Extraordinary Fishing

I’m going seriously out on a limb by naming the top 10 trout rivers in the country. I will doubtless leave out some rivers that are worthy of mention. But when it comes to a list like this, you have to eventually pick the streams, and I’ll apologize in advance if I don’t put you’re favorite river down. I’m sure these aren’t actually the ten very best streams around-there are dozens of backcountry Alaskan streams and private trout waters that are probably better than any of these. But these are all rivers that are easily accessible and provide awesome trout fishing. These are all well known streams, and they’ll be crowded from time to time. Still, they’re all long rivers and there is room to spread out. It’s no coincidence that Montana is well represented in the list;it is full of long, beautiful trout rivers.
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Whether you want to be a recreational fisherman, or aspire to being a more professional sportsman, there are many things to learn about this intriguing sport from having your fishing license current, and on your person, having the proper equipment (i.e. rods, baits and hooks), to angling from a boat. Let’s look at some fishing information for beginners.
Pleasure catching can be done with a cane pole. Don’t be fooled by how plain looking this type of angling is, because you can catch some really big fish with nothing more than a cane pole. There are some models designed in sections, which makes them easy to take along with you in the vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »

Walleye fish are among the most highly sought fish in the Great Lakes region by fishermen, but they’re also very hard to catch. Fishermen understand the habits of the walleye, but for someone just starting out and deciding they want this fish as a trophy for themselves need to understand some things about the walleye’s feeding, spawning and habitats in order to learn how to detect and catch them.

In spring, the lengthening days and the increasing temperatures bring walleye fish to spawn in Lake Erie and the nearby rivers. This is a very wandering species they have been known to travel upwards of a hundred miles to find a good spot. They don’t wander in the river aimlessly though walleye often return to their home streams to spawn if they’re able to.

Usually, males get to their spawning place first, and they also are the first to make the return trip. Some walleye populations essentially swim in schools, usually in the eastern parts of Lake Erie. The walleye fish that live in the eastern part of Lake Erie require different living conditions than those in the west.

Walleye usually prefer to spawn in gravelly clear-flowing water, and more rocky shoals in lakes that are buffeted by wind. Walleye favor rocky, wind and wave swept shoals in lakes. The urge to spawn begins approximately when the river water is about 38 to 45-degree water. The spawning occurs in shallow waters from Read the rest of this entry »

Land a lunker for loot. Boat a bluegill for bucks. Catch a crappie for cash.
Anybody can win big bucks in the first-ever $50,000 Hot Springs Fishing Challenge, which begins May 1 on Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine at Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas.
“You don’t have to be a pro fisherman to cash in on some of the greatest fishing in North America,” said Steve Arrison, CEO of Visit Hot Springs, sponsor of the Fishing Challenge. “Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine provide some of the top fishing anywhere. In fact, Lake Catherine is the undiscovered gem of Arkansas lakes.”

Beginning May 1 and running through July 31, the Hot Springs Fishing Challenge is open to anyone with a fishing pole and a valid Arkansas fishing license, Arrison said. “We will tag 53 fish and release them in Hamilton and Catherine in advance of May 1,” he said. “The fish released will be nine largemouth bass; nine bluegill, nine catfish, nine striped bass, nine crappie, and eight walleye. One of the fish, which we will call Big Al, will be worth a grand prize of $10,000. Read the rest of this entry »

Almost 36 years to the day, Arkansas’s largemouth bass state record has finally been broken. On Tuesday, Paul Crowder of Forrest City set the new record on Lake Dunn near Wynne. Crowder’s lunker weighed 16 pounds 5 ounces, breaking the old record by just a single ounce.
Aaron Mardis of Memphis had held the state record since March 2, 1976. Mardis’ 16 pound 4 ounce fish was caught on Mallard Lake near Manilla in Mississippi County.
Crowder broke the record on the afternoon of Feb. 28 using a plastic 6-inch Mann’s jelly worm with a bullet sinker and plastic rattle in tequila sunrise. He was using an Enigma rod and reel combo purchased from Bass Pro Shops. Crowder caught the fish on Trilene 14-pound test line. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Fisheries Biologist Lee Holt certified the fish on a certified scale at Hayes Market in Wynne.
The fish measured 26½ inches in length and was 22¾ inches in girth. Crowder said that he had been fishing all day for catfish without any luck. “I made a cast and set the rod down to take a look at my catfish rods when I noticed the rod was just about out of the boat,” he said. “I was able to grab it just before it went out of the boat,” he added. It was the only fish he caught all day. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are a serious angler, or just someone who enjoys fishing as a pastime, I recommend you include a trip to Roaring River State Park as part of your summer vacation plans. Located 7 miles south of Cassville, MO, Roaring River is home to some of the best rainbow trout fishing in the Ozarks. However, if fishing is not your idea of the best way to spend your holiday, don’t rule out Roaring River just yet. There is a myriad of activities located within this 3,403 acre park-enough to keep any nature-loving family well entertained.
Historically, Indians camped and hunted the grounds surrounding the spring-fed river. By the conclusion of the Civil War, the white man had discovered the areas’ beauty and usefulness and had begun to settle the land, making use of the spring to power an early milling industry. By 1865, the small community hosted a large grain grinding mill as well as a spinning wheel, a loom, and a saw mill. In the early 1900’s, the river became popular as a fishing retreat among the residents of St. Louis and Kansas City. A St.

Louis businessman, Thomas H. Sayman, bought the acreage surrounding the Roaring river in 1928 with plans of attracting tourists to the area. He later changed his mind and donated the land to the state of Missouri. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources manages what is now known as the Roaring River State Park.
I first visited the park while chaperoning a field trip for my son’s third grade class.

Since that day, my family I have been back on numerous occasions, both for the fishing as well as the sheer pleasure of time spent enjoying the great outdoors. Roaring River is the perfect destination for a simple day trip, but I would suggest a more extended stay to fully enjoy all that the park has to offer. You can “rough it” in a tent at one of the park’s campsites, or take the easy way out by staying at the newly built Roaring River Inn and Conference Center. There are also several cabins available for rent within the park boundaries. Here is some information that may be helpful when making your plans:
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by John Neporadny Jr.
Freezing temperatures, blustery winds and a vast body of water in which fish congregate in a small area can leave anglers feeling cold and frustrated after a day on their favorite lake.
Reservoirs do have an area that offers some shelter from the wind and contains plenty of active fish. When the fishing shuts down on the lake, anglers should concentrate on the downhill side of the dam.

A favorite wintertime spot of Eldon, Mo., angler Harold Stark is the Osage River below Lake of the Ozarks‘ Bagnell Dam. Stark, a veteran tournament angler, has been fishing the river for more than two decades and has discovered certain patterns for catching bass below the dam during the winter. Read the rest of this entry »

We’re in the month of February and still no winter in site.
With the water temperature staying around 48 degrees the fish are not in their normal routine.
The float and fly is not as productive as it should be this time of year.  There are some fish being caught on jerkbaits on mainlake transition banks but the prominent pattern is the same one that is sweeping the country.  The Alabama rig.
If you have not tried this rig you are definetly missing the boat.  It is working and it is working well.  Here in Missouri we are only allowed 3 hooks so a lot of guys are using 2 dummy baits without hooks or using 2 wires and attaching spinner blades to them. Read the rest of this entry »

Missouri has some of the nation’s best fishing rivers and lakes within its borders. There are great fishing opportunities for almost any freshwater fish species you can think of. Both the Mississippi River and Missouri River are found on or within the borders of the state. Beside these enormous rivers, there are many other smaller rivers and streams. Some of these are also amongst the best in the nation, at least for certain species.
Rivers like the Current, Meramec, Eleven Point, and North Fork of the White are all found in the Ozarks and all carry nice populations of smallmouth bass and trout, at least in certain stretches. Rivers like the Osage are famous for their enormous catfish. There is also incredible diversity in the lakes and reservoirs of the Show-Me-State.
In lakes, both north and south in Missouri, there are many species of gamefish. Amongst these species are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, brown trout, muskie, walleye, crappie, catfish (several types), sturgeon, walleye, and many more. Some of the lakes, especially some in the Ozarks region, are crystal clear. Waters in Bull Shoals for example, are so clear that fishermen must use lighter lines than elsewhere. Read the rest of this entry »

Planning an ice fishing trip to North Dakota this winter and want to know the top five places to sink your line? I’ve got you covered.

Here’s a quick rundown on the places you won’t want to miss:

1. Devil’s Lake

Over 16,000 acres of ice fishing nirvana is what you’ll find at Devil’s Lake. Long considered one of the top five fishing lakes in the nation, it is home to copious amounts of jumbo perch, walleye, northern pike, and white bass. You may even be able to get in a little darkhouse spearfishing while you are there, providing you arrive before March 15, 2012.

When it comes to lodging there are two places you should consider. The first is the Woodland Resort, which sits on the shores of Devil’s Lake. Ice fishing packages start at $85 per person and include overnight accommodations, an ice shanty, transportation, and bait. The second place is the Sunlac Inn in Lakota. It’s not as fancy, but you’ll find a fish cleaning station and freezer storage available on site just in case you catch the big one. Room rates start at $60 per person. Read the rest of this entry »

When the weather becomes warm, we start contemplating about going fishing. A majority of anglers fish for trout in early spring. There are a number of ways in order to catch trout but you could do with a few tips in order to increase the catch rate. Spring can be a difficult time for catching trout because the water starts rising. The rivers become muddy and high. The ideal time to go fishing in rivers is before the water gets high or else you will have to stick to lake fishing for trout. Here are certain tips that will help you in trout fishing.
Make use of gang hooks. If you are not familiar with them, let me explain. They are just two hooks that are tied together in tandem in order to help the angler to present a minnow or worm in a natural way. These hooks also help the angler to present two baits instead of one. You will agree with me that two baits are any day better than one, right? Read the rest of this entry »

In fishing, trout are one of the favorite “fishing friends” of most anglers. These crafty fish are abundant anywhere. The native habitat of these crafty fish depends on the type of trout.
For brook trout, the native habitat includes the territory from Labrador westward to the Saskatchewan, while the rainbow trout is a native of the Pacific slope from Alaska to California.
On the other hand, brown trout has found its way into the waters of every state in the United States except Florida, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Texas. It has been reported in the waters of some of these states, but according to conservation officials, no authentic reports have been received. It is also found in many parts of Canada.
In trout fishing, there are some factors that need to be considered in order to have a successful catch. Read the rest of this entry »

It takes a long time to become an expert in kayak fishing. The period of apprenticeship, which must be served in order to transform the novice into a veteran kayak angler can be discouraging and often runs into years.
About the nearest thing to a short cut is to have an old-timer take the first-timer under his wing and let the novice accompany him on kayak fishing trips.
Basically, kayak fishing is gradually making a name in the industry. Its popularity is steadily creating sustainable gratifications aside from the fact that kayaks have long been used in fishing.
History has it that even in the early times; kayak fishing has long been the primary source of fish supply ranging from the “flatfish halibut” to other kinds of big fish. These activities, which happened from the mid 18th Century until the late part of it, were all noted by the Russian Orthodox priests. These turn of events are now known as “The Native History.”
From then on, kayak fishing continued to dominate the fishing industry, where once, people were doubtful if it could really aid the anglers to catch some fish. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re an experienced fisherman and angler, buying a boat is fairly easy because of the general knowledge of fishing that one has. However, as a novice to the fishing world and first time boat buyer, buying a boat can be a difficult task.
The first question to ask yourself when buying a any boat, including a bass fishing boat, is what the purpose of it will be. Of course, the obvious is to be a vessel to catch fish. However, several other reasons present that are important to think about when in the market for a bass fishing boat or other fishing vessel. For instance, what types of bodies of water are you planning to use the boat in – fresh water, the ocean? If you’re going to utilize the boat at sea, then looking for new or used bass fishing boats with a hull would be important. On the other hand, a normal boat made of fiberglass or aluminum should fit your boating needs.
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