large number of fishermen in the novice class. It is to this type of fishermen I hope to talk to today. When you go to the sporting good store looking to buy a new rod and reel I recommend you pick out  an 8' salmon/steelhead rod with a medium action. Get the best rod you can afford. Don't go over board with the price but on the same hand don't buy the cheapest. Although, I have caught salmon on a $15.00 rod and reel and one of my favorite rods for trout was only $10.00 for rod and reel. The inexpensive salmon rod I steel have and use now and again.

Most of the time you will purchase a spinning rod and reel which is the easist to use and is used for every type of fishing you will do. Please be sure the rod and reel fit well together. Don't get a reel that is to small or to big for your rod. Generally they come as one unit. Hold them and purchase the one that feels good to you. Be careful not to pay attention to what someone else is telling you about the different outfits. Purchase the one that fits you well and is easy to operate.

Next, take the rod and reel home and rig it up and do and couple of practice cast in the yard and then load up the car or truck and go fishing. Remember this is a outing and I want you to enjoy yourself. It doesn't really matter if you catch a fish or not, although that is why we are there, at least you got out of the house and into the outdoors.

Fishing at the Lakes

A little over a month ago a good friend of mine and her husband, went fishing at the lakes above Dayton, WA. There are 7 lakes up there and are planted regularly. We went to Curl Lake and were catching a few fish when the fish department truck showed up with a load of fish. The guys driving the tuck said they had 500 large trout in addition to the regular planters.

Thinking we are in the right place at the right time for once, we got ready for the fish to be unloaded. The tuck went around to the opposite side of the lake we were on but that was alright, we figured we would just have to wait a little longer for the fish to get over to us. As we waited we could see a few people starting to catch the bigger fish. Well, Dale hooked one of them and landed it, nice fish. Then I hooked one but the fish spit the hook. Next Lucy hooked one and the fish spit that hook too. Well, at the end of the day it seems everyone on the lake caught at leased one of the bigger trout except Lucy and I. Guess that why the call it fishing not catching.

Last year the fish and game department were considering closing the lake and not planting them any longer. They said it was to expensive to maintain and plant the lakes. I don't believe that would be a smart move. To many people depend on the lake for their recreation and take there kids up there fishing. I believe the sport fisherman  pays for themselves by the dollars spent on licenses, gas, food, fishing gear, bait and many other things they but to go fishing. It is, in my opinion, typical for the government to take the easy way out. We tend to gripe and not really do much to stop these thing from happening.

Upon occasion I will fish the Icicle River in Leavenworth, WA. We used to be able to catch 3 fish and then they decided to cut down to 2 fish and finally down to 1 salmon a day. They figured that the river was being poached so bad they had to lower the catch limit. So they made up for the poaching by cutting the fisherman who fishes legal. I don't know why the couldn't catch the poacher and take there equipment and vehicle. After doing that a few time the poaching would stop. Again, that is just in my opinion.

Charter Fishing

Charter fishing is really one of the best ways to go fishing. I have gone on charters in both freshwater and saltwater. Generally fishing this way on freshwater you only have three to five fishermen on a boat. Saltwater fishing is totally different, I've been on boats with thirty fishermen. Now that is a crowded boat.

It is even good to go on a charter the first couple of times when fishing freshwater even if you have a boat. The captain shows you the hot spots on the river. Now there is no guessing where to go on the river that is if you can remember. I personally think charter fishing is the only way to go on saltwater. The weather can turn on you quickly and the big fifty foot boat is more comforting. You can call me a coward been out there when I was very thankful for the large boat and the captain.

One time a friend and I were signed up to go out on a boat in West Port, my favorite place to go. We had to get up early the next morning and the guys in the room next to us were drinking pretty heavily and getting louder and louder as time went on. I was sleeping thru most of it but my friend wasn't. I woke up when one of them fell against the wall. I asked Mark, my friend, if he was asleep and he told me he hadn't gotten any sleep. I told him I would go next door and ask them to tone it down since we had to get up in three hours to go fishing. Mark said they were pretty drunk and didn't think it was safe for me to go over there. I told him if he wanted he could come with me but he that was not safe either since there were six of them and only two of us. So, I went next door and he stayed in the room. Actually the guys were very nice about it and thanked me for letting them know it was so late since they had to get up and go fishing too.

The next morning Mark and I got up and went to breakfast before going to the boat. We didn't see any of the guys from the room next to us. I figured they were still asleep and would miss there boat for fishing. Boy was I wrong. Not only were they up but the boat the were going out on was the same boat Mark and I were on and they were drinking already.

It took about an hour to get out to the fishing grounds and by then a couple of them were

asleep. There was one young man about twenty-one or so from the group that was drinking, who was fishing but not looking to well. His line went tight with a salmon on the hook. He set the hook and started reeling the fish in when I got a salmon on my line too. He started to turn green and then he exploded and started chumming, if you know what I mean. I got my fish landed and the young man was chumming and reeling alternating between each. He kept his rod tip up and line tight. He finally got the fish landed and finally stop chumming. I patted him on the back and told him good job.

Help in Finding Fishing Equipment

 I have found several different sites that might help you in finding different type of fishing equipment from fishing rods to fishing pole holders. I hope these help in your search and your fishing experience.

Bike Mount Fishing Pole Holder
I've received lots of compliments from other fisherman, and the other added bonus is they double as pole holders when you get to your fishing spot. Just make sure you secure your bike to a tree or something. ... I used to do a lot of bike fishing as well, I attached the pvc to the bike frame, angled slightly backwards so when I threw my leg over I wasn't always hitting the poles, I also cut a notch in the pvc for the reel to slide into preventing the pole from rotating ...
Publish Date: 04/17/2011 22:31
http://www.instructables.com/id/Bike-Mount-Fishing-Pole-Holder/
Pole Exercise: T-H Marine Rod Holder Review
One for fishing rods and the second to be creative with then tell Amazon what other great uses you found. Click Here to see more reviews about: T-H Marine Rod Holder These rod holders mount horizontally or vertically. ...
Publish Date: 04/29/2011 7:50
http://pole-exercise.blogspot.com/2011/04/t-h-marine-rod-holder-review.html

p>Best Fishing Rod | Fishing
All Rite Catch and Release Double Rod Holder ATV rod rack carries two fishing rods vertically across the back of an ATV. The fishing rod reel slides down split channel in tube and locks into place, keeping the rod secure even while ...
Publish Date: 04/26/2011 12:10
http://www.wotdaily.com/fishing/best-fishing-rod/

Fishing Pole Holder
Ultimately they need to use their tool of choice, the fishing pole. For those that respect the process of fishing, respect their poles, and sometimes they need a fishing pole holder. For those of you who are not fishermen, ...
Publish Date: 04/20/2011 10:38
http://www.sportinfosite.com/fishing-pole-holder-1664/

Reel Combo | Fishing Secrets
Description. It can be used with Access Control Cards, Keys, IDs, Badges, Whistles, Eyeglass Holders or a variety of other items. If you want it all in an attractive Lanyard or Reel, this is it. ... Bring the joy of fishing to your friends and family with this excellent Worm Gear Fishing rod and reel combo set.This is a great combo set with all the features and durability to get anyone involved in fishing, young and old alike. ...
Publish Date: 05/04/2011 1:24
http://www.fishing-secrets.net/reel-combo-2/

I hope these will help you in your search.

Good Fishing Memories

When I was twenty-seven I got a job in Wenatchee. Shortly after moving there I meet a young man name Mark and he invited me to go fishing. Well, it didn't take long to find out that fishing is about all he did. Since I was single at the time we went fishing as often as we could.

Mark had a small twelve foot fiber glass boat with a hole in it. I told him if he sold me the boat for seventy-five dollars I would fix the hold and we could float the Icicle River in Leavenworth and fish for the salmon. He agreed and sold me the boat and I patched the hole. Mark told me he had floated the river many times so we loaded the boat and he and I and my father-in-law Mike went up to the river in Leavenworth. We put the boat in the water and got in the boat. Mike in the back, Mark in the middle to handle the oars and me in the front.

The river has a lot of  twist and turns and the first turn in the river is a big drifting hole for the bank fishermen and they take their fishing very seriously. Well, Mark is in control for navigation and Mike and I are setting back enjoying the scenery when I notice Mark is not staying close to the inside bank of the river and I told him we needed to move over to that side. Mark said no problem and he started trying to move over but the current was strong and he was not able to move over and we drifted sideways into a big rock and got stuck on it. To make things worse the rock was at the top of the last whole where the salmon held up for the drift fishermen.

Now picture this, we hung up on the rock and the bank fishermen, about fifteen or them madder then blazes threatening to sink the boat, I told Mark he had to pull us up off the rock. He tried several time unsuccessfully and the when I of the guys on the bank threatened him he just through the oars down and crossed his arms and told us all to just stuff it.

I finally talk him into moving to my spot and I moved to the oars. Now remember I have never rowed a boat before. After about three tries I got off the rock but the bad thing is I had to move over to the bank where the fishermen were to avoid passing over the salmon whole at the top end of that drift. They didn't have to many good things to say to us but we made it through them and down the river.

My father-in-law hadn't said much during the whole thing. Well, I found out later that he didn't know how to swim so I'm sure that was on his mind while we were hung up on the rock. All good memories.

Fishing With Friends

Shortly after graduating from high school is when I started fishing. Never was able to go fishing with my dad so after graduation I bought a fishing pole and went fishing. I loved it and went as often as I could.

I often went by myself. Actually I did not really care if I caught a fish. I enjoyed being at the river and just enjoying the morning. The sunrises were beautiful and the smell of the air was awesome. Many times I would fall asleep for a little nap. Fishing is the most relaxing thing I have ever done.

One day a couple of friends and I decided to go fishing down on the Columbia River by the big boat dock. We were fishing for bass and not doing very well so we moved around hoping to do better. Looking back on it I think it was the fishermen not the fish was the problem. No matter we were have a great time. I remember standing on a rock, casting my lure and slowly reeling in and my buddy about five yards from me cast his lure. Well a few seconds later something hit me on the side of my head so hard it blurred my vision. I turned around, thinking some hit me with a rock and I was going to beat the guy into the ground. Well, no one was there so, I turned back facing the river and started to reel my lure back in when I saw my shadow on the water. I called to my friend and told him to stop reeling. He didn't stop so I yelled at him to stop reeling and then he yelled back and asked why. I told him to look at me and when he turned around he and my other friend start laughing because I had his lure stuck in my ear. Well, after they had their laugh, they both came over to see if they could take the lure out. Luckily the hook had not gone pay the barb and the were able to remove the lure. We continued fishing but I change spots with my friend.
Another time I went fishing with another friend down by a place where there was a railroad crossing over the river. We both picked out a comfortable rock and cast our worms into the river. Neither of us really caring if we caught anything or not. We both had a few little bites but had caught nothing. Well finally it looked like a fish was being serious about taking my bait. I waited for the right tug on my line and set the hook. The fish started running and taking line. I could not stop it so I clamped down on the reel and broke off the line. I geared back up and cast back out. It only took about five minutes and another serious taker of my bait started in and I set the hook again and again the fish took off running away from me and I was unable to turn it or change its direction. Before he took all my line I once again broke off my line and my friend and I packed up and went home. We decided it must have been a big sturgeon and with the pole and line I had there was no way for me to bring it in.
These are great memories.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6211995

My Favorite Pastime

Apr

My Hobbie

Posted by randywright in Keepsakes. Tagged: building a rod, families, fishing rod, hobbies. Leave a Comment | Edit

Most of us men don’t really think of what we can leave our children as a keepsake. Something they will use and enjoy having and maybe handing down to there children. I am not any different. I didn’t have anything either. Actually didn’t ever think about it until I got sick. That’s always an eye opener.
However a few years ago I decided to take a class on how to make a fishing rod. I made myself a trolling rod for salmon fishing on Puget Sound. I enjoyed that so much that I decided to make each of my grandkids a rod using their favorite color to wrap the guides on with. I signed the rod with a special wording that made each rod special for each of them. Well, my son liked them and kept bring it up that I made him a fly rod. It came out great and he loved. My daughter-in-law wants one and my son-in-law wants one. I just order the material to make an ultra-light fishing rod. Not sure who I will give it too.
I think I will make a movie out of making this rod. My next posting will be on making a keepsake. This should be interesting since I have never done anything like that. I don’t have a clue how to put a movie clip into one of these postings. You might keep an eye on my blog  just to see how this all turns out. The only thing I am sure of is that the fishing rod will look good. It seem the more rods I make the better they get. I really should make my oldest grandson a new rod since he was the first and when you put them all together you can certainly tell it was the first one made. Maybe I’ll give him the new rod, not the parents.

Fishing With a Guide

I moved from Kennewick, WA to the Everett, WA area about thirty years ago. I was used to fishing for small trout, bass and perch. Not sure of where to go fishing I first went to different sporting good stores in the area and they all gave me ideas on where to go fishing and what to use. Most of the information turned out good until one sales person said he uses a guide to find the good spots.

I decided to try that and was extremely pleased with the results. The first guided trip I went on was out of Everett and they fished for salmon in the Puget Sound. I chose that because I had never been on the Sound and never fished for salmon. Will that hooked me on fishing for salmon. Even through it is like combat shoulder to shoulder fishing, the deck hands handled everything very well. Everyone was good about following the deck hands orders and we all caught fish. Also, the reason I chose to try this first is because I did not have a boat  and even if I did I didn't know where to go. I enjoyed this so much I started going fishing on the Washington coast using charter boats.

It didn't take long to decide to go with a guide on some of the rivers. The advantage here was I could ask the guide a lot of questions and watch him rig up his line and see how he hooked up the bait. If you pick a good guide you will find they are very good and even eager to share their knowledge on how to rig up and showing their best spots for fishing. All the guide I ever went with would do everything they knew how to get you your limit of fish.

Once a friend and I went out with a guide fishing for steelhead on the Snohomish River. We were early for the run and we knew it. As the day went on with no luck the guide want to know if we had ever fly fished and we both told him we had fly fished a few times but we were not real great at it. He dug out two fly rod and we anchored on a small island in the river. We got out and he gave a few lessons on fly fishing and we walked to the narrow side of the island. The guide showed us where there were several pink salmon and let us just have fun. We were catching pinks on just about every cast. They varied in size from five to twelve pounds. We were doing so well that the guys fishing on the other side of the river wanted to know if we wanted to sell them some salmon. Can't say we weren't tempted even though I believe it is against the law to sell the fish.

Guide fishing has several advantages. One is usually all the gear and bait is provided. Another it is cheaper than paying for your own boat. It seems if you have your own boat everyone is your friend and wants to go fishing but no one want to pay for the gas or anything else. Another good thing is the guide usually will fillet your fish out if you want.

I have moved back to Kennewick and thought I would be disappointed about going back to fishing for the small fish again. Not true. I enjoy trout fishing with the grandchildren and I have found a great fishing guide to take me out on the Columbia River fishing for salmon and I caught my first sturgeon. So, it seems I have the best of both worlds.

Don't Forget Your Camera

   Another very important thing to be sure is in your tackle box is a disposable camera. You might even consider a camera you can put under water. That way you can put your hands and camera under the water when the kids are reeling in the fish and they can have the picture of their fish. You will be a hero for that.

   Beside, once you can talk the kids into using the fishing pole holders and leaving the rods in the holders, you will have a lot of pictures of them goofing around. Those pictures are as great or greater then the fishing pictures.

   The reason I said to bring a disposal camera is because you don't want to pull out your nice digital camera and drop it in the lake. This plays havoc with the camera. You might take your cheap phone too or at least put it in a waterproof bag. I speak on this through experience. I dropped a cell phone in the water and it cost me $250.00 to replace the phone. Please protect your things with waterproof bags.

   It is rewarding to have you camera with you when you go fishing without the kids. It's nice to take pictures of the landscape early in the morning. It is so beautiful and relaxing to just to enjoy it all. I like to put my head into the wind as we are riding the boat and just smell the wind and the bank. On three separate occasions I saw coyotes looking for something to eat, I saw geese trying to protect their nest from a fox. One of the times I saw deer and their fawns playing on the bank. One time we got very close to the river bank and say a miss of antlers in the brush and when we went over there we saw three very large 4 point and one 5 point buck. The antlers were all in velvet. This was beautiful and you guessed it, none of us in the boat had our cameras. Now that memory is just in my head and all I can do is talk about what I saw, not show anyone.

   One time I was standing on the bank, drift fishing for salmon on a small river by Everett, WA, Nothing happening so I cast my rod and let it set on the bottom and put my rod in the rod holder and I set down. After a while I heard the brush and the small trees move and something was coming towards me. I was a little concerned since we do have bear up there. Will as I was planning my escape a big doe came out of the bushes and when she saw me she froze. After about a minute the doe started very slowly backing back into the brush, not taking her eyes off me. It took a couple of minutes but she backed to where she felt comfortable  about turning around and leaving. A little while later I heard something coming up the river and when I turned around it was the doe walking in the water coming straight at me. She saw me but did not seem afraid and continued to walk up the river past me. Again, a Kodak moment lost.

   So, sit back, enjoy the scenery, put your rod in the fishing pole holder and wait for the action on the banks or in the water. Hopefully, it doesn't all happen at the same time. At the very least you want to take pictures of the fish caught.

Fishing with the Grandkids

   I never got to go fishing with my dad. He was always working trying to pay the bills. My brother and I  had to work after school and on the weekends with dad. He had a landscaping business on the side and we mowed lawns and removed trees from the clients yard. So there was no real play time.

   I never went fishing until I got married and several of my high school classmates and their wives got together and went fishing. I had a ball. When children came along we still went fishing but mom stopped going and stayed home with my daughter and then work got in the way and then another child, a boy. I worked in the retail field and was always promoted to management and that meant  a lot of hours and weekend working. Then a divorce came along when my daughter was seven and my son was two and I moved away so no fishing with my children.

   I moved to Wenatchee to work in the jewelry retail field as an assistant manager. That meant a lot of hours too. I meet a guy in Wenatchee who just fished all the time and I started going fishing with him. We fished for about every kind of fish, mostly trout, salmon and a little steelhead.

   I meet a young lady who after a period of time fell very much in love with. We got married after a couple of years and I bought a small 12 foot boat. I put on a fishing pole holder on both sides and fished the Icicle River up in Leavenworth. No motors allowed so I learned how to row a boat. Not an easy thing in fast water.

   My wife and I moved to Lake Stevens, WA. Most of my fishing ended except for some charter fishing. It was good and probably cheaper than a buying a bigger boat. That went on for several years. One day I went to my wife and said our grandchildren were growing up and I didn't want to miss their childhood like I did with my children. She agreed and we put the house up for sale and a week later it was sold.

   We moved back to Kennewick, WA  and bought a new home. Going fishing with 5 grandchildren is a challenge. There is really no need for you to take your fishing rod because they want your attention all the time. After all, the fun is watching them.  If you can get them to put the fishing pole in the fishing pole holder for any longer then a minute you have made quite an accomplishment.  I'm hoping that some of what I tell them gets thru to them. Especially that they learn patients and leave the pole in the fishing pole holder a little longer each time and maybe they will catch a fish. They are awesome.

   I have made from scratch each of them a fishing pole. They got to pick out the color of the rod and the color of the thread. I am hoping they will teach there children to fish and maybe pass the fishing rod down to them if the pole last that long.

Building a Fishing Rod

   About 10 years ago, when I was living in Lake Stevens, WA,I noticed an ad in the paper about a class on how to build your own fishing pole. That sounded interesting so I called to sign up and the gentleman suggested that I come in before the class and pick out my rod blank, color of thread to use and the type guides I wanted to use. I went in to the shop Craig's Custom Rod's in Lake Stevens and the owner Craig was tending the store and helped me pick out everything I needed. I picked out a rod for trolling the big water there in Puget Sound. Total bill came to about $100.00 dollars. I almost fell over but Craig said when I was finished with the fishing pole it would be worth $150.00 to $200.00  if I were to buy it already made in his shop.

   The night of class I showed up and there were a total of  5 people taking the class. Not everyone came in early and picked everything for the rod building project, so we waited tor the others to get all the needed to do this project. I ended up spending more money for a fishing pole holder to put the rod blank on. This way I could lay the blank on the fishing pole holder and turn it with one hand and put the thread on with the other hand. The fishing rod rack had a place to put one or two spools of thread on it. Once we got started I found out this really was not as difficult as I thought it would be. Thankfully Craig gave us a sheet with the measurements we need for the guides for the different types of fishing rods we could build.

   Craig is a great guy. He spent time with each one of us and gave tips on how to do it better then we were doing. The rod came out great. I had a reel at home already my father-in-law had given me that fit the new rod perfectly.

   I enjoyed doing this rod that I decided to make each of the 5 grandchildren a rod. I started with the oldest to the youngest. Well, each time I did one the better I got at making them. This worked out great for the youngest because she got the best one. I enjoyed making those so much that I signed up for an advanced rod building class. This class showed me how to do fancy weaving and engraving with the thread I used.

   I asked my son what type of rod he wanted and he said he wanted a fly rod. I had never made a fly rod but decided it couldn't be that much more difficult so, I went out and purchased all the parts and got the color of thread he wanted but decided to do two colors and a fancy weave at the bottom. It came out so great I decided I want one too.

Columbia River Fishing

   For the last 3 years I have gone salmon fishing for the fall run of king salmon. I try to go with my son, Chad, and my son-in-law, Monte. We generally go the end of September or very beginning of October. We this last year both Chad and Monte went with me. I chartered a day trip with Chris Benson from Tri Cities Guide Service.

   I have chartered a day trip with Chris for the last 3 years and will continue to go out with him each year.  Chris is a great guide. He teaches his  techniques for fishing, know where to go and is just a great guy to go fishing with. We have been out with Chris when fishing was a challenge but at the end of the day we have fish when other guides don't. Its is a good feeling when you go to the loading dock and you have several fish and the other boats don't.

   This year, we had just gotten to the first fishing area and Chris was baiting the hooks and Monte said I think I have a fish. I had my back to him and said you just put your bait in the water and it is probably just bouncing off the bottom. Well, I turned around and the pole took another hit while in this fishing pole holder. Monte quickly grabbed the pole and remove it from the pole holder and sure enough he had the first fish for the day before Chad and I had our bait in the water. It was a nice fish and started the day off great with us all thinking we will be done by noon today.

  We finally got another hooked just before noon and this time it was on Chad's pole. The pole jumped in the pole holder and scarred us all. He landed his fish and it was a little bigger then Monte's. This got the adrenalin going for us all and again thought things would pick up.

   Mid afternoon I finally got a fish on and that brought us to 1 each. My fish was smaller then the other fish. That is pretty typical of my fishing. We decided to continue fishing but just burned up gas. The day beautiful outside and we all did enjoy that. It finally got late after noon and we decided to make one more drift thru the hole when my pole jump in the fishing pole holder. I grabbed the pole and landed a great fish.

   With the day over the count is one each for the boys and two for Randy, that's me. This too is typical of my fishing. Generally,  I out fish those who go with me. Not always, but generally.

Giant Fish

  My wife and I went to a dinner/auction with our Small Group from our church. It was sponsored by our high school kids. Well, Steve won the bid at $250.00 for a day fishing trip for 2 people with lunch and snacks furnished. The gentleman giving the trip was kind and offered 2 trips if I wanted to do it. I agreed and paid the church.

   I told the guide I wanted to do a sturgeon fishing trip. I chose a buddy I hadn't gone fishing with in years. On the day chosen we got there early in the morning and went up the Columbia River to what is called the Hanford Reach. I was very quit and a beautiful morning. It took about half an hour to get where we wanted to be.

   We fished for a couple of hours with little to no action but that was ok because we were enjoying the beautiful day and good conversation. Suddenly my friend hooked a sturgeon and finally landed it. It was 1 inch short of legal. Well, we took pictures and let it go. Perked up the morning and we continued fishing hoping to hook a legal fish. This is how the rest of the morning went.

   We ate lunch with no other action. Later that after noon my friend hooked another fish and when landed we measured and it was just short we thought. Mark released it too. I asked the friend who took us fishing if he had a fishing regulation guide and he looked around and found it. I looked thru the regulation and discovered that Mark's last fish was legal. Oh well, our fault for not knowing the regulation.

   Well, it was getting late afternoon and I still hadn't had a bite even. I was setting there eating the snack when my rod jerked so hard in the pole holder, I thought it was going to bounce out of it and into the water. Boy did that start the adrenalin. I grabbed the rod and when I felt the weight on the rod I was sure the fish was legal.

   I want you to know that when a big fish wants to go in another direction there is nothing you can do to stop it. I continued to put pressure on the pole and he continued to fight back. My arms were getting very tried and after about 30 minutes I gave my fishing pole to my friend. I gave my arms a rest for about 5 minutes and took to pole back. The fish still strong, I kept putting pressure on him to come to the surface. He finally came to the surface and I about fell out of the boat. This was a giant fish to me. The fish took one look at the boat and went back to the bottom. I continued to put pressure on him and he finally gave it up and came up to the boat and we hooked his tail and went to the bank and took pictures and measured him. He was 6'10" and was 150 pounds. This is the biggest fish I have ever caught in freshwater. But he was to big to keep, so I released him.

   The Columbia River produces sturgeon much bigger then this. I know of people catching sturgeon well over 12 feet. This was my biggest fish caught on the Columbia and it was a great day. The captain took us on a trip up further up the river and we ran into a group of foru mule deer. Three of the had four points on their antlers and one deer had five points. Beautiful day and thanks to the captain.

The Family That Fishes Together Stays Together

Back at the beginning of February I ran across and great website fishinghistory.blogspot.com hosted by Dr Todd Larson. I E-Mailed him and asked him if I could do a posting on his blog and graciously agreed to letting me do a posting. After that I asked if he had the time to do a posting for my blog and he said yes. The following is what he wrote.

The Family That Fishes Together Stays Together

by Dr. Todd E.A. Larson

I grew up in a family that fished before they could walk, so when I had a child of my own, I wanted desperately to introduce her to angling as soon as I possibly could. After all, she was going to grow up in a household surrounded by hundreds of fishing rods, reels, and thousands of lures. 

But as I watched my daughter grow from an infant to a toddler, I was at a loss to figure out how to accomplish the very act of turning a child into a child angler. I knew I wasn't going to force it upon her, as that rarely has positive results. So how to get her interested in fishing?

The answer, it turns out, was simple, at least in my daughter's case. I introduced her to the wonders of the outdoors first. While I was fly casting from shore for bass, she would wander the shorelines looking for tadpoles. When we were out in the boat, I let her feed the sunfish off the bow. And most of all, when she wanted to hold a rod and actually fish, I tried to make sure that she would catch a fish. 

I can't emphasize this enough. Children who fish MUST CATCH FISH or they will tire of it and never want to fish again.

Of course, for me this meant a whole lot of fishing for sunnies and perch, and not very much chasing after trophy smallmouth or pike. But the sacrifice was worth it--my daughter grew to love fishing very much.

Lots of kids love fishing. How do you keep the love of angling alive as they grow older? That remains the most important question. I think of this as my daughter grows older. Will she still be an angler during her teenage years? When she goes to college? 

She is growing before my eyes and I suddenly realize how ridiculous these questions are. 

As I watch her cast, I realize I cannot worry about tomorrow. I must concentrate on today, and remember that my daughter has a love of angling that is deep and abiding. That is something I am truly thankful for. 

I will, of course, encourage her to continue her angling journey, but without forcing it on her. Because if there is one thing I have learned it is that a child's attraction to fishing is natural, and all an adult has to do is simply encourage and support them and they will turn into lifelong anglers.

There is no simpler truth than a family that fishes together stays together.

http://www.pixelarchitecture.com/todd/fish01.jpg

http://www.pixelarchitecture.com/todd/fish_june_2010_11.jpg

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Dr. Todd E.A. Larson, Publisher
The Whitefish Press (http://www.whitefishpress.com)
The Classic Fly Rod Forum (http://clarksclassicflyrodforum.yuku.com/)
The Fishing for History Blog (http://fishinghistory.blogspot.com)

If you have anything interesting to post please contact Dr Todd Larson at the above websites. He also listed three other interesting sites.

Thanks again to Dr Larson

Randy Wright

Cell Phone

   When ever you go fishing or even out for a nice nature drive, you need to have some way to contact someone for help if you need it.  That's why, it is of my opinion, that you should always take your phone and if anyone is with you, they should take their phone too.

   There is no better safety percussion then having your cell phone with you on any outing. You need to make sure you have fully charged the battery and remind anyone going with you to do the same. If you are taking your phone with you when going fishing you might consider putting it in some kind of waterproof bag. Phone won't do much if you drop it or it falls into the water. From experience, I know the doesn't work to well after it has be submerged in water.

  This is why I recommend you have the person that came with you to carry a cell phone too. You just never know what is going to happen. I was fishing a mountain lake and forgot my phone and did not remind my partner to bring his when an older man fishing the same lake fell and broke his hip. Well, lucky for the older man someone on the lake fishing had a phone and called for help. It still took about 45 minutes for the ambulance to get to where we were, but at least help came and was able to get the man to the hospital. That made a believer out of me. I always take my cell phone now.

   You need to be sure you put the cell phone in a secure pocket too. Not all pockets are good for the phone. I lost my phone one time while fishing, it fell out of my pocket and I didn't know it until I got back to the truck and tried to make a call but the phone was gone. We tried to find it but couldn't. Well, when I got home and informed my wife the phone was lost, she was not a happy camper. A few days later I bought another phone that cost me 250.00 and about a week after that the phone company called me and said someone found my phone and wanted to know if I could come and pick it up. I informed her that I purchased a new phone and to give it to the organization the gives phone to battered women.

Fishing Agentina

I was looking aroung at sites for fishing out of the United States and came across bressanpesca.wordpress.com his site showed some beautiful country of Argentina and a lot of different fishing photos showing different types of fish caught. I contacted Ricardo and he was very kind and gave me permission to post one of his posting on my blog.

OCTUBRE OCTOBER. The waterfall does not fail, this month the tents were giants, at times not bite but when they did the ability to Kennel was important. Ruben had a chop very subtle, canoe and began the tent to go to different sides, with fine nylon hook and small (92 553 No. 1 with pulpit earthworm) carp showed no truce, after a couple of minutes you could see the back and the terrible side of the tent, I guess I was too fat by the number of eggs that had the codend up the tent that afternoon charged 6 kg.Por mullets jumped as spectators, no spike in heart Azuelos with strips of colored patíes later came some guys and to my surprise one day was burriqueta.El barbarian. LOMOS DE CARPAS BACKING OF TENTS
BRESSANPESCA BRESSANPESCA

  I would love to go to Argentina and fish with Ricardo. Now that I have a friend there maybe I will. Go to his site and look over all his posts.Ricardo_Bressan@yahoo.com.ar

Tools of the trade

I found this article when I was doing my posting on fly fishing. You can find this entire blog listing by going to pikeflyfishingarticles.blogspot.com or just go to Google and look up fishing blogspot and he is about the 4th or 5th listing.
When I contacted Simon Graham he was very kind and let me post one of his articles on my blog and signed up as a follower on my blog.

Here's a new floating line from A Jenson. The Pike Specialist flyline is designed specifically for pike fishing, where it is necessary to cast big bulky flies with accuracy. With the aggressive bullet front of the line, you feel great control even when making short casts. The full length of the head is slightly high, which will load the rod deep, to push big flies a long distance. The front taper ensures that your fly will turn over even in windy conditions, with an almost delicate ease. The Pike Specialist is a 2 colored flyline, with a contrast colored runningline. This helps during casting, as you will easily detect the ideal loading point of the line for long casting. Both ends has our slim welded loops.

Picking out Hiking Boots

Hiking boots

   If you do a lot of walking to get to where you want to fish, you might consider purchasing a pair of hiking boots. This is not an easy job. You will find that each brand name will fit you differently. The reason is each manufacture uses what the call a "last" and this is what they consider to be what the average foot is shaped like. That's why that same types of shoes or boots will fit you different depending on the manufactures view on what the average foot is shaped like. If you find a hiking boot that you think feels really good on, you probably should stay with that manufacture.

   You need to  look at how the upper is attached to the last. They are usually stitched together. These are called seams and the more seam the better. Keep in mind though, the more seam the better the fit and usually the more the hiking boot will cost. Single stitched hiking boots are usually less expensive, this does not necessarily mean the are bad. If the fit well you might want to buy them, just remember they probably will not last as long.

   The leather is something else to consider when pick out a pair of hiking boots. Some have the smooth side of the leather turned out. These will show scuff marks very easily and look banged up. Choosing the rough side out on the leather will stay looking nicer longer. After all, they are all ready roughed up.

   You need to look at the sole and decide which is best for you. Hard sole work better on grassy areas or dirt. Softer soles do good on rocky areas. Depending on where you go fishing the most will be the determining factor on which sole you use.

   Other things to think about when you are purchasing a pair of hiking boots are the tongue, is it one piece or two. You want one piece. Also look at the type of lacing the boot has. Eyelet is the strongest but not the fastest when putting on your boots. Speed hooks are good but don't provide the best in secure lacing. The manufactures have come out now with d-rings. These are a great choice giving you the best of both worlds. Most manufactures will do eyelets on the foot part of the hiking boot and then d-rings on the ankle part.

   So many things to think about. You may end up with more then one pair of boot, if you can afford them. Have fun finding a pair that is right for you and most of all have fun fishing.

Fishing knife for you tackle box

   After you finish catching you limit or just get that big fish landed you will be glad you have a good fishing or filleting knife that is able to do a good job of filleting your catch. Fillet knives are found in about every fishing tackle box and just about every kitchen. They make filleting a fish or meat and boning a chicken or turkey much easier. They have very thin and very sharp blades that make it great for making very thin cuts.

   Fillet knives make great gifts for the fisherperson in your life. There are several different kinds to choose from. The folding knife is perfect for the tackle box. There electric fillet knives and they  are great to have at home. You can use them inside or outside.

   Their blades are usually not serrated but usually straight blades, making them easier to sharpen. They will rust if left outside in wet weather since they are made of stainless steel. However they are easy to clean with steel  wool. The blades are very flexible too. This makes filleting easier since you can easily bend the blades while filleting a fish. The blade come in several different lengths but seven and a half inches is very common.

   The fillet knife handle come in a lot of different materials. Wood, plastic, rubber, and stainless steel, and come in a lot of different designs. The knife should be comfortable and offer you a good grip even when it is wet. You might think about trying several kinds out to see what works best for you.

   Keeping you knife sharp is the key to enjoying your knife. Being sharp makes it easier to use and is easy to do. You can use any type of knife sharpenere you like. Usually and whetstone does not take up much room in your tackle box. All you have to do is just put a couple of drops of water or honing oil if you perferr. Put the stone flat and hold the edge of the stone and place the knife on the stone with it facing away from you at about a twenty degree angle and push you knife two or three times. Now reverse the direction and pull the blade towards you at about the same angle. Be very careful when doing this. Wash the blade now and start filleting. Your knife should last you several year if you take care of it.

Picking a fishing hat

   Having a good fishing hat is very important. Most of the time we just take the hat that is easy to get and most handy. Generally this is a baseball hat. Even though we look great in them, in my opinion they are not the best suited for fishing. Baseball hats don't really keep you dry when it is raining and don't keep the sun off the side of your face or neck. A baseball hat will get wet if it is warm with sweat and will take all day to dry out making them pretty uncomfortable to wear all day long. When considering a fishing hat be sure you look at them all and read about each type.

   There different qualities to each type of hat that will key to your situation. The head band need to be of a material that will absorb  sweat that will keep the sweat out of your eyes. Having a mesh material in the crown will help keep your head cooler while fishing. The only problem with mesh is if it rains you may get a little water thru it. Having an adjustable strap is something you should consider too. This will keep you hat on if it gets windy or if you knockit off while fishing. It is no fun watching your fishing hat float away or  chasing it down the river because of no chin strap.

    One of the most important things to consider is the brim of your fishing hat. In choosing a wide brimmed hat you might look of a hat that has a darker underside to it. This will take away some of the glare off the water. Also, you need to look for a hat that has a waterproof shell. These are more breathable and tend to stay dryer. You might look at the hats that have a neck cape to them. Some will roll up off your neck or you can put them down over you neck when you need it. These usually will also cover your ears and sides of you head cutting down on the UV exposure from the sun.

   One of the last things to consider is whether you hat is fade resistant. You don't to spend your money on a hat that will fade out from the sun. This feature really won't affect whether you hat protects you  from the sun or weather or not, but looking good when the pictures are being taken of you fish that you caught is. So, as you see picking a hat isn't as easy as you might think.

Clothing for fishing

 Clothing for fishing

   A very important thing to own, especially if you are a fly fisherman, is a fly fishing vest. You need to be careful when choosing the best fishing vest for you. You need to think about your situation. Most of the fishing vest come with a lot of pockets and places to hang different things.

   There a few thing to consider when you pick out a fly fishing vest and the way the pockets close in one of the important considerations. When looking at the different vest around you will see some have pockets that close with zippers, some with snaps, and some closing with velcro. Many of the fishing vest that have zippers or snap are of lower quality in my opinion. They tend to corrode and a lot of the vest with velcro don't really have enough velcro to keep the pocket closed, and will open easily if you have anything in them. You would not be very happy if you were out in the water and bent over and a fly you loved to use dropped in the water and either floated away or sank to the bottom of the water.

   Remember just because you have a lot of pockets doesn't mean you have to fill them all each time you go fishing. If you do, it will add a lot of weight. Because of the added weight you want to look at the material around the shoulders and neck and be sure they are comfortable and have enough padding. The vests that are of lower quality don't generally have enough padding and become uncomfortable to wear faster then the better quality vests.

   When you try on the fishing vest you need to consider when you will be fishing, so size is very important. If you fly fish during the colder time of the year, will you be wearing layers of clothing. If so, you need to pick your size carefully. You don't want it to be to tight especially around the neck and chest. You also want to be sure there is enough room for your arms to cast. Now if you are fly fishing in warmer weather you might think about vest made out of a webbing material. This will keep you cooler.

   Vests come in a lot of colors and some think that fish will see the colored vest and stay away. Well, I can't find anything proving this. Most avid fly fishermen usually stay a neutral color. You can even get vests with floatation in they. If you are fishing in rough water you might consider that.

   So, as you see there are a lot of things to think about. You might consider owning more then one type.

Eyewear for you tackle box

 Eyewear for you tackle box.

Every tackle box needs to have a pair of sunglasses in them or at least with them. There is a lot to know about buying and owning the correct set of eyewear for your tackle box. You need to have good UV protection. There are also a wide range of prices. Do you really need the designer sunglass that are so expensive or will the cheaper pair of sunglass do just as good.

   Your sunglass  should fit well and I think look good too,after all you paid good money for them. They should also protect your eyes from the sun. The UV rating is a way of knowing how well your eyewear will protect you eyes for the sun's harmful radiation. The higher the UV rating the better.

   Actually, polarized fishing eyewear that wrap around or have side panels are the best kind to wear when you go fishing. They really take the glare off the water and you can actually see into the river or lake and see the fish swimming around.

   Every polarized lens have some color to them. The darker the lens the better the polarization works. Polarized eyewear come in a lot of different colors. Gray, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue violet, copper and melanin. Brown is probably the best for fishing although, you will find contention to  this by about everyone.

   There really is a difference between designer sunglasses and cheap sunglasses. The cheap sunglass eyewear are made of inferior quality material and can't with withstand the UV sunrays.

   Designer eyewear are made from good quality material and will out last the cheaper sunglasses. Sometime we put off our health when buying cheaper sunglass and it really is not worth it. Sunglasses are one of the worlds biggest fashion accessories. People will spend big dollars for this type of eyewear even though they can't afford them. The sunglasses have become a prized possession

Fishing tackle

  There are so many different kinds of fishing tackle that it would be impossible to write about them all. Well, let me back up on that just a little. Chances are that if I did write about them all most people would not take the time to read it all the way through.

   Each kind of fish needs different tackle. Although they all need some kind of hook to catch them with and something to put on the hook to attract the fish. That is no all together true either. I have fished for sockeye salmon with just a red or black hook trolling behind a boat. When I heard that, I thought the guy was crazy but sure enough when my son and I got to the lake where they were running, we asked an older fisherman and he showed us exactly what he was catching the sockeye on and it was just a plain red or black hook.

   When you take you smaller children you almost always need to have bobbers, the store love it when we have kids, we use a lot of fishing tackle. Actually, I use them on some fish part of the time. If the fish are not on the bottom you will need something to hold you bait up and a bobber is the perfect thing. They work great unless the wind is blowing and then they drift everywhere but where you want them. I use the pencil type bobber when I fish for steelhead and the small ball type of bobber for trout.

   When fishing for the smaller fish you will want to have some kind of a stringer. You can get the kind with a ring tied on one end and all you do is put the end without the ring thru the gill and out the mouth of the fish, then put that end thru the ring on the rope stringer. There is also the metal chain with snap clips attached. They usually have five or six clips attached and you can put up to three fish on each clip depending on the size of the fish.

   Another type of fishing tackle are the weights. These usually are lead and come in more kinds then I can list. Probably the most used is the split shot are designed so you can squeeze one side to close them tight around you line and then squeeze the other side or them to remove from your fishing line. You can also use the bell kind you tie on through a metal loop at the end of the lead weight. Again, there are a lot of different kinds of weight and each have there place for use. We have not even touched the surface of the different kinds of fishing tackle we can use.

Fishing tackle box

Fishing tackle box

  Before we get into the different tackle you will need, you need something to put it all in. So, now you need to buy a tackle box. Most of us start off small. Something to carry a few hooks, weights, a jar of fish eggs and a jar of marshmallows. We get to the sporting goods store and are amazed at all the different types and sizes that are available.

   As you compare all the tackle boxes you finally decide on a small but adequate box. It  is larger then you first planed but looks good. Now you start picking out some of the tackle you may need. You find out you need more hooks the you thought and different types of weight you may need to use. You are amazed to find out how many different kind of weights and hooks there are.

   Now you look around the tackle isles and decide you need a stringer, maybe a bobber (several sizes). You decide to get a couple of lures and see that there is a whole isle with just lures. After looking at all the different kinds you get a couple of spinners, a couple of rooster tails, a few fake worm, frogs and shrimp style. The salesperson says you should have a spool of leader, a couple of different weights and maybe some extra line. After getting everything you think, and your salesperson thinks you may need, you purchase it all and go home.

   You now take your new tackle box and put the tray together with the dividers given with it. You open all your new tackle and put it in different categories and now start putting it all in your tackle box. Now you are amazed at how little your tackle box really holds. You find out your spool of extra line does not fit and only 1 jar of marshmallow will fit in the box and you don't have enough room for all the hooks and weights and lures. You decide you should have bought a bigger tackle box.

   This was my experience the first time I went fishing and needed a tackle box. I have since had several different kinds and now have two different boxes. One for larger fish and one for smaller fish. I am now thing I want a large tackle box that holds several different individual clear trays. That way I can put the thingz I need for trout fishing in one tray and the thing for bass in another and so on. Still using the medium old box for the larger things like extra spools for the reels.

Choosing a fishing line for your reel

   Choosing the right fishing line is the most important item for a fisherman. It is very important in how your bait and lures are presented to your fish and once you hook a fish, will you be able to land the fish? Most fishermen do not know about the types of fishing line available to them. Understanding and knowing what the different fishing line will do, and choosing the right line for the type of fishing you will be doing .

   There is no one type of fishing line that will do everything you want. You need to think about the type of fish and how big they get where you are going. Then you need to think about what you need the line to do for you. Each line will be different in the breaking point, how much stretch and how strong it is.

   There is one type of line that is  probably the most used by anglers, the Monofilament line. This  fishing line are usually inexpensive. Remember cheaper is not always the best. If you use a monofilament line do not pick the least expensive, move up to a better line and you will be happier with the fishing line. Usually if you pick a brand name you recognize and pick a little more expensive line it will serve you better in castingand knot strength.

   Another type of fishing line is the braided line. This type is not used much anymore. I doesn't have as good a strength as monofilament and has very little stretch. Still, there are some fishermen that like the softness and believe that improves there catch. Now there is what they call the microfilament lines, braid line has improved greatly. They cast better now and there strength has improved. Lures dive deeper and quicker with microlines. Saltwater fishermen use most of the braided  line. They are used for backing on fly fishing reels and as backing for mono line on reels.

   Another type is the fluorocarbon line. This fishing line is practically invisible and it does not break down as easily because of sunlight or other things. It does not absorb water either.

   We started using fluorocarbon line mostly in saltwater and for fly fishing. We found out you could catch more fish by using it because of its low visibility. You do need to be more careful and show more attention with this type. This line is heavier and you may have a little trouble using it on light rods and if used in a casting reel you may have to adjust the reel.

Footwear for fishing waders

   If you choose a wader without any boot or shoe on it, you will have to buy one separately. There are a lot to choose from and a wide range of prices. If this is your first pair of footwear or fishing boot, I suggest going to the most expensive place that sales them and get as much information as you can get from the salesperson. Try on all the different types as you can. Try the low tops, high tops, cleats (lugs) and felt bottoms. Once you have picked a style, now go home and call around and find the store that sells that type the cheapest and go there and by them.

   The reason I do it this way is that most salespeople at the more expensive store usually know more about the footwear. The more inexpensive stores I go to you sometime have trouble finding someone to wait on you and they usually don't know much about fishing footwear. Now you can read the information on the box of footwear and  find what you want without a salesperson. Who knows you might just buy the footwear for your fishing waders there. That's me, I usually have a salesperson that has a good personally and is very knowledgeable and I end up just buying them right then and there.

   Be sure you go home and practice getting in and out of your fishing waders and putting on and tying your footwear. You will find that if you practice at home putting them on you don't get flustered when you are at the river trying to go fishing. Now that you feel comfortable putting your fishing waders and footwear, Go Fishing.

   You have now made it possible to fish in a lot more spots. You now do not have to worry about if there is enough area to stand or sit on the bank and keep dry. Also, you can get closer to the spot or holes where the fish hang out and do not have to cast as far.

   Remember, if you are not well experienced with fishing with fishing waders, take it slow and do not go to far out into the water. You need to know the type of bottom on the river or lake and move slowly. you never know when it will drop off quickly. To many fishermen get hurt or even killed by being over confident.