Summertime: Time for Small Shrimp and Big Time Fishin'

Well, it's here again, June came outa nowhere and jumped right up in our laps! Don't ya just hate when that sorta thing happens, but as the sayin' goes, when ya get lemons, ya might as well make Iced Tea, or somethin' like that.

Every time Summer comes along, it seems those big, huge lookin' shrimp take off, so those of us bridge, pier and jetty fishermen, might as well cool our heels til the weather breaks back cooler again and Fall rolls around.

As for the boaters out there, and you know who you are, get ready for the good stuff. The big King are coming inland for their food now. Where ever the pogies are, you know those Kingfish aren't far behind and according to my recollectin', the Pogie schools are coming in closer to the shoreline and the King shadow their every move.

If you can troll or treble hook a live pogie and tie him onto your cleat and throw him, line and all back into the school, it might turn out to be your best chance for catchin' that prize Kingfish, that will in turn be a delectible broiled filet for your evening table and take the other filet to the smoker and turn it in to pure "heaven" on a fork!

Along with the "Big Shrimp" also go the Dolphin, during the doldrums of Summer, Summer is not a favorite time of the year for Dolphin to school. There seemes to be a bad news/good news scnerio going on here, though, that being the bad news, 'cause, the good news is, if you can find the solidary bulls and cows, normally around the reef lines and "blue water lines", they are normally larger and will put up a hell of a fight. Be sure to bring plenty of water along, though, because, they'll bleed like a son of a gun, all over your fighting deck.

Another "good news/bad news" story: the bad news is "hurricane season" brings on some terrible weather to fish in, good news is that after the storms, like Tropical Storm Beryl and such, it churns up the water AND THE BAITFISH pretty good and brings up some wonderful fishing conditions for just about ALL the "Sportfish"!

In the mornings, or early evenings, out on the deeper layers of the flats, or on the edge of the deep channel, redfish are a tasty treat. They usually can be had with using a DOA Shrimp with a Woodie's Rattle Capsule inserted. Using ultra-light tackle on these puppies can give you a thrill of a lifetime, even fighting a smaller redfish, you can feel like your draggin' in a whale.

All in all, there's no such thing as a bad fishin' day, nor a bad fishin' night (speaking of King fishin' at night). What is bad, though, is to not take the time to go out and grab ya' sum' ovem'!

Even with the loss of the larger shrimp, I get excited when we're approaching that lighthouse, fixin' to head east out of Hillsboro Light around 5:30 - 6 a.m., or layin' out in the boat about 11 p.m.-midnight, off the jetties down by the smokestacks of Fort Lauderdale, waiting for my lines to sing that "song of the sea" to me, telling me that a stupendous meal, such as lunch, supper or breakfast won't be far away and with a full stomach I can again lay back and plot my next adventure of our salty prey!

Go get 'um.......

Healthy Outdoor Sport

There was a time when I did not know how to relax and just let go of my tensions. My mind was wired and tightly knotted with anxiety and stress. I had to find a way to get this negative, twisted ball of energy out of me, or face the threat of passing on from this life as my avenue of escape. Luckily, I found a hobby which turned out to be a blessing as it was a healthy outdoor activity and sport which changed my life for good. It's ironic that I hadn't done this until living in Japan. I'm originally from the State of Hawaii, but I never did experience fishing, although all the islands are surrounded by the big blue Pacific Ocean. I have an uncle and two cousins who have their own boats for tuna fishing. They even passed by my house when they headed out to the ocean, but I never had the urge to join them.

One fine day my wife suggested that we try fishing. As a little girl she went along with her father on river fishing excursions. He was an avid fisherman who taught her well and even made fishing poles that were just the right size and weight for her. The prospect of spending hours trying to catch some fish did not immediately excite me, But spending time together seemed like a good idea, so I decided to give it a try..

We lived quite a distance away from the ocean in Tokyo, so we did not start with salt water fishing. A couple of days after talking about fishing, my wife surprised me with fishing gear, complete with rod, reel, line, and accessories to include a fishing cap, which I did not use at the onset. I had no real idea what they were, but she told me that we were going to catch some Black Bass using rubber worms, jigs, and lures. The good thing about this was that there was a popular bass fishing area which was only a 30 minute drive from our home.

As it turned out, the bass were not so difficult to catch. There were even days when too many bass ended up on our hooks. I quickly noticed that I forgot all about my worries and frustrations while fishing. The only things on my mind were getting a bite and hooking up after a hit. I also realized that I was enjoying my work a lot more because of my new interest, as I used fishing as a reward for being diligent on the job.

We eventually moved out of Tokyo to an area called Shizuoka Prefecture. This brought us very near the ocean. Although that meant no more Black Bass fishing, this was not a problem at all. Our true fishing adventures were really about to begin!

I have immensely enjoyed this activity from the beginning. I truly believe that with fishing, I have found a healthy, outdoor sport which I can enjoy for a lifetime.

Best Walleye Fishing Lures

Pursued for both sport and food and occupying the top spot on the food chain, walleye are aggressive feeders and have a delicate table fare. Because of their popularity in some areas, walleye are heavily stocked in many waters and walleye fishing tournaments are very popular in areas where the fish are found in abundance.

Native to freshwater lakes and larger rivers throughout of much of the Northern United States and most of Canada, walleye are named for the ability of their eyes to reflect light, much like a cat's. This ability allows the fish to live and forage in the deeper waters of lakes as well as hunt effectively at night. Because the fish hunt mostly by sight, walleye are highly susceptible to flashing lures.

Fishing Techniques for Lures 

Growing to lengths of 30 inches with wide, gaping mouths, walleye tend to inhale their food. Because of their aggressive feeding behavior, walleye can be taken with most fishing techniques, but the most productive are those that get the bait down to where the fish are holding.

Like most species of fish, walleye love underwater structures, such as ledges and weed beds, where they can lay in wait to ambush their prey. Trolling with spoons and lures are highly productive, as is casting up against underwater shelves and into weed beds.

As walleyes are predominantly sight feeders, during the spring and summer months the best walleye lures are the ones that produce rapid flashing and vibrations as the lure travels through the water. As the lure vibrates in the water it attracts the fish's attention, and the fish will then hone in on the lure using its keen eyesight.

During warmer weather many types of lures, imitating small baitfish, are highly effective for walleye, with the best walleye lures being in the 1/4- to 1/2-ounce weight range. During the warmer months of late-May through August walleye prefer more naturally-colored lures, such as blacks, browns, whites and silvers, and when using jigs the rubber bait should also be one of these colors. Trolling near rocky points with deep-diving lures, such as the Rapala Thunderstick, also works well during the summer months.

During extremely hot weather, when walleyes can become somewhat finicky, a 1/8-ounce jig tipped with a white streamer or worm is often the best choice; dragged slowly across the bottom in an erratic manner a small jig will often provoke lethargic fish into striking. Jigs should be moved slowly at midday and worked with longer motions in the morning and afternoon.

Later in the year, fall walleye fishing is often one of the most productive times as the predator becomes much less selective as forage becomes less available. However, fall walleye fishing requires slightly different techniques than those used during the spring and summer months when many of the weed beds begin to die off.

As the cooling waters signals an end to the bounty of summer the best walleye lures are those that can be easily tossed into the areas around banks the mouths or rivers, where the fish tend to congregate in search of more plentiful food supplies. During this time of year walleye respond best to smaller lures, such as spinners and small floating topwater plugs in the 1/8- to 1/4-ounce range.

In open water barometric pressure usually determines at which depths the walleye will be holding, and as the pressure goes up the deeper the fish will be. Consequently, during periods of low pressure shallower diving lures will return the best results whereas during times of high pressure deep water lures will be most productive.

Lure Selection when Planning a Trip 

As not all geographic areas, or all waters within an area, hold walleye, anglers may have to travel long distances to pursue the fish. As such, when planning walleye fishing trips out of their home area anglers should begin their inquires with the state or provincial fish and game departments to determine which waters hold populations of walleyes. The best approach to lure section when planning a trip to unfamiliar waters is to inquire locally, at tackle shops and with local anglers and guides, to see what is currently working on local waters.

When planning walleye fishing trips, anglers should try to time their expedition to the season when walleye feed most actively, during the spring thaw, just after ice out, and the fall months. During these times the fish feed most aggressively, to replenish themselves after a long winter and to fatten up before the water freezes over again.

Lakes in Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois, including the great lakes, all hold native populations of walleye, as well as stocked fish, and are all great choices when planning an extended fishing trip.

Lures for Walleye Fishing Tournaments 

Walleye tournaments have become so popular in the north that numerous contests are held throughout Canada and the U.S. every year. In areas such as the great lakes, the larger walleye fishing tournaments rival the bass fishing tournaments of the southern U.S., attracting hundreds of anglers from thousands of miles away competing for hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money.

Two of the larger and more popular tournaments, the Aim Pro Series and the Master Walleye Tournament Series holds walleye tournaments from late May through mid-August and from March through September, respectively. Tournament states include Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and Colorado. In addition to the tournament's own rules, all state fishing regulations must be obeyed. Most tournaments prohibit the use of live bait, leaving artificial lures as the only choice for tournament anglers.

Northland lures like the Roach Rig and the Rapala Shad Rap are some of the most time-tested lures used by successful pro anglers. However, pro anglers are quick to point out the best lures are the ones the angler has the most faith in, because those are the lures that give an angler the mental toughness to keep fishing through the slow periods.

Baitbox Fishing Reels at a Glance

Fishing reels as we know today -the cylindrical device that is attached to a fishing rod and used in winding the line, came into picture around 1650 AD in England and by the 1760s, it gained popularity. Today fishing reels come according to specific types of fishing- spinning reels, bait casting, fly fishing, surf casting, and bait feeder reels. Anglers choose a reel that most complements their fishing technique and brings out the best results.

However, unlike other tackle manufacturers, Bait box does not believe in 'entry level' or beginner range. All the reels, no matter what size come packed with quality deserving of fishermen of every 'level'. Most of these so called 'entry level' reels have 1 - 3 bearings and are constructed at minimal cost but are sold in relatively higher price when the quality and performance of the reel is taken into account. Along with the quality, we also make sure the Bait box fishing reels are good looking reels.

But before you are out there shopping for the reels, isn't it better to know what types of reels go together with what particular style of fishing! If you are a pro and just browsing through, you are well aware of it but the ones who are starting off might require some assistance in this regard and hence we would elaborate a little.

Spinning fishing reels are ideal for long distance casting, works well for light lures, a wide range of range of baits and do not backlash. These are open faced reels with fixed spools that do not revolve while you are casting or retrieve. In order to retrieve the line, you have to turn the reel handle. The bail will revolve round the spool and the line is placed evenly onto the spool. For small pan fish with the lightest pound test lines to heavy duty lines for surf casting and trolling- these reels are most recommended.

Fly fishing reels are simple mechanical construction operated by stripping line off the reel with one hand and casting the rod with the other hand. Nowadays fly reels have more sophisticated disc type drag systems. Saltwater fly reels are also specially designed for use in the marine environment. These are however larger in diameter to provide a large line and more backing.

Bait casting are multiplying reels, with the spool mounted above the rod. Stainless steel, aluminum, graphite and synthetic composite are often used as raw materials of these reels. The graphite made reels are lighter but the aluminum reels are most preferred as they are more stable and rigid. Good quality bait casting always come with high quality bearings made from shielded, double shielded or sealed bearings.

Surf cast reels are the ones that run freely on its axle thereby allowing distance casting. It is used for coarse fishing and is most commonly used in Australia for all forms of freshwater and saltwater fishing.

No matter what your style of fishing is, you need a quality fishing tackle and from branded manufactures. The last thing you want is for the reel to give away just when you are about to reel that nice chunky fish! You would not want to be the one to tell the story of the fish that got away.