airborne_angler

Here in Arizona ,the Game and Fish commission encourages catching as many crawdads as possible as they are illegally introduced and damage the aquatic environment. I just dont get it. As far as I know they hide under stuff during the day and are active at night and are primarily scavengers/garbage eaters. How does that damage the environment or is there something Im missing? Could it be they invade spawn beds of fish and munch on thier eggs? Why do these critters get such a bad rap?

At the lake I tried many different things. One was a large white tandem willow leaf spinner bait. I had a decent retrieve,nothing fast,but not slow rolling either. I was trying to run it near the bottom. I ended up with a dink chasing it in and grabbing hold just before I was ready to pull the bait out of the water for my next cast. The bait was actually a bit bigger than he was. I cast out about 50 more times without anything so I decide to try a crankbait,a plastic worm and a Senko. About 2 hours go by with no bites whatsoever and I decide to try a smaller white Terminator spinner bait with a single turtle back blade. I use the same technique as before and end up with another dink striking it in just about the same way. It was like DEJA-VU. Except the first fish came in from the right and the second came from the left. My casts were paralleling the bank. With both these fish being caught in almost the same manner and almost same bait,could this have been considered a pattern,even though the fish were 2 hours apart? For future reference what should my next plan of attack be,if I ever run into a similar situation? Oh by the way ,those were my first 2 fish ever caught on a spinner bait.

It was really windy at the lake yesterday so I decided to try different things. One of them was a Carolina Rigged Yum Wooly Hawgtail. I had a leader that was as long as my armspread. Got to dragging it and suddenly without warning something came and about ripped the rod out of my hand in mid drag,on taught line. I certainly wasnt prepared and set the hook as a reflex,but I missed whatever it was. Is this a characteristic of a strike on a Carolina rig and is this what I need to be ready for when using this set up? Later I was using a Black/red flake Tiki drop on a Carolina rig and got a strike . Ended up Hooking a large Bluegill right in the chest.

I very seriously doubts he counts worms and stuff like that. Here in Southern Arizona the only live bait allowed is worms,and crawfish. He only sells the worms and has a distributor come down from Phoenix to supply him with those. His bait shop is really weak. Some basic necessities, minor food availability. But as far as Tackle,all he sells is terminal stuff which comes in ziploc baggies,and to be honest he may just be wandering the bank finding stuff people have left behind to sell. He doesnt sell rods or reels and no fishing line either. This guy told me once that us"anglers" need to get a hold of the Game and Fish department so they can dump other fish in the lake. The only fish they stock now is trout. I do think the baitshop owner would have better luck talking to Game and Fish about the stockings,its the fishing that brings people to his store. I enjoy fishing there but why am I gonna go and try to get Game and Fish to stock other species? Yeah it would be nice but it would also benefit his earnings in that store, and thats something I see fit doing.

Went to the lake today and shortly after I got there I had a run in with the Owner of the bait shop which wasnt very pleasant. The shop is normally closed during during the week in the winter because of the lack of patrons. Well its starting to warm up and I inquired about the bait shop reopening during the week. The bait shop owner was on the boat dock tending to his rental boats and I kindly asked" Excuse me, Do you by chance know when your going to reopen your store." In a very smart A** way he said" Whenever I feel like it." He then said" You see these boats? Theyre gonna get me $100 a day per boat this Memorial Day weekend. So why would I open my shop just so you can spend 50 cents on a soda or $2.50 on some worms?" That wasnt exactly the response I was looking for. I was only inquiring about when he was gonna start his summer hours during the week again. Maybe I just wanted to go into his shop and look at the "Braggin Board" of the catches that have come out of that lake for motivation. About a year ago I ran into about 5 UDA'S and I asked this same guy to use his phone in the shop so I could contact Border Patrol.The lake is way far out and there is 0 cell phone service available. He told me to just leave those UDA'S alone...Theyre not harming anyone. Yea But they are here illegally,so Basically this guy is just as guilty as the UDA'S crossing over. I vow to never (if possible) go back into his shop again. Needless to say the little run in I had with him ruined my whole day!!!!

Yesterday while fishing a lake I caught a dink off a Senko. I fish from the bank and have no idea what depth of water the fish was caught in. All I know is the lake is supposed to be 80+ feet deep at its deepest point. I looked at the fish and noticed its pupils were totally dialated. This brings me to my next scenario which as you will see will tie into my first paragraph. I own a 55 gallon Aquarium and in it I have 1 of the dink Bass I caught about 1.5 months ago. I watch the fish interact with all the other fish(which are all wild pond caught fish as well).,its feeding behavior and such. Sometimes I go to the aquarium in the middle of the night when my living room is pitch black and flick on the light to the aquarioum . Of course the fish get spooked but I caught notice of thier eyes. Pupils totally dialated,due to the lack of light. Theyre eyes look totally different in the day than they do at night,almost gives the fish a whole new look. Now to my question: The Bass I caught yesterday had dialated pupils much like the Bass and the other fish in my tank have in total darkness. Does that indicate the Bass I caught yesterday couldve been sitting under structure/cover maybe a ledge or a big Rock ? Or could it mean the fish was just deep enough that the light wasnt able to get that far down..thus the dialated pupils? Sorry for the long post but its just something that kinda went off like a lightbulb in my head.

Is it a normal technique to try and probe the waters to see where the fish are. For example: Throwing out a Plastic worm and letting it go to the bottom and slowly working it along the bottom trying to get a strike. Trying that ends up with nothing so you try the middle of the water column with a crankbait for suspended fish,and if that dont work then you work more towards the surface with a floater/diver or even a topwater. Guess a spinnerbait would work for this technique because it can be used in all depths...correct? Guess that my thinking is that where ever you get most bites is most likely where the fish are at in the water column...Am I correct in my reasoning? Also I dont have a boat or any kind of electronics and bank fishing is my only option,would the technique described above work?

This is straight from the Arizona Fish And game Website under "FISHING REPORTS" For the week of May 18 ,2006 Fishing News Bass Pro Shop is coming to Mesa, will fund fish stockings in two urban lakes MESA, Ariz. Construction is officially underway on the new Bass Pro Shop 180,000-square-foot store in Mesa, and the outdoor retail giant has already stepped forward to help preserve popular fishing opportunities in the local community. Even before its retail house is built in Arizona, Bass Pro is stepping forward to be a good neighbor by helping fund the urban fish stockings in Mesa, says Arizona Game and Fish Commissioner Hays Gilstrap. Bass Pro agreed to help fund fish stockings at Red Mountain and Riverview lakes in Mesa for the next year to preserve these popular fishing opportunities for local anglers. Bass Pro should be commended for stepping forward as a sponsor to help fund the Urban Fishing Program in Mesa. We look forward to working closely with Bass Pro in the future, said Gilstrap during the Bass Pro Shop groundbreaking ceremony in Mesa on May 12. Martin MacDonald, the director of conservation for Bass Pro Shops, says, We are proud to be able to help support this Urban Fishing Program for the good people of Mesa. MacDonald says that Bass Pro has won more awards for its conservation efforts than any other outdoor retailer in America and will work with local conservation efforts to help preserve our outdoor traditions for future generations. Gilstrap pointed out that fishing and other outdoor recreational industries are major contributors to Arizona's overall economy. Also, the retail sales of hunting- and fishing-related items provide funding for Arizona's wildlife conservation efforts. A federal excise tax on hunting- and fishing-related merchandise is ultimately funneled back to the states in the form of grants through the Sportfish and Wildlife Restoration Act. The Arizona Game and Fish Department does not receive any state tax money from the General Fund. A sizeable portion of the agency's funding for wildlife management comes from the sales of state hunting and fishing licenses, tags and stamps. A significant portion of the agency's funding for conservation efforts is also derived from the Sportfish and Wildlife Restoration grants it receives, so when you buy a fishing lure or other similar item from places, such as Bass Pro Shops, you are helping fund sport-fish and wildlife restoration efforts. Now I have 2 reasons to visit the Phoenix Area. One of them being to eat at IN & OUT BURGER and the second to visit BPS as I have never been. Heck ill gladly drive the 3 hours to pay BPS a visit,if its as awe inspiring as I have seen on TV and in magazines and thier catalogs.

I am a parent as well and understand the thoughts behind all this and guess your right,If I were to do something stupid like that I would want to perhaps have someone call me on it too. But I am not that risky to put my children in that situation. Its way to easy to get Vertigo at such a height. I know it all to well. I used to jump from perfectly good airplanes when I was in the service. Guess I didnt want to have a confrontation at that moment.

In some states fishing w/out a license is equal to poaching. Thats a big time NO-NO . If your wrong say your wrong and do the right thing. Get a license. Proceeds from the license goes toward maintaining the waters and keeping them stocked.The fish arent free ya know.The Game and Fish here in Arizona goes out of state and purchases alot of the fish they stock,although there are hatcheries in the state They actually pay people to go out and pick up the trash that anglers and such leave behind. Think about how nice your fishing "spot" is and think about the people doing the work to keep it that way...They sure aint doin it for thier health,they have families too.. So if noone bought a license eventually the game and fish commission wouldnt have funds to keep the waters up and then where would you fish? Think about it!!!

Ok let me set the situation: Im at the only local pond and am by myself fishing when a car pulls up and a young couple and thier child get out of the car. They find a spot in the shade and unpack thier items. Then another car pulls up. A young lady gets out of the car with her child. Keep in mind these children cant be any older than 3 or 4 years old. They all commence to fishing and I hear the dad say"Lets go try the dam". Well a fence has been put on both ends of the pond with a "Keep out notice by order of commanding general of Fort Huachuca" sign(this pond is on a military post.) The guy blatantely disregards the sign and goes on the dam anyways with the 2 small children and a dog in tow. The dam cant be any wider than 3 feet on the top surface where they were walking. The keep out sign and fences were posted years ago when a youngster was fishing and fell backwards off the dam,about a 25 foot drop,and sadly died. I know all about the reasoning behind the off limits,and just cringed as him and his toddlers went on that dam. It was so disturbing I just packed up and left. Then as I was driving home I got a guilty feeling. Should I have butted my nose in and said something? Could I possibly have averted someone from danger to himself and those children? The sign did say KEEP OUT. So really if something happens its on him right? Or should I have gone up to the 2 women and said something like I was a busy body and have the guy potentially get all huffy and macho and tell me to butt out and that its none of my business? I sure hope I did the right thing cause Id hate to hear about something in the paper.

I am guilty of throwing Senko and Senko knock offs a majority of the time. Why? Plain and simple fact: THEY WORK...PERIOD. And they are almost almost a do-nothing,no brainer to use . The pond I fish has really low water and is choked with weeds. I use it because I can cast it far out towards the open holes in the weeds . I sometimes throw weightless t-rigged plastic worms too. Plastic baits are what I cant peel myself away from. The reaction strike you get from a crankbait or spinner baits are cool but I love to play the "Game of wits" with the fish when I fish plastic worms and such. I love to watch the V-Shaped silouette when the fish dart out from cover to go after my plastic on the fall. The anticipation of the bite is enough to kill you but it almost always happens. Just builds my confidence. I mostly catch dinks in this pond but to me any Bass caught is a good Bass

How can you tell if a fish is spawned out? Caught a bass today and its belly felt kinda like it was all stretched out as if it was once full but now is empty and has kind of a indention to it. Would this indicate a spawned out fish. Does the term spawned out mean a male or female cause I caught a chunky Bluegill and as I was taking it off the hook it sprayed "Fertilizer" on my leg

I was fishing yesterday and was trying everything. Got some bites on a TIKI DROP T-Rigged. Then decided to rig them as they were intended,DROPSHOT. How far is the sinker supposed to be from the bait? And what is the proper retrieval method? What is the indicator of a bite? Is it any different from a normal bite on a regular T-Rigged plastic worm? Does the Dropshot method work better from a boat or from the bank. Cause I dont have a boat .

I got to thinking about some safety factors when fishing and am gonna list them here. Could everyone who reads this maybe add one or two tips as some of us are older or more experienced than others. Then maybe this topic can be made into a sticky for everyone to access. Cause fishing is fun but what fun is it if you dont think about safety? Here are my tips: 1. Wear glasses,sunglasses,or some kind of eye protection. When you run into a snag in the water,basic practice is to put tension on the line to try to remove it from the snag. It can break loose and WHAMO!! End up in your eye. It also is a good safety factor when fishing around others and kids,who without proper training can really whip thier line out there when trying to cast. 2. Always drink water,even if you arent thirsty,have it near by. Cause thirst is a sign of dehydration. 3. Always let someone know where your going and when you expect to return. 4. Wear a hat. For one it will keep the sun off your noggin but it also protects your head from wayward hooks when fishing with others. When I was stationed in Alaska there was a hospital emergency room that had a piece of plywood with lures galore on it.These were all removed from peoples appendages,heads and where ever.Fishing for Salmon in Alaskan rivers is really a contact sport. Look up COMBAT FISHING sometime (SEE #1 ABOVE) 5.Get plenty of rest before heading to your fishing hole.What fun would it be if you wanted to go fishing,and got into an accident while driving due to fatigue on your way to the fishing hole. 6. This is a no brainer.. DONT DRINK AND DRIVE. People like to have a couple of cold ones while at the lake. Know your limit,take someone with you to be a driver for the ride home. Not too fun trying to tell your fishin tale when in the hospital or even DEAD!!! 7.Always wear your seatbelt while driving. 8.Wear sunscreen,even on slightly overcast days the sun can"get you". Well thats all that comes to my mind at the moment. Please leave your tips and or/stories about safety when fishing. I didnt leave any boat tips cause I fish from the bank,but feel free to chime in with whatever safety tips you can think of

Went to a local lake and this one should be a no brainer. Was using 30lb Spider wire and wanted to change lures. Didnt have anything to cut the line with. So I had to become prehistoric and rub the line against a rock till friction wore through. Then when I tied on a new lure I had this tag end to deal with. Well needless to say without having a cutting device the tag end stayed and was irritating. Probably a good cutter for braided line would be a pair of cheap childrens FISKAR scissors(as stated in the Power Pro braided line packaging). Just keep this little pointer in mind as I lived it and will do my best to put a pair of those scissors in my tackle box.

I have never used WD-40 personally,just heard stories. I agree with the whole environmental issue,why intentionally spray petroleum lubricant into the water your fishing?

I went to Wal Mart today and of course I couldnt leave the bait monkey in the truck,so I brought him in with me. Was looking to get some Plastic Worms(like I need more,I already dont use the ones I have) So anyway at the lake the other day while casting from the bank,a guy in a boat was telling me he was catching fish an a Renegade Electric Blue 6 inch worm(Wal Mart Cheapies). So You know I had to go get some . Well I was looking and examining the worms out of the package,I compared 2 different colors of Renegade worms and noticed they both had a different feel. I look on the back of the package and one says "Manufactured by MANNS Bait company,and the other saidn "Manufactured by LUCK-E-STRIKE bait company. But both packages were Renegade worms Baits looked identical except the MANNS worms had an oily residue and the LUCK-E-STRIKE worms seemed a bit less soft,no oily feel and had a scent of sweet grape. Would any of those differences make a difference in the fish catching ability? Does the grape smell attract fish? Ive heard of people scenting thier baits with WD-40 and catching fish. Could this grape smell actually be a added scent thats included in the manufacturing process but isnt labeled on the packaging? I know that any good worm fisherman could catch fish regardless of color or scent or brand,but this comparison brings out the curiousity in me. Anyone care to pick this one apart?

I ve learned that the bait monkey is just a little voice that comes to you as your browsing the fishing section telling you that you need more line,or weights or soft plastics even though you have much more than enough of that stuff at home. He controls your actions,pulls your arm and makes it reach for your wallet so you can kindly give the salesman the money/credit card for a purchase. I get bit by him everytime I visit Wal Mart. I always walk out of there with stuff I dont necessarilly need for fishing.

I have some difficulty throwing a Carolina rig. The leader being 18-24 inches in length just causes the bait to go off target and I can never get it very far. Its frustrating cause I know how deadlty this rig is and wanna use it but seem to get frustrated and give up. Are there any tips or pointers on casting someone can give to help me become a successful Carolina rig fisherman?

I wasnt sure where to post this so Moderator please(if needed) move this to the appropriate section. Went down to the Local Wally World a couple of nights ago and was pricing rods and reels. Im looking for a baitcaster in particular.They had the Shakespeare combos(owned one once and loved it) Shimano,Abu Garcia and the Rhino combo. Was looking at buying another Shakespeare and happen to notice that someone(other than myself) had swapped the Shakespeare reel for a Shimano reel on the rod. But the tip of the Shakespeare rod was broken. So to recap to those of you who arent following closely: There is now a pricey Shimano reel sitting on a Broken Shakespeare rod(Shakespeare combo retails for $26+ some change) and now there is a Shakespeare reel on a Shimano rod(that Shimano combo retails for $59+ some change). Someone did a switcharoo. I could buy one of the combos(the broken Shakespeare rod and pricey Shimano Reel) for the as marked price of $26+ some change. I went there today and the switched combos are still there. Would it be morally to capitalize on someone elses wrongdoing( switcharoo). It really brings in the ethics of the situation. What if I was an unsuspecting angler and didnt even notice the switcharoo had been done. Basically what it boils down to is if I were to make the purchase,I would be getting a Shimano reel thats probably worth $45-$50 for $26+ some change,but then I would have a broken rod along with that. Im itching to buy but wanna do the right thing?

I normally throw a watermelon and red flake Strike King Zero and do well but on the TIKI DROP I decided to change it up a bit. I was using a smoke with red flake color with a red gammy #2 wide gap worm hook. Was kinda hard to detect the strike with the wind blowing violently.

I recently bought a bag of TIKI DROPS made by Wave baits. What is the correct way to use them. I dont know if its correct but I T-rigged one weightless and caught a 2-3 pound Bass. Guess I was doing it correctly,any other suggestions on how to use this bait?

I dont know if its a problem or not but I cant seem to tear myself away from using plastic baits such as worms,senkos and lizards,and when i do I always fish them weightless. Im sure its not a problem but sometimes I wonder why thats the only way ill fish for Bass. I guess I just got "Hooked"( pun intended) because at the pond I fish frequently the fish always strike the bait on the slow fall. I always cast out and wait for the "signature" twitch of the line as It falls. Anyone else here only fish plastics?

I have noticed lately when I fish a local pond,that when I bring in Milfoil,I find small olive colored egg things attached to it. What could this be? I doubt its frog eggs could it be an insect egg? I am puzzled and thought about posting this for a while,but curiousity has been killing me,so I finally broke down and decided to ask. I can obtain pictures if that would help identifying this stuff.Thanks all