The beginner fisherman [or woman] will often ply the more experienced with questions on how to land a fish and why everyone else is on fire, and they are not. Some of us prefer to keep our ignorance of the basics hidden. So, with that in mind, I set about learning a few strategies on how to get a Largemouth Bass out of the water and into my catch bucket.

1. Largemouth Bass like plastic worms. Purchase a variety of colours from clear to bright and in varying shades. If they don’t seem to be biting on one colour then switch for something lighter, and if they’re still not biting, go for a worm darker than your original. Generally, it will depend on the color of the water, time of day and temperature. Look around you too, if other people’s lines have also gone cold, or you’re alone, it’s a good bet that you need to pack up your fishing gear and plan another trip.

2. Look for man-made or natural structures such as jetty pylons, treefall and rock formations. Largemouth Bass also like lots of weed so keep your eye out for a variety of spots and remember where they are.

3. Largemouth Bass like baitfish. Herons like baitfish too. Look out for flocks of birds diving. Quite often where you find one you’ll find the other, but try to catch fish, not birds.

4. Shhhhhhh Largemouth Bass like it quiet. Find an area away from frenzied activity [road or boat traffic, people talking/playing, etc] or fish at dawn before activities begin. Be aware though that some activity can be a bonus as the wake from passing boats can wash out baitfish from their hiding places in the rocks and, therefore, attract the bass right to you.

5. You’ve found quiet waters with some structure, you’ve got the best collection of lures in the country, you’ve varied your times and suited your lures to the water colour and they’re still not biting? Take a look at the depth of the water, and another one at your tackle box. Largemouth Bass like deep water and shallow. Keep a variety of deep-diving lures and surface lures handy as well as all the pretty colors.

6. Largemouth Bass are cool and that’s the way they like their water too. Fish early in the day if possible. If the sun is high, aim for shaded areas.

To catch a Largemouth Bass Light tackle with fast-retrieving lures is usually the best, and remember, once the fish is landed, the best method of preparation for cooking is to ice immediately. Now all you need to do is hunt down some great recipes and remember all your “the one that got away” stories to share with family and friends.

Happy fishing, and don’t forget to take pictures of your soon-to-be prize-winning catches.

Trish is a freelance writer with desktop publishing, promotional material, content sourcing, location and information research, fiction critique and web group management skills tucked firmly into her workbelt. To find out about rates and other services, or to read more of her articles, visit Trish at http://beginningsmiddlesends.blogspot.com/ or send an email to wordcatcher@hotmail.com. She is the spouse of a dedicated fisherman.

Tags: bass, boats, fishing, Largemouth, lure, Tackle, Water, wormsbass, boats, fishing, Largemouth, lure, Tackle, Water, worms

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Posted on August 14th, 2008 by admin
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With the colder nights and that first frost brings forth the beginning of steelhead season in Pennsylvania. For many anglers the arrival of the steelhead in creeks like Walnut, Elk, and 20 Mile brings a sense of excitement that is unmatched by other forms of fishing in the state. Steelhead Salmon are an extremely powerful fish that can make the drag on a reel scream and push your rod to it’s limits.

Now how do you go about fishing for these silver bullets? There are several techniques but the most common forms in Pennsylvania are fly fishing and drift fishing. In this article we’ll go into detail on how to fish for steelhead in the Pennsylvania streams and what streams to fish in Pennsylvania.

Fly Fishing

First, lets talk about fly fishing and what type of gear you will need to have to tackle these fish. The following is a list of commonly used fly fishing equipment for fishing for steelhead in the PA streams.

Gear
Fly Rod = 7 to 8 weight rod from 9 to 10 foot
Fly Reel = Any fly reel with a good drag. Large arbor fly reels are preferred, they pick up the fly line a lot faster and tend to have a better drag system.
Fly Line = 7 to 9 weight forward floating fly line
Leader = Taper leader from 20 to 15 to 10 pound test leader material then connect 8 to 6 pound fluorocarbon as a tippet. If water is clear use 6 then 4 pound fluorocarbon as tippet.

Flies
Egg Patterns = Sucker Spawn, Blood Dots, Crystal Meth Flies, Estez Eggs

Sizes - 12, 14, 16 size nymph hooks 2X strong or 8 or 10 live bait (egg hook)
Streamers = Egg Sucking Leech, Wooly Buggers, Crystal Buggers

Sizes - 2, 4, 8, 10 salmon hooks or streamer hooks
Nymphs = Stone Flies, Prince Nymphs, Hairs Ears Nymphs

Sizes - 10, 12, 14 size nymph hooks 2X strong

Fly Fishing Techniques

Dead drifting with an indicator - To dead drift with a indicator simply put on a indicator or small trout bobber about 6 foot up the leader then attach some weight 2 BB sinkers or 1 3/0 sinker about a foot above the fly. You will need to move your indicator up and down your leader to find the depth of the water. To get a true dead drift your indicator should stand straight up and down and not have the appearance of dragging the bottom. (This is easier said then done; there are all types of indicators to help with getting a true dead drift)

Dead Drifting without an indicator - This is my favorite way to fish for steelhead! I use this method on the larger streams of Pennsylvania and New York with great success and you can’t beat the strike you get when a steelhead slams your fly while it is swinging or at the end of the drift. You can use this technique whether you are fishing egg patterns, streamers, or nymphs and is extremely versatile in any type of water depth or current.
First, You need to have a leader and tippet any where from 10 to 15 feet depending on the size of the creek you are fishing. If fishing Elk Creek or Walnut creek in Erie, PA you will want to keep your leader around 10 to 11 feet. Next, depending on the depth of the water you want to put a sinker any where from 3 feet to 6 feet up your line. The sinker should be a single 3/0, 7, or 5 depending on the depth and speed of the water. Finally, you should cast your fly upstream at about 1 to 2 o’clock then mend your line upstream immediately then get your fly rod high in the air then let it drift and then swing through to the end of the drift. Don’t pull the fly out of the water to quickly to cast again let it hang for a few seconds. Some of the most incredible hits are at the end of the drift. If you prefect this technique you will have some of the most fun days you have ever had fishing for steelhead.

Spin Fishing with a Drift Rod

One of the most effective techniques of fishing the tributaries of Lake Erie is fishing with bait and a dead drift rod. I have seen more fish caught on skein, egg sacs, and minnows than any other technique. Fishing with bait you can consistently catch steelhead and 20 plus fish days are not uncommon when the fish are running.

Gear

Rod
8

Tags: Erie, fishing, Pennsylvania, steelheadErie, fishing, Pennsylvania, steelhead

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Posted on August 10th, 2008 by admin
Filed under: Fishing | No Comments »