I have seen it more times than I care to remember! Setting the hook too soon is a common mistake many anglers just can't shake off!

Any top water bait used requires a main rule of thumb when setting the hook; wait until you feel the weight of the fish then send the hook home! By waiting, it gives us a sign that Mr. Bass likes what he has in his mouth and doesn't want to let go. Basically, to him, it is an easy meal. If you take it away too soon the Bass doesn't have time to grab and go, then munch! Feeling the weight of the Bass ensures good hook sets so be patient. I know it's hard to do, especially when your heart is racing with unbearable excitement. The reward on the end of our line is well worth it!

"That's fine and dandy", you ask! "But what about baits used below the waters surface?" Another sure sign of when to set the hook using baits below the surface is petty obvious. When you find your bait moving dramatically or even barely from where you first put it I would say; set the hook now! Movement signifies the fish's intent. It definitely likes what it has in its mouth so why wait, set the hook!

Any awkward movement from my bait boosts my confidence in knowing that fish will be in the live well. Now, when nibble, nibble, nibble seems to be the scenario, then it's our best guess when to set the hook. This signifies a Bass with a full stomach or a lethargic fish due to a cold front or just cool water. When nibbling is felt then time is needed. Let the Bass feel no restriction in the bait and give it ample slack line it needs to explore its new found food. After a few seconds pass or lack of fish detection, move the bait slightly with the rod tip and if you feel weight, set the hook. Many times the movement of the bait will provoke a strike, especially when its taste buds tell it to. This is why scent is good to use on cold front days or heavy pressured fishing real-estate. It works!

Don't let little nibbles fool you into thinking the Bass are small. Quite the contrary, there have been many instances where that little nibbler bends the rod into oblivion sending a smile across my face from ear to ear. Is there a better feeling?

By: Nic Di Gravio
Visit Nic DiGravio at http://www.probassfishing.ca

A new fishing technique has taken the world by storm and taken pike fishing to new adventures with adapted tackle. We are talking about jerkbait fishing!

The bite comes as an explosion and spreads all the way to the spine. The rod is raised and the fish is hooked. The hand around the reel and the "dead" fishing line gives a very good feeling with the fish which rushes out. The fight is on and after 10 minutes and several rushes, a beautiful pike of 20 lbs lies in the boat.

The yellow dotted fish is released from the big plastic fish which it believed to be a suitable prey. After weighing the elegant female fish is put back into the water.

We are on a large lake in Norway in the beginning of August and are fishing on some shallow banks far out. Today we are fishing on the same spots were we earlier used to do trolling. But now we are concentrating the fishery on certain spots, and have equipped ourself with modern pike fishing tackle, jerkbaits as pike lures or musky lures.

The name comes from the movement you make with your rod tip, making small jerks which make the bait swerve sideways and become very much alike an injured fish. Its perfect for triggering the bite reflex with big predator fish.

Jerkbait fishing is mostly aimed towards pike and musky, but can also be concentrated towards other predator fish as perch and trout.

When you bring the bait in you hold your hand around the reel, and use both reel and rod tip to make the movement. Short fishing rod, "dead" fishing line and heavy baits, make you throw far and can fish on large areas.

The jerk reel is a little baitcast reel which are reinforced to withstand heavy pressure. Penn fishing reels have many good alternatives.

The fishing rod should also also be powerful to give decent hooking. It should have top action for best steering of the bait. Shimano fishing rods is recommendable to this fishery.

You should always have tight lines during retrieving. It can be wise to variate between fast and slow retrieving.

Stiff wire trace gives a resilient effect and provide better side movements of the bait. Out on the shallow banks it`s only 10 - 15 feet deep. We fish high in the water to make sure the bait is inside pike`s visual range. When the pike is in a biting mood it likely dive up several feet to grab a bite.

Usually drifting or anchored boat are used, but you can also do this pike fishing from land.

By: Harald Hoel
expert of pike fishing

Folks, it's time to get out the fishing gear and go catfish fishing. With the waters warming up comes more activity. I have always found early spring to be a great time to go catfish fishing. The water is beginning to get warm and the catfish are more active. Strike now though as when the water really gets warm in late spring or early summer they will be spawning and are more difficult to catch.

Night fishing is best as this is when they do most of their feeding. Catfish will eat anything including soap but the best baits are live baits. If you can't get live baits go to the grocery store and buy a tub of chicken livers and a small bag of shrimp. Soak the shrimp in vanilla extract the night before you go and see if you can find some old nylon stockings laying around for the chicken livers.

When you put the shrimp on the hook make sure you don't bury the hook. The catfish won't notice and I have seen too many people miss catching catfish because of this. When you use the chicken liver wrap it in a small piece of the stocking and it will hold up better with much less chance of slipping off of the hook when casting.

Catfish fishing takes some patience but if you haven't gotten a bite in 30 minutes reel it in and check your bait. If you still have it cast again into a slightly different area. Repeat until you find that spot.

By: Douglas Burns
Doug Burns is founder of CatfishAngling.com. A leading source for tips, tricks and information on catfish fishing. Doug has been an avid angler for 35 years and cares about what you want.

There are TONS of mistakes people make when bass fishing, but I'll make it quick, don't wanna take up too much of your time, so I'll just point out the top five most common bass fishing mistakes...

HUGE MISTAKE # 1: *NO PATIENCE*

The number 1 biggest mistake I see people make would have to be tossing their line out and then reeling it right back in!

What you should really do is, toss your line out and let it sit there... where ever it lands and wait, wait, and wait (30 seconds and more at times). This alone will do wonders to your fish count if it doesn't already!

It's usually tough to see under water even for fish, which is why you NEED to put this next tip to use at all times...

HUGE MISTAKE # 2: *LACK OF POPPING*

When you toss your lure into the water don't just let it sit there... Reel in your line until there is no slack left, then snap and even jerk your wrist towards you to stir up some vibration, and commotion in the water.

By doing this you will create loads of curiosity around your bait, fish will come to see what's going on and quickly see a delicious little meal(your hook) bouncing around and it will immediately turn into a feeding frenzy, your lure will be irresistible to them!

HUGE MISTAKE # 3: *THE CONFIDENCE BAIT*

I see it all the time, most fisherman have a go to bait that they can always count on to catch fish when nothing else is working. This is fine until this bait turns into the only thing you use...

It's always a wise decision to keep your go to bait as a go to bait and keep switching your lures constantly (every 10-15 minutes) if you aren't catching anything!

HUGE MISTAKE # 4: *LOSS OF FOCUS*

Don't lose your focus, I know fishing is supposed to be a relaxing sport and hobby but you still need to pay attention to what your doing, at least some what...

I've realized I always tend to do best when I first start fishing, Why? Because I'm psyched to be out on the water fishing (off shore or on the boat) I'm totally pumped!

But what happens when it's been a few hours or more?

You get tired, relaxed, and calmed down which in turn causes "LOSS OF FOCUS". If you can just remember where you need to be casting, to jiggle your bait, and every once in awhile change up your lure if your not having much luck, you should be just fine!

HUGE MISTAKE # 5: *NOT ENOUGH CHANGE UPS*

No luck? ...Keep moving! If you aren't catching anything change it up, leave that spot...

I don't care how many fish you caught or what you heard about a spot if you don't get anything within 15 - 20 minutes...LEAVE, and leave fast, There's nothing there, not today at least, don't waste your time!

These are just a few of the mistakes people tend to make when fishing for bass... if you'd like more FREE advice along with loads of bass fishing tips, tricks, techniques, news and more... check out my site below!

By: Nick Mack
Nick Mack is an experienced bass fisherman. He is actively involved in local tournaments and his bass fishing tips and tricks are all over the net. If you want to know more about catching huge bass all the time you can get FREE tips on his website at... http://www.Pro-Fishing-Tips.com

As trout fishing season begins in most areas of the country, many anglers are looking for tips to help them catch more and bigger trout. Well, this article will provide some of those tips that many trout anglers are looking for. In this article I'm going to reveal some proven tips and techniques that have been gained through more than 50 years of combined trout fishing experience.

For the most part, these tips are for the river and/or stream trout angler. Catching trout from the flowing waters of a river or stream is amazingly relaxing and enjoyable and is my personal favorite way to fish for trout. Not to mention the fact that whenever most people think of 'trout fishing', they automatically think of fishing in a river and or stream for these beautiful fish.

The first thing to keep in mind is that trout have very keen eyesight and can easily detect movement and or colors on the bank. This means that as anglers we want to stand out as little as is possible. Being draped in camouflage isn't necessary, but wearing drab clothing that doesn't stand out is a great idea. Wearing "loud" or colorful clothing is a big mistake if you're looking for more and bigger trout.

Do you pay any attention to your hands when trout fishing? Or more specifically any scents that might be on your hands? Well you should, because unnatural odors on you bait will cost you bites. A good practice is to grab a handful of grass or dirt and rub it into your hands before baiting up. This will help eliminate any unnatural odors that might be on your hands.

The next thing to keep in mind is your ability to see into the water. This is where a quality pair of polarized sunglasses comes into play. The quality aspect of the term 'quality polarized sunglasses' is highly important. When it comes to polarized sunglasses you get what you pay for, it's as simple as that. Any manufacturer that you've heard of will do the trick. There are some amazing deals available for anyone willing to look for them. The point is that polarized sunglasses are a must for catching more and bigger trout.

The next thing to keep in mind is that you're on the water when the trout are the most active. How do you do this? Simply by paying attention to the weather and moon. These two forces of Mother Nature have an incredible impact on the feeding behavior of trout, and understanding how this all works is of a huge advantage to any angler. The bottom line is that by fishing when the trout are the most active will result in you catching more and bigger trout.

The final thing to keep in mind when fishing for trout is the type of hooks you use. Gang hooks should always be used when trout fishing, especially when using live worms as bait. Gang hooks enable you to present live bait in a totally natural manner, which makes a huge difference in bite rates. Also, large trout only bite bait that appears completely natural, which was what gang hooks allow you to do. If you're looking for more and/or bigger trout begin using gang hooks, it's as simple as that.

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!


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!

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Fishing for many has always been a way to relax and unwind. There is something about that whole atmosphere that allows us to forget all our worries or at least suspend them for a time. Just looking at the water causes the mind to let go and release tense and stress. I suspect that some people have learned this fact early in their lives. Their local fishing spots are actually a haven of peace and calm.

The stress of our daily lives can be lessened by fishing. Something happens during the fishing experience that causes our stress to ease up; a bit. When we are fishing, the water moving back and forth seem to genteelly rock our minds' into a peaceful mode. Men and women from all walks of life can learn a lot about the stress reducing effect of fishing. Perhaps many could use a regular routine of fishing to reduce our life stresses.

The peace and calm of fishing has long been recognized as a benefit for humanity. For most of us, the atmosphere of fishing is very quiet and serene. We are almost mesmerized the quiet, the water's movement, the sometime gentle breeze. The mind begins to look at itself. The peace has a healing effect on the soul. The reflections of life, past, present and future begin to float across the mind.

There is another benefit to fishing, that being, the ability to separate. The whole act of fishing allows one to separate from their problems, concerns and worries. This separation allows one to put things into prospective. It also allows one to reexamine things, actions and commitments. Separation is sometimes a good thing, because is adds the variable of time; time to reflect and time to think.

Finally, fishing time gives us a chance to revitalizes our minds, bodies and soul. It is something to that old saying "it the motion of the ocean". That gentle rocking of the sea, lake or river is an energizer to the soul. There is a body healing that takes place during the fishing experience that man just can not explain. The body always seems to gather some strength during fishing time.

If we want to add a positive and beneficial activity to our lives, we should all consider the joys of fishing.

By: Daniel Belcher
I retired from the United States Navy in 2003, after serving over 21 years of enlisted active duty onboard several different ships and a few shore assignments. I am married. My wife and i have two daughters. We have two dogs, Chow Chow's, to be exact. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Liberal Arts (Focus area Psychology) from Excelsior College class 2004. Email belwrites@yahoo.com