Tips for Cold Air Exposure for Anglers. And Fish!

Tips for Cold Air Exposure for Anglers. And Fish!

If you live in northern states, there may be enough safe ice for some ice fishing opportunities. If you’ve never tried it, this is an odd activity, braving the cold and sitting on a bucket, peering down a hole… but it can be FUN. However, before venturing out, consider these tips regarding exposure to cold air.

For the Anglers

Start Warm. There is an old saying, “start warm, stay warm.” If you are already shivering in the truck, your patience will be lacking and so will the fun level.
Layers. Dress in many layers. A couple pairs of wool socks, long-underwear, t-shirt, hooded sweat shirt, … that works. The air space between layers serves as more insulation and you can adjust your comfort level to prevent the hazard of sweating.
Shelter. On warm(ish) days, ice fishing can be accomplished exposed (accomplished or exposed?) to the elements. However, for serious cold and wind chill issues, a shanty or hut of some sort can make the ice fishing experience almost cozy. Almost.
Ashley Rae, year-round angler, writer, and TV host ice fishes in Canada in temperatures as cold as -20 degrees F. “When people say ice fishing is cold it's because they're not doing it right. Most of the time, I'm fishing in a portable shelter with a propane heater going. Jacket and gloves are off, I like to be comfortable!”

For the Fish

The colder it is, the faster you must work if releasing. Staying inside a heated shanty buys you a little more time. “On the very cold days,” Ashley shared, “I don't take fish outside of my shelter as not to risk freezing.”
Have the right tools. Professional angler and muskie expert, Pete Maina, recommends having a pair of forceps, jaw spreaders, and standard long-nosed pliers handy if you are fishing a lake inhabited by toothy pike or muskellunge.
Keep the fish wet. A bit trickier when ice fishing, but neoprene gloves will help protect both you and the fish. Have a spare bucket or cooler of water ready to help get a safe photo of the two of you.

When the temperature is well below freezing, not only do anglers need to plan for the danger of cold air exposure but if you are practicing catch and release, you need to be prepared to avoid releasing an injured fish. Frozen gills or eyes can occur in seconds. Check here for more ice fishing safety tips.

Freshwater Fishing: Fall Madness

Freshwater Fishing: Fall Madness

I love freshwater fishing in the fall because in a lot of ways I am similar to the fish. I eat more in anticipation of the cold winter. Football was my #1 sport, and the cooler temperatures made me more aggressive. And there is a shot at catching a big fish, which resembles me after I pack on some extra pounds. Some fall fishing tips to catch more fish when the leaves start to change:

1. Go big. Trout in rivers know they need extra calories, so they'll find them in high-fat bugs and in big mouthfuls. Hoppers along a field work well as do big streamers in a pool and big stoneflies around the rocks.
   
2. Move around. Ponds and lakes are turning over so finding the right strata when fishing in the fall is critical to success. Probe the water column until you find their level. Knowing exactly where to fish in the fall takes practice so...start practicing.
   
3. Rig up. Fall fish hit hard, so the same small diameter monofilament that you used during clear, low-water levels in the summer won't work now. You'll pop fish off, so increase your leader's strength to put more fish in the net.
   
4. Bouncing barometers. Winds shift back and forth from the South to the North, and they can gust pretty good. When fishing in fall, match the wind and current directions to find the edges where the fish will hold.
   
5. Noreasters bring rain, and they fill up the rivers that feed into ponds and lakes. After a good, soaking rain, head to the inflows and outflows to find concentrations of fish.
   
6. Bring a camera. Fall fish change colors and they'll be among the prettiest of the year. A few pictures taken while fishing in the fall will carry you through the winter, and you can stare at them when you're in a shanty on the ice.
   

If you've had a tough time catching 'em this summer then get after it by fishing in fall. The fish will be less spooky and easier to catch, and you'll end your freshwater fall fishing season on a high note

5 Guidelines for Good Fly Fishing Etiquette

5 Guidelines for Good Fly Fishing Etiquette

5 Guidelines for Good Fly Fishing Etiquette

Are you wondering what it means to have good fly fishing etiquette? Fishing aside, your parents probably corrected your dining etiquette dozens of times when you were growing up. You know not to put your elbows on the dinner table or talk with your mouth full to this day, but if you're not sure what constitutes good fly fishing etiquette, keep reading.
While I'm no expert on this topic, I do have a few suggestions on how to practice good fly fishing etiquette based on my recent fly fishing adventures.

1. Keep the noise level down. Whether you are fishing alone or with a group, remember to keep the noise level down. Many fish species that are targeted on fly, such as a brown trout in a freshwater stream or bonefish on a saltwater flat, have a tendency to be particularly skittish. By staying quiet, you are being respectful of other anglers in the area, and you can avoid scaring off a potential catch. Besides, most anglers go fishing not only to experience the joy of catching, but also for the solitude and relaxation in between bites.
   
2. Know the fishing regulations and follow them. This guideline goes for any type of fishing. It's easy to find the fishing regulations for your state. Read the regulations and practice proper catch and release on any species that are not within the current regulations.
   
3. When fly fishing on a stream or small river, work upstream while leaving plenty of water space between you and any other anglers. If you see another angler casting in a spot that you were hoping to fish, find another section of the waterway and start there. Before you make your first cast, make sure there is plenty of open space.
   
4. Be conscious of splashing and shadows if you are wading. Splashing can make it much more difficult to sight-cast to feeding fish, and shadows can spook any fish in the area.
   
5. Leave no litter behind. This is another etiquette guideline that applies to any type of fishing. Better yet, if you do see litter, pick it up and leave the waterway a little better than it was when you found it.
   

Now that you know the basics of good fly fishing etiquette, find a great new spot to fly fish in your area using the Places to Boat and Fish Map. Put proper fly fishing etiquette into practice on the water.

Mexico Bass Fishing Trip Planning Q & A with MLF Commissioner Don Rucks

Mexico Bass Fishing Trip Planning Q & A with MLF Commissioner Don Rucks

The U.S. is dotted with epic bass fishing destinations, but sometimes the grass is greener across the border; if bass fishing Mexico is on your bucket list, heed the advice from a man who has been there, 

done that, and continues to go back 

Mexico Bass Fishing Trip Planning Q & A with MLF Commissioner Don Rucks

MLF commissioner Don Rucks shows off a nice largemouth bass ' one of many ' he caught on a bass fishing trip to Mexico with outfitter Ron Speed Jr.'s Adventures. (Photo courtesy of Don Rucks)

In the world of bass fishing, there may be no better major-league destination on the planet than the red-hot action found south of the Rio Grande River in old Mexico.
Starting many years ago with the fish-every-cast action found on storied Lake Guerrero, bass catching opportunities in Mexico have steadily expanded to include a number of fabled lakes offering mind-boggling numbers, double-digit weights, stunningly gorgeous waters, and the warm, delicious food and hospitality found south of the border.
Long a fan of the tremendous bass-catching action found in Mexico, Major League Fishing commissioner Don Rucks recently toured the region again and found the fishing to be as spectacular as ever.
MajorLeagueFishing.com: How many Mexico bass fishing trips have you been on over the years?
Commissioner Rucks: I’ve been really fortunate to have experienced the excellent bass fishing Mexico offers on at least a dozen different week-long trips over the last 20 years. My most recent trip took place in January 2016.
MajorLeagueFishing.com: With a number of good U.S. fisheries, why travel all the way to Mexico to go bass fishing?
Commissioner Rucks: Bass fishing just doesn’t get any better in the world than it is in Mexico. Period.
MajorLeagueFishing.com: What is the largest bass you have ever caught in Mexico?
Read the rest of the Q & A at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Texas Kicks off ShareLunker Season with 13.2-pound Largemouth

Lufkin angler catches ShareLunker 564 - thanks to a crappie - from Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Texas Kicks off ShareLunker Season with 13.2-pound Largemouth

Roy Euper of Lufkin caught Toyota ShareLunker 564 from Sam Rayburn Reservoir November 2. The fish weighed 13.2 pounds and was 25.5 inches long and 22 inches in girth. (TPWD/Reese Sparrow photo)

ATHENS, Texas — Roy Euper of Lufkin caught the first Toyota ShareLunker of the season from Sam Rayburn Reservoir Monday afternoon. The fish weighed 13.2 pounds, qualifying it to become ShareLunker 564.

Any angler who catches a 13-pound largemouth bass can be considered lucky, but Euper may be the luckiest of all. The official weight for the fish was taken at Jackson Hill Park Marina, an official Toyota ShareLunker weigh and holding station. After the fish arrived at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, it regurgitated a crappie that weighed 0.3 pounds.

Had the fish not eaten that crappie, or if it had spit it up before being weighed, it would not have weighed the 13 pounds necessary to qualify as a ShareLunker.

Euper was fishing in 30 feet of water with a crankbait when the fish bit about 3 p.m. The fish was 25.5 inches long and 22 inches in girth.

The catch moved Sam Rayburn into sole possession of second place among Texas lakes for number of ShareLunkers caught. Anglers have caught 26 largemouth bass weighing 13 pounds or more from the lake. Only Lake Fork, with 257 entries, has produced more. Lakes O.H. Ivie and Alan Henry have each produced 25.

Last season Sam Rayburn sent two ShareLunkers to Athens. Both were caught on the same day, March 7. More ShareLunkers are caught in March than in any other month. Euper’s fish is only the twelfth in the 30-year history of the ShareLunker program to be caught in November.

Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between October 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours.

Anglers entering fish into the Toyota ShareLunker program receive a free replica of their fish, a certificate and ShareLunker clothing and are recognized at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. The person who catches the season’s largest entry will be named Angler of the Year and will receive a prize package from G. Loomis of a top-of-the-line rod, Shimano reel, PowerPro line and G. Loomis hat. If the Angler of the Year is a Texas resident, that person will also receive a lifetime Texas fishing license.

ShareLunker catches can be reported 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the season, by calling (903) 681-0550. If poor cellphone service prevents use of the voice number, anglers can leave a phone number (including area code) at (888) 784-0600. That number is also monitored 24/7 during the season

Oklahoma Alligator Gar Record - Crushed!

Oklahoma Alligator Gar Record - Crushed!

Paul Easley, of Mead, Okla., with his state-record alligator gar weighing 254 pounds 12 ounces, caught April 23, 2015, in Lake Texoma. (Photo courtesy of wildlifedepartment.com)

About 1 p.m. April 23, 2015, angler Paul Easley of Mead, Okla., was snagging in Lake Texoma in Marshall County when he landed a new state-record alligator gar. The monster fish was 97 3/4 inches in length, 44 inches in girth and weighed 254 pounds, 12 ounces.
Easley was using a Quantum reel on an Eagle Claw rod with 150-pound braided line.
The gar was weighed on certified scales at the Wildlife Department's South Central Region fisheries office near Durant, and then released alive.
The previous state-record alligator gar weighed 192 pounds 1 ounce, caught in January 2011 in the Red River.