One of the most pleasurable activities to do on the water with a boat is to go fishing. Recently boating and fishing have been rising in popularity and long recognized as true sporting activities. Many people spend their leisure time fishing and boating, making their way to the water whenever they can squeeze in the opportunity.

If you have never taken to the water before, it is best to get used to calmer seas before setting sail. Here are a few safety tips for you to make sure your fish fishing trip is one to recall with fond memories.

1. Make sure that you choose an outboard motor that suits your boat. Choosing an outboard motor that is too powerful will overpower your boat and could lead to disaster. Take note of your boat's power capabilities and choose one accordingly.

2. When you are out on the water be courteous. The waterways are similar to highways, and there are certain rules and regulations you must follow in order to be safe. You need to pay attention to others who are around you. So make sure that you are aware of any other fishermen, swimmers and, of course, boats. If there are any notices or warning signs where you are fishing take note.

3. Take care to anchor your boat for optimum fishing results. Doing this will both ensure that you end up with a good day’s catch but will also make sure you remain safe while enjoying your fishing trip. Moor your boat in a position corresponding to any points or other landmarks.

4. Make sure that you have all the appropriate kits that you need. This not only includes all your fishing tackle and safety kit, but also everything you need for your boat, such as your tachometer and anchors. Also make sure that your battery and fuel will last the entire trip.

5. Watch where you are going; don’t get too caught up reading graphs and operating flashers while steering. As boating is similar to driving a car, you need to pay full attention to what you are doing.

If you take heed to these simple tips you’re sure to have a fishing experience that will be pleasurable and have you returning to the water time and time again!

By: Garvin Douglas
For fishing trip info, visit http://www.fishing-trip-adventures.com, providing insights how to maximize your fishing adventures.

There is no better time of the year to fish than the fall in my opinion. Fishing in the fall has always been my most productive time of the year as well. I'm not sure of the scientific reason for this, but it's always seemed to me that the fish are "stocking up" on food before the really cold weather sets in. At least this is how it seems in the rivers and streams of the west. Once the really cold weather sets in, the fishes metabolism slows to a point that they simply don't eat as much (which obviously means that catching them is that much more difficult). This is surely how it seems to be in the rivers and streams, which is why fishing in the fall (before the really cold weather) is so productive.

Another big selling point for fishing in the fall is the fact that the scenery is so beautiful. As the leaves begin changing color, it sometimes seems as if you're fishing inside of a painting, which is always a cool feeling. Yep, for me fishing in the fall is as good as it gets. So while other outdoors people are turning their attention to chasing animals in the woods and birds in the fields, you may want to get serious about fishing as the fall kicks into gear?

I know I've caught almost all of my trophy fish in the fall as well. Fishing in the fall can be incredibly productive, and as far as big fish go, there may be no better time of the year to wet a line. My fishing mentor (who incidentally was the best trout angler I've ever known) believed wholeheartedly in fishing for trophy trout in the fall. He fished for trout all year long, but concentrated his efforts for BIG trout, in the fall of the year. This may not be a bad idea fore you, if you like catching trophy fish?

In the fall, as the weather starts to cool, it becomes increasingly important to pay attention to both the weather and moon as well. There may be no two more important factors than the weather nad the moon, when it comes to fishing. Many anglers don't realize this, and you can get more information about the the weather, moon, & fishing here. Honestly, these two factors can make as much difference in the amount and size of the fish you catch as what type of bait you use.

The bottom line in all of this is that fishing in the fall can be as good as it gets. As the fish stock up on food before winter, you can have some of your best fishing days of the entire year. Don't forget to have some pre-tied gang hooks with you as well. Remember, there is no better way to present a live worm as bait than a set of gang hooks. Not only this, but you'll also be fishing in some of the most beautiful scenery of the entire year when you go fishing in the fall.

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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Have you ever wondered what the big deal is about using a drop shot rig? Is it that significant? Is it just another fad that people will talk about for awhile? You don't have to wonder any more. It is a great and effect way to fish for many fish not just Bass and it doesn't have to be complicated. It just depends on how far you want to take it.

There are several pieces of tackle out there specifically made for drop shot rigs. They make special sinkers call drop shot weights .Their nothing more than a little round ball of lead with a place to tie to. They make special hooks made to stand out from your line to keep you soft plastic perpendicular to you line which in essences keeps the bait off our line. One thing I’ve found is neither is necessary. As a matter of fact the special hooks that stick out from your line tend to catch weeds more often.

Rigging a drop shot rig for Bass can be as easy as tying in a number two hook for soft plastics and leaving a tag end of about eighteen inches. It’s been suggested that using a Palomar knot is needed. I have found just about any good knot will work. I happen to like the improved clinch not myself. It’s best to use a hook that doesn’t have a turned in eye like a common bait holder hook. The point of the hook tends to turn back into your main line. Using a hook with a straight eye or a turned out eye works best. The nice thing about it is that just about everyone already has a hook in their box that will work.

Now what to do with that eighteen inch tag line. Well that’s where the fancy drop shot weights would come in. Again they definitely aren’t needed, as a matter of fact. One of my favorite things to use is split shot number four or larger preferably round split shot not the type you can re-open. You can use either but the round shot is less likely to get hung up on bottom weed growth. If it does catch weeds with a subtle snap of the rod the weeds tend to come off. This allows you to keep your line in the water more instead of having to reel in to take the weeds off. It’s nice when you need to add weight. Rather than having to buy more than one size weight all you need to do is add another split shot. Now you have a rig with a sinker on the bottom and a hook eighteen inches up.

I’ve found the presentation shines in so many ways. Fishing in Muskegon Lake for Bass the deep weed edges and deep points or sunken islands can be very productive. I usually use a Fry Assassin made by Bass assassin lures simply hooked at one end. For the most part the hook just sticks through to the other side of the plastic so it’s almost weed less. I like these because they hold up well and can be used effectively for skipping docks because of their weight. Saves on having to inventory two separate baits for two separate applications.

Any 4 to 6 inch plastic worm will work. On Muskegon Lake watermelon is always a good color when you’re targeting the area outside the main weed line. Where you have patchy weed grows about 12 inches high. You can drag your sinker though the weeds but the hook is free of the weeds and in the strike zone. The weed growth is twelve inches high you have an eighteen inch length from your sinker on the bottom to you hook above. Your bait is approximately 6 inches above the weeds. You can always increase your dropper length to keep you bait above the weed growth. I’ve found that it’s better to have the bait to high than to low. Being above the fish is always a good strategy whether Walleye fishing of going after pan fish.

When fishing deep points and Islands this really shines as well. You can add an ounce of weight or more if needed to effectively feel bottom. You want to be able follow subtle to major depth changes with little to no slack in the line. You want to be able to stop your bait with a tight line at any time and just twitch it. You’re able to add weight as needed and because it’s below the actual bait. The fish won’t feel the extra weight and it doesn’t effect the action a soft plastic has by it self in the water. You can effectively twitch your rod tip shaking the bait in place the same with a ½ ounce sinker as you can a 1 ounce.

Not only does it work well with being able to stay in touch with the bottom. It works well to keep your bait from being caught by the bottom or visual covered by subtle structure such as wood or rock. When around wood and rock it works best to lift your weight up and set it down instead of dragging it on the bottom as you try to cover an area. The lifting action prevents your bait from being caught by edges of structure and essentially snagged. By lifting it and setting it down you tend to pick it up form one piece of structure only to set it on top of another .

The basic concept works so well in so many situations. I have used a similar technique targeting Steelhead on the Muskegon River. Contrary to common belief when the Steelhead are in the holes especially before they spawn .The fish aren’t to line shy and will commit to a strike from some distance. In this situation the fish aren’t affected by tying the hook to the main line without a leader. When fishing bright colored spawn bags and or bright yarn balls. The fish will hit this with no hesitation. I use this method specifically in the fall. When the leaves are falling they tend to settle and almost create a blanket on the bottom of the holes.

This is right when the Steelhead fishing in the Muskegon River is getting good. When you cast a typical rig consisting of a 24 inch leader and trying to bounce the bottom you will spend more time cleaning leaves off your hook than anything else. When your hook is tied inline and it’s above your weight. Even if your weight catches leaves more often than not your bait stays off the bottom and clean of junk.

If you haven’t already tried to utilize Drop Shot rigs I suggest you keep these techniques in mind as you can tie up an effective rig with hooks and sinkers that most fisherman already have as part of their collection.

By: Ernest Miller
Learn more about fishing West Michigan and specific techniques at http://www.michiganfishguide.com
Last Cast Charters
Captain: Ernest Miller

Okay, so you've tried fishing in local streams, rivers and lakes, and you've even tried a few other prime fishing locations like Baja, Alaska and Canada. Now, try something totally different and head south. Fishing in Florida offers anglers of all ages and skill levels something to talk about, whether you're fresh water or salt water fishing.

Florida has a wealth of fishing environments and ecosystems to tackle, from the coastline to the swamps to interior streams and lakes. Florida chartered fishing trips and vacations can be planned for individuals, groups or families, and it all depends on what you want to do. Many fishermen heading south to Florida waters want to try both fresh and salt water fishing, so charter companies in Florida are readily available both online and off to answer questions and provide schedules and pricing guidelines.

If you want to split your fishing into both fresh and salt environments, narrow your search to find chartering opportunities that offer both a wide variety of services, at reasonable costs, either on the Internet or through your local travel agency. Better yet, find where you want to fish and then call down to local Chamber of Commerce offices in those areas for a listing of local charter services. Then, always follow up with a call or logon to the BBB's database to make sure the company you want to deal with is on the up and up.

When planning to charter a vacation, determine ahead of time how many people are going to be in your party, what it is you want to fish for, and how many days you're wanting. Doing so will help your potential charter business determine a more specific cost for you. Many Florida charter companies offer a wealth of fishing opportunities, whether you want to fly fish, or shore fly fish, wade fishing as well as drift fishing. They may offer you opportunities to not only fish from the deck, but to anchor in coves or inlets and take you ashore. That's why it's best to come up with your own special wish list, and then go from there when speaking to any charter company representative for options and prices.

Some charter fishing outfits offer bunking for small parties, while others need to take you and your friends or family back to shore for hotel lodging. Always ask beforehand what services they offer, including food, lodging, as well as half day, full day, and longer chartered opportunities. If possible, check to make sure the boat and captain and crew you're chartered are legally licensed and that the boat is in good working order, complete with adequate numbers of life vests and a dinghy in case of rough weather or accidents. While many experienced adults, anglers or not, scoff at such topics, weather on the Florida coastline often changes quickly, and it's better to be prepared.

Planning a chartered fishing vacation in Florida should be fun, and not filled with hassles and problems. You can judge future service on board by service provided when you make that call, so pay attention to attitude, willingness to help as well as pricing. If you feel uncertain, try making additional calls until you find exactly what you're looking for. Chartering a vessel isn't cheap, so make sure that you get your money's worth.

By: Chonticha Marijne
Ready for your own Florida charter fishing adventure? Find out more now at http://AllAboutFishingTrips.com.

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

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One of the most famous places to fish for trout is Colorado. Would you like to know the greatest Colorado trout fishing techniques to help you have a successful run every fishing day?

There are many different methods which may be used in Colorado trout fishing. But, some of the basic techniques are:

Drift fishing
Float fishing
Jig fishing
Bottom Fishing

If you are doing Colorado trout fishing, chances are you will want to use one of these methods but which one, and how? How do you know when you use each?

Drift Fishing
As a general rule, drift fishing can be used in pretty much any condition and still be effective. The great thing about drift fishing is that it allows you to cover a large area of the water and present the bait to a larger number of trout, increasing your chances of getting a bite. Remember to only use just enough bait to cover the hook and no more.

You can start drift fishing by using a split shot approximately 12 to 24 inches from your hook. Adjust to water conditions accordingly (larger split shot and longer leader for deeper fast moving water) and use a small treble or salmon hook. Cast upstream from the fish and slowly reel in the slack line as the current pushes it downstream.

One thing about drift fishing for trout is that they tend to bite lightly so you really have to be paying attention to notice it or you may lose your opportunity to snag one.

Trout are often very particular about what they like to eat. You may fish in the same area two days in a row and have the trout enjoy the bait one day and dislike the same type of bait the next day. You can sometimes save yourself some time if you find out what other fishermen in the area are using. Also, try different colors of bait if one seems to not be working.

Float Fishing
Float fishing is similar to drift fishing but you use a floater (bobber) with it as well. Adjust your floater according to the depth of the trout in the water. Set the hook when you see a sudden movement on your floater (indicating a bite).

Jig Fishing
Jigs are a type of artificial lure that are very popular. They come in a variety of sizes (1/16-ounce to 1/256th of an ounce) and colors. Effective colors in trout fishing are yellow, olive, white, black, brown or a combination of colors. Immediately set the hook when you feel a strike on your lure. Avoid setting the hook on sight alone and rely more on feel. Like with the bait, you can experiment with different colors to find what is working best on a certain day.

Bottom Fishing
Bottom fishing may be the easiest yet effective method. (Don't try this method in high water). Use your polarized glasses to spot trout in slow moving water. Rigging consists of using the desired hook with bait and crimping the appropriate split shot 12 to 24 inches above the hook. Cast your line upstream from the fish and let the bait settle to the bottom.

By: Verlyn Ross
Verlyn Ross owns and operates a website dedicated specifically to the enjoyment of fishing. It includes a wealth of free articles in which you may have an interest. For a great place to get answers, go here! Freely explore it and visit our Blog ENJOY!

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

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

If you are interested in the finest Marlin fishing year round; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico is the place to go. With an abundance of Marlin populations, Cabo San Lucas is known as the “Marlin capital of the world”. The beautiful blue waters of the Baja Peninsula bubble with bountiful Striped, Black, and Blue Marlin.

An abundance of fish:
Los Cabos is not only home to Marlin; a copious of other fish inhabit the surrounding waters. If looking for that prize winning catch of Mahi Mahi, Tuna, or Snapper; you are in the right place. However, the abundance of a particular species of fish depends on the season. Although Marlin can be caught year round, the best time to fish for Striped Marlin is in the winter, Blue and Black is in the summer and fall. In the summer you are more likely to find Tuna, Sailfish, Dorado, and Wahoo. Striped Marlin and yellowtail are most plentiful in the winter and spring.

Best fishing areas:
There are many places around the coast of Cabo San Lucas that are ideal for fishing. Most of the best fishing areas are located within 40 miles of the port. There is also a spot that is two miles from the old lighthouse near a 600 ft ledge. The Tinaje Trough is a deep underwater canyon on the Pacific side of the cape, where you can find many different species of fish. Located between the San Jaime Bank (the deepest point of the Tinaje Trough), and the Golden Gate Bank (12 miles to the north) is the pathway of underwater currents. This is the best place to fish in Cabo. These warm currents carry enormous amounts of Skipjack Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, and Blue Marlin.

Plan your charter ahead of time:
Charter boats provide an excellent way to tackle the true Los Cabos fishing experience. There are over 350 charters that operate out of the marina. There are many types of charters offered; you can find anything from 21 ft center consoles to 100+ ft luxury yachts. Some of these charters offer all inclusive packages. Whether you are an expert who knows all there is to know about fishing, or a novice casting a line for the first time; there is something to suit everyone’s fishing needs. Depending on how much money you want to spend, how many people will be traveling with you, and how long you want to go for; there are many options to accommodate your needs. To insure availability of your charter boat; be sure to make reservations as far in advance as possible.

There are a couple of things to take care of when setting off on a fabulous fishing excursion in Cabo San Lucas. You will need to purchase a fishing license in order to fish. These can be purchased the day of your fishing trip at the marina for $12/day or $25/week.

Sign up for fishing tournaments:
Cabo San Lucas holds some of the most well-known fishing tournaments in the world. Most of the tournaments take place in October. These include; the Annual Los Cabo Billfish Tournament, the Pete Lopiccola Charity Tournament for cancer research, and the Bisbee Offshore Challenge. The largest tournament that takes place in Cabo is the Bisbee Black and Blue Marlin Tournament. The Western Outdoor News’ Mercury Tuna Jackpot Tournament is scheduled early in November. The summer months bring the Rolex/IGFA offshore Championship in May, the Lucas Billfish Challenge in June, and the Mercury Light Line Fly Fishing World Championships in July.

If catching plentiful amounts of world-class Marlin in a tropical paradise sounds like something you would like to do; take a trip down to southern tip of the Baja Peninsula to fish the warm waters of Cabo San Lucas.

By: Kristy Bateman
Kristy Bateman is the writer for Earl's Blog on SellUrBoat.com. These articles are unique and helpful to anyone interested in learning about boating and or fishing. Please visit SellUrBoat.com to view a variety of unique articles from Kristy. SellUrBoat.com is The Simplest Solution to Buying and Selling 'Ur' Boat.

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

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