Fly fishing for trout? Salmon? Bah! For a different experience, it is all about tarpon fly fishing in Florida.

There are a lot of different types of fishing experiences. There are also many ways of gauging the success of any fishing trip. To many anglers, the number of fish that you have in your live well, cooler, or stringer is the way you measure a successful trip. To others it is the enjoyment of the external surrounding environment and the immersion into nature that makes the experience successful. To others, it is the sport. It is the challenge of taking a large fish on light tackle. Fly fisherman understand the idea of challenge.

Tarpon fly fishing in Florida is a good example of the idea of sport. Many people have compared this form of fishing to hunting. The tarpon is a saltwater fish that comes to the shallow offshore flats and coastal rivers to feed. Many tarpon grow up to 8 feet long and some can weigh as much as 200 pounds. The top of their mouth, where the hook must be set, is covered by a bony plate that some have described as being a bit like concrete.

The tarpon is usually sought in the coastal waters of the Florida Keys in a small skiff. The fisherman stands in the front of the skiff and the guide positions it to intercept schools of tarpon that are moving in from deeper waters to feed. The fish are swimming fast, bearing down on the skiff in small schools of giant fish. The fisherman must make an expert cast to drop a fly in the path of the oncoming fish and hope one stops to strike it. Then the hook must be set in that bony upper mouth. In most cases, the fish will throw the hook rather quickly.

If the hook is set, the challenge has really just started. The tarpon is a feisty fish. It may be one of the hardest fighting fish pound for pound anywhere. It will make long wild runs and then suddenly pull with stubborn bull dog tenacity. And they will jump. The tarpon is known for their high arching jumps that can set the fisherman’s heart to racing wildly. In fact, it is common to ask the returning fisherman how many fish he “jumped” rather than how many he caught.

It is really not the catching that is important in tarpon fly fishing in Florida or along the coastal waters of the other Southern states in the tarpon’s range. It is the hunt that is the thing that draws the fishermen. The flesh of the tarpon is bony and not good eating and in many places the fish is protected and catch and release is the norm. It is the human being against the denizen of the sea that this is all about, not putting food on the table.

By: Richard Chapo
Nomad Fly Fishing Journals make great fly fishing gifts and are available at http://www.NomadJournals.com.

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Before I begin this article, let me preface it by stating that I'm not referring to colorful pieces of plastic that so many Bass anglers are enamored with. The worm fishing that I'm referring to is live worm fishing. That is, the basics of fishing with live worms. I leave the fishing with colorful pieces of plastic to other people. For this article we'll stick to that which I'm familiar…the live worm. When it comes to fishing with live worms there are a few basics that every angler should be aware of.

The Key Word Is Live - When fishing with live worms the key word is live. This means the livelier your worms are the better. Employing an apparatus like a simple bait bag is a great idea to help keep your worms lively. When it gets hot outside, simply dip the bait bag in water, and the coolness/wetness of the water will help your worms 'liven' right up. You can make a bait bag yourself or purchase one, the important thing is that you employ one to help keep the live in your live bait.


Bait Needs To Be Natural - Natural presentation is key to live bait fishing. Your bait should appear just like it would in nature as much as possible. How often do you see a dead minnow in nature? And how often do you see a "worm ball" in nature? Never, it simply doesn't happen. Therefore we shouldn't use these types of things for bait. Rather than using a "worm ball", which is simply a worm that has been hooked over and over again on a hook, employ a set of gang hooks. Gang hooks enable the angler to present a live worm in an incredibly natural manner. Once you begin to use gang hooks, you will never again "thread" a live worm onto a hook. A basic of worm fishing is to present your worm in a natural manner.


Bottom is Your Friend - A basic premise of worm fishing is that bottom is your friend. The most effective technique for presenting a worm is to bounce that worm off of the bottom, as it flows naturally with the current. Use split shot sinkers, and add or take them away as needed. The goal is to get your live worm to bounce off of the bottom as it flows downstream. With a little practice, detecting the difference between bottom and a bite is as easy as telling a penny and a quarter apart! Just remember, the bottom is your friend, and also what my fishing mentor told me more than 20 years ago: "if your not getting snagged, you're not fishing in the right place."

These points are the basics of worm fishing; at least as far as live worms are concerned. As I said, when it comes to those colorful pieces of plastic, you'll have to get your information somewhere else. Follow the above points and you will begin to catch more fish almost immediately. And remember, there's no substitute for practice. The more time you can spend on the water, the better. You can't catch anything without having your line in the water.

By: Trevor Kugler
Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country…..Montana!
Gang Hooks Tied & Ready To Fish http://www.jrwfishing.com/gang_hooks.asp
The Original Bait Bag - jrwfishing.com/bait_pouch.asp

Fishing information courtesy of Resources For Attorneys, a legal resource and lifestyle resources portal.

Are you looking for a few laughs? Check out our fishing jokes section. For jokes on other subjects visit the Jokes index.

It's that time of year: catfish season. Catfish fishermen amateur and pro will inevitably ask themselves what they can do to catch more catfish. The answer really is quite simple. By observing mother nature, you'll learn how to catch catfish better than 99% of the other fisherman. If you're ready to spend more time catching catfish than you spend looking for them, you've come to the right place. Below I summarize three key points that less than one percent of catfish fishermen know, and most of that one percent ain't talking. Consider this your lucky day.

1. In the fishing world, nature's food chain consists of 5 things: Phytoplankton, zooplankton, bait fish (like shad, minnows, bluegill, etc), and Game Fish (like Catfish). The key to locating “fishing hot spots” containing a frenzy of feeding bait and game is to locate the bottom 2 links on this food chain:The “phytoplankton and “zooplankton”. You do this by locating the huge “patches” of plankton.

2. Chlorophyl and phytoplankton go hand and hand. Typically, where there is an abundance of chlorophyl, you'll find an abundance of phytoplankton. Keep an eye open for dark green or even black "stains" on the water. When you find one, rest assured, you have found a fishing hotspot.

3. Another way to locate these fishing hot spots is to keep your eyes open for floating masses of zooplankton. Resembling snowflakes, these masses can be difficult to see. Many fishermen use underwater cameras to locate them, but, if the lighting is right, they can be seen with the naked eye. So, keep your eyes open. When you locate one of these floating masses of zooplankton, you will be in catfish fishing heaven.

In conclusion, if you actively practice the techniques I have outlined above, you will attract swarms of shad, minnows, bluegill, catfish, and whatever else swims in your fishing spot – I can guarantee your fishing will improve dramatically.

Mother Nature has her secrets. But, if you pay attention to what she's doing, she'll often tell you all you need to know about how to catch catfish.

By: Cecil Carraway
If you would like learn how to catch catfish by attracting swarms of phytoplankton and zooplankton to you instead of wasting valuable time searching for them, visit Catfish Magnet.

Fishing information courtesy of Resources For Attorneys, a legal resources and lifestyle information portal.

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Warm weather, clear water and plenty of game fish. Yep, I am talking about Florida offshore fishing.

If one were asked to name the single most important reason why Florida offshore fishing is so popular, the answer would most likely be the tremendous versatility of it. Florida offshore fishing is not about one single thing or one single fish. It is a wide variety of different fishing experiences. They range the full gamut from catching smaller Pampano on light tackle around submerged wrecks close to shore to pulling 80 pound tarpon to the side of the boat with the shore barely in sight.

There are other advantages of Florida offshore fishing. Florida is part of the United States, and is a vacation destination for millions of people. Most of them are coming to Florida for reasons other than fishing, but that does not matter. It still makes transportation a minor problem as airline flights to Florida’s major air terminals are frequent and often inexpensive.

You are not really restricted on where to fish either. Florida is a long Peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. From the top of the state to the Keys at the bottom and on both sides of the state, you can find charters for whatever type of fishing you are seeking. The fishing season is not restricted either. There seems to be only one season in Florida and that is fishing season.

While it is true that certain species are migratory and tend to be caught more easily during certain times of the year than others, there is always another fish that seems to be moving into the fishing grounds and eating anything it can get its mouth around. This can often include your bait. It is only if you have a specific type of fish in mind that you need to worry about your timing. Otherwise, all you have to do is check on where the fishing is best during the time you can get to Florida.

Florida offshore fishing is very family friendly. There are really only two types of families for a fisherman. The first kind is the family that wants to fish with you and the other kind is the family that doesn’t. Either type can be easily accommodated. Most Florida offshore fishing charters are very family friendly. The ones that specialize in light tackle wreck fishing seem almost designed for children as well as serious anglers. If your family is not interested in fishing at all, the miles of sandy beaches and world famous amusements parks should keep them quite happy and content until you return to shore.

By: John Grimes
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Fishing information courtesy of Resources For Attorneys, a legal resources and lifestyle information portal.

Are you looking for a few laughs? Check out our fishing jokes section. For jokes on other subjects visit the Jokes index.

Peacock bass is often referred to as a largemouth on steroid. It is notoriously ferocious, very powerful and very bad-tempered. Many inexperienced bass anglers are often taken back by the power exhibited by a peacock bass. Despite this, it is a different species than the regular largemouth.

It is estimated that that a peacock bass strength can be as much as twice that of similar sized fish. Once it surfaces from water, a peacock bass can double its strength and wrestle with the angler for the bait.

A peacock bass does not tired out easily and it seems to have unending energy to fight with the bass anglers. It is often much more difficult to catch a peacock bass than a regular largemouth bass.

Peacock bass is often classified as a predator, which feeds entirely on small fishes. It is usually found in the oceans of South America and Amazon. Its speed, strength, size and ferocious nature make it easy to hunt for prey. A peacock bass is similar to a largemouth bass in terms of look. It also has a huge bucket-like mouth that swallow up other fishes of smaller sizes during their meal.

The seasonal cycle of the peacock bass is usually based on the equatorial weather conditions in the Amazon River. The best time to go hunting for peacock bass is usually of the first six months of the year, where the water temperature is moderate and comfortable for the peacock bass.

For easier hunting, peacock bass anglers are advised to conduct their fishing activities where different rivers in the South American continents reach the lowest water level.

From December through March, peacock bass fishing is more conducive on the northern area of the Amazon and from July through November in the southern area.

However, on the black waters of the northwestern Amazonian rivers, December through March is the best peacock bass fishing because of the clear waters and the dry season. It is easier find and hunt the 27-pound peacock bass in that period.

Hunting a peacock bass required above average fishing skills and technique in addition to strength. It is advisable to study the peacock bass behaviour thoroughly and formulate your own strategy. Seeking advice from other seasoned peacock bass anglers is another excellent choice.

Lastly, the fishing gears such as rods, reels, and baits must be carefully selected in order to cope with the style and strength of the peacock bass. You certainly do not want to go home with a bunch of broken fishing gears, do you?

By: Jack Greenwood
Jack Greenwood is the webmaster and publisher of BassFishingTip.net. Get more peacock bass fishing information and a free 5-part bass fishing mini-course at http://bassFishingTip.net today.

Fishing information courtesy of Resources For Attorneys, a legal resource and lifestyle information portal.

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The Northern Pike, or Esox Lucius, is one of the most popular freshwater game fish, and for good reason. Their shier fighting power and savage attitude has earned this fish the ranks it deserves. Let’s look into some tips that you can use to put more pike into your net this season!

When I think of pike, I think of BIG BAITS! I never go pike fishing without an arsenal of large profile lures. If you’re a fisherman, you know that these fish have extremely sharp teeth that can easily shred the heaviest line, so using a steel-leader is a must. Pike also have extremely tough, bony mouths. What this means to you is that your hooks should be very sharp at all times. A good rule of thumb: If your hook doesn’t dig into your fingernail when gently pulled across it, the point isn’t sharp enough.

Look at the shape of the pike’s body and you will notice that it is built for speed. You should retrieve your lures accordingly. Often, anglers make the mistake of slowing their lure down when they see a pike following, but the opposite should happen. A slowed bait can cause the fish to lose interest. Instead, speed the bait up, or pump the rod, and that will often convert the follow to a strike. When all is said and done, time on the water will lead to perfection.

Until next time, have a productive time on the water – and remember – if your line ain’t wet, you ain’t gonna catch no fish!

By: Nicholas Cudzilo
I am an avid angler from Somerset, New York. If you enjoyed reading the above fishing article and are a serious fisherman who loves the outdoors, I would like to invite you to my website where you will find tons of information dedicated to the sport we most love at http://www.TheArtofAngling.com. Also, you’ll have free access to my fishing forum and newsletter – all FREE!

Fishing information courtesy of Resources For Attorneys, a legal resource and lifestyle information portal.

Are you looking for a few laughs? Check out our fishing jokes section.