In the south black bass might be king among many anglers, but when you head north the bass get much smaller and the northern pike get much larger.  This makes all the difference when it comes to choosing the ideal freshwater game fish to go after if you want a major challenge and want to land a giant lunker of a fish.  The good news for anglers is that pike are found way south of Alaska, so you don’t need a once in a life time fishing vacation to find a trophy sized pike, although nothing says you can’t treat yourself to that type of angling expedition.

Finding pike in northern states is generally not hard, as these fish can be found in the majority of states and they are natural along the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River basin, and some of the Rocky Mountain states in the north. These fish have also been stocked in most other areas although this hasn’t always been with state DNR approval.  Pike are fun because they get big, strike hard, and taste delicious.  When you see the look on a child’s face the first time they get a big strike, you’ll know they’re hooked for life.

But my Wife explained that she thought it would be nice for me to just sit back and let someone else take me to the fish. She booked my trip with a top Lake Eufaula Crappie Guide in business today, Brian Young. I have to admit, after I cooled down, I was looking forward to the thought of a Guide showing me how he catches fish on one of my favorite lakes.

The day finally arrived and I headed off for my fishing trip. I met Brian at a local Convenience Store and we were soon on our way to the lake. The short drive seemed to fly by as we talked on the way to the boat ramp. Brian explained how he was going to fish that day and what to expect once we got to our fishing ground.

This day Brian wanted to fish the Rip Rap along a major highway. Since it was early Summer, I didn’t think we’d do all that well. I was sure the Crappie were holding on deep ledges along submerged creek channels, but Brian assured me that there would be Crappie along the Rip Rap.

Boy, was there ever Crappie along those Rip Raps! Brian put on a clinic pulling one Crappie out after another. I think he caught 5 or 6 before I finally caught one. Since it was a new technique for me, it took me a while to catch on even with Brian’s patient instructions. This Summer pattern for Lake Eufaula Crappie has to be experienced to be believed!

We were basically fishing 5 to 7 foot deep and bouncing jigs along the rocks. Brian said that the Crappie would hide in the voids between rocks waiting for food to come by. In this case, it was our jigs! Even though the temperature that day hit a high of 93, we were still catching Crappie when we left at 3 p.m. with both livewells full of a two man limit. The last hour or so was spent catching and releasing as we had already filled our limit! It was more than I expected from a Guide, but it proved to me why he’s one of the top Lake Eufaula Crappie Guides. He knows that lake like the back of his hand! What a wonderful birthday present. I will never again question my Wife over a gift!

Most rod rests are in two parts: the rod rest head itself, and the light alloy pole that supports it and which is fixed into the ground. Rod rest heads can vary from the simple V-shaped or cup-shaped versions to wide, plastic-covered frames into which the rod can be dropped quickly but safely without the need for careful positioning.

When some types of bite indi­cator are used, such as those that work close to the butt, the front rod rest must have a groove to allow the line to run through freely as a fish pulls away. Without this, the line will be trapped and any bites may remain undetected.

The most commonly used support for a rod rest is a bank stick, typically 2 to 4 feet long, which can be fixed or telescopic, the latter using a twist-and-lock collar or a thumb screw to lock the sections into place at the desired length. A point at the end allows the bank stick to be pushed into the mud or sand, or even pebbles, but on rock a self-supporting tripod is the most effective. Bank sticks have a female screw thread that accepts most rod rest heads, allowing the angler to keep a vari­ety of heads for varying conditions without having to carry too many heavy metal sticks.

For anglers who use extremely long graphite (carbon fibre) poles, which can be over 15 metres (49 feet) long, there are also dou­ble-headed pole rests, which often form part of a seat system. These support the longer poles, which are too difficult and heavy to hold unsupported for long periods. Pole rollers are also popular as rests for pole fishing, and they allow the pole to be fed back quickly when breaking down the sections with­out risk of damage.

For sea fishing from the beach, a monopod pushed into the sand or shingle is extremely useful. Better still, though, is a tripod with two rest heads. This allows two rods to be used, which is the norm when surfcasting for species such as cod and bass, while the tripod itself is more stable than the monopod. It can even be used on pebble beaches or rocky areas, which are difficult if not impossi­ble to penetrate with a monopod.

When you are using multiple rod set-ups, it is often preferable to use a multiple rod rest or Rod Pod. This comprises a self-supporting frame which has two or three uprights at either end, with thread­ed connections. The connections allow either rod rest heads or bite alarms to be screwed in to support up to three rods.

For many types of ledgering, bite detection can entail simply watching the rod top or holding the line and feeling for a bite. The rod top is a clumsy indicator, while holding the line on a winter’s day can be an uncomfortable experi­ence, so many anglers use simple but highly efficient swingtips and quivertips for bite indication.

The swing tip detects a bite by swinging upward when a fish pulls on the line, or falling back when a slack-line bite occurs. Swingtips come in various lengths, from around 10 inches up to 20 inches. The deeper the water and the stronger the current, the longer’the swingtip needs to be.

Quivertips are lengths of glass fibre or graphite, which taper to a very fine point and are either made as integral parts of a quiver-tip rod or can be screwed into the tip of a standard ledger rod. Either way, the bite is detected by move­ment of the quivertip.

As an additional aid to bite detection when using either a swingtip or a quivertip, a target board is often set up in front of the tip. This board is marked with lines that show the position of the tip. This makes any movement of the tip easier to see, which allows delicate bites to be seen even when the water is rough. The board also protects the tip itself from being blown about by the wind and pos­sibly registering false bites.

There are also a number of sophisticated electronic bite alarms on the market, such as the ever-popular Optonic and the high-tech Fox Micron. These are used mainly in carp and pike fishing where two or three rods are used, however I can see it being used in bass fishing as well. The line passes over a sensor in the alarm, and when a fish picks up the bait, a sounder bleeps and a light flashes, giving both an audi­ble and a visual sign of a bite.

To detect drop-back bites, many specialist anglers use a drop-back bobbin or ‘monkey climber’, which is positioned close to the rod between the reel and the butt ring. A monkey, as it is often known, is a light plastic sleeve that runs freely along a metal rod set vertically in the ground. The line is fixed into a clip just above the reel and looped over the monkey, then tensioned so that if a bite occurs, the monkey will lift. If, however, it is a drop-back bite, the monkey will fall. Monkey climbers are usually made of highly visible white plastic or painted in fluorescent colors.

For pike fishing, where bites usually take the form of a line-pulling run, many anglers rely simply on a highly visible drop-off indicator, often painted fluorescent orange, which drops when the line is pulled from its clip. A more sophisticated version of this has the drop-off indicator fitted to a buzzer box. The line is left to free-run off the reel and is clipped into the device, which contains a tilt pitch. When a fish picks up the bait runs off, the line is pulled from the clip and the arm drops, activating the tilt switch and caus­ing the buzzer to sound.

Go With the Flow: Wade with your body turned sideways to the stream rather than broadside to it. You’ll be more hydrodynamic this way and maneuvering in the currents requires much less energy. Also remember, it’s easier to wade downstream than upstream.

Feel the contour of the stream bottom with your feet as you move. It won’t take long to get the hang of locating the good footholds. Don’t lift your feet too high as you take steps; stick to a maximum of about 12 inches. Always keep your weight on your back foot while searching for a good foothold with your forward foot.

When turning around, rotate very slowly facing upstream. If you turn around quickly to face downstream you are suddenly presenting a wide profile to the current and will feel a solid push from behind. This is a good way to get swept off your feet.

Watch for Obstacles: Vegetation, murky water or a soft bottom may mask a stream’s true depth. Exceptionally clear water can create the illusion that a stream is more shallow than it actually is. As a rule, whenever testing new water, proceed slowly!

If possible, keep an eye on the bottom as you’re wading, watching out for large rocks or deep holes. This is another situation where polarized sunglasses prove their worth. They cut the glare off the surface of the water, letting you read the bottom of the stream much more clearly.

Weave your way between rocks and boulders. They may look like tempting stepping stones, but often they’ve been worn treacherously smooth by the river current. Big rocks in the middle of a stream can, however, provide relief from strong currents when you stand behind them.

Stream Crossings: Cross a river in the shallowest areas. Riffles or the tails of pools are good places to try. Move diagonally across the shallow area. If the water starts getting uncomfortably high, just go back.

Keep in mind that shallow water is more dangerous than the deeper stuff. A fall in shallow water could make for a bumpy ride — resulting in bruises or worse. Don’t be overconfident; take your time in the shallows.

Wading With Friends: Linking arms with a fishing buddy creates a much more stable wading unit than either of you separately. If you are fishing with a friend, and need to cross a fast-moving stretch of water, try it out. The stronger wader should take the more strenuous upstream position. You can also try this technique when teaching a less experienced fly fisherman to wade.

If You Do Take a Spill…: Stay calm. Keep your head above water, and extend your feet out in front of you for protection. Try not to fight the current. It’s easier to just let it carry you to shallow water. If you fall in deeper water, you can ride the current, or make a swim for the shallower water. Swimming in waders isn’t graceful, but it’s possible.

For starters, decide what you’ll be hunting. Obviously if your hunting Whitetail Deer, the weapons you choose will be different than the one you might buy for hunting Moose! Some crossbows will be able to do both jobs, but it’s better if you buy a crossbow that is designed to hunt your particular species.

For deer sized game, compound crossbows in the 125 to 175 pound range are adequate. If you’re buying a recurve crossbow, I’d go with a 150 to 200 pound crossbow. These are just about ideal for Whitetail and Mule Deer. They can even be used for larger game like Elk.

Recurve or Compound? There are differences to each. I prefer recurve crossbows like the Excalibur models because they are simple, powerful and accurate. If you break a string while hunting, you simply put another one on. If you break a string with a compound crossbow, your day’s hunting is over. It may take several days to a week or more to get a replacement and special tools are needed to change a compound crossbow strings.

Also, as stated above, generally speaking, a recurve crossbow will be more accurate than the compound crossbow.

For most beginners as well as seasoned hunters, a package deal like the Excalibur Axiom will be all that’s needed to get started crossbow hunting.

But having said that, compound crossbows usually have a shorter limb to limb measurement. This makes them more compact and easier to carry through the woods than the recurve models.

Whichever type you decide to buy, make sure you get a good scope with it if your State allows them. It will make shooting a crossbow much easier!

The cost of new fishing kayaks can vary, depending on whether you are looking for the latest and greatest carbon fiber kayak, or if you want a regular plain plastic kayak boat. If you are on a limited budget, you can also check on craigslist for deals on used fishing gear.
If you are trying to make new friends, one of the best ways to do so is to meet people with other common interests. It is important to create friendships with people that have similar interests and values.

If you enjoy kayak fishing, you can often make new friends through meetup.com. Meetup is a website where people with common hobbies such as fishing can bond with each other. This can also be very helpful if you are trying to make yourself comfortable in a new city where you do not have a lot of friends. Fishing is one of the most common male bonding hobbies, after watching sports and golfing.

Fishing buddies can be very helpful; as you can minimize the amount of time you may waste trying to find a good fishing spot. Depending on where you are located geographically you may have options for both saltwater and freshwater kayak fishing. You can also search for Internet websites where people may often share their favorite fishing spots through GPS coordinates.

You can read more about these boats by visiting Kayak Reviews

It is thirty minutes later when you feel the blades make their final cut and break into the freezing water beneath. Your companion smiles, for the first time that day, and hands you the line, baited and ready. You take the line from his outstretched hands and lower it down the hole in the ice. The hole is perfectly round, the ice auger blades had down a fine job. Across the way, you notice that the guy that was using one of the new electric ice augers is now using a manual one and you can’t stop a smile creasing your face. “He thought he could beat us drilling the hole. It seems he ran out of power,” you say, nodding in the direction of a man now cursing and heaving on a manual auger.

Many people will create their own makeshift areas such as the kitchen table, computer work desk, or the garage table. This can not only lead to disorganization, but you also risk losing your expensive equipment. Leaving your fly fishing gear out in the open can also be dangerous if you have dogs or cats. Animals can seriously injure themselves due to the number of sharp pieces in fishing gear.

The best way to organize your fly fishing equipment is to purchase a new fly tying bench. You can find fly tying desks from online stores such as Orvis.com. Some people may attempt to make their own home built desk, but this is not recommended if you don’t have woodworking experience. Purchasing a desk online can be a great option if you want the most number of choices.

Depending on your current décor, you can choose a desk made from popular woods such as oak, cherry, birch and mahogany. Avoid purchasing a desk which is made up of laminate whenever possible. Laminated desks tend to deteriorate if they are exposed to humid conditions.

Make sure that you buy desk which has enough compartments to accommodate any future fly fishing gear that you might purchase as well. If you plan on purchasing your desk from an online retailer, make sure you fully understand the return policy. Most companies will generally charge a restocking fee of at least 15% in the return of desk which is not defective.

Preparing for the cold
It’s not something many anglers think about, let’s face it all we think about is fishing, but preparing for the chill of winter is a very good idea. This means purchasing all the necessary equipment that you require to keep you warm and, equally importantly, dry. It can be a little difficult to get used to casting your trout fishing rod with heavy clothes on, but the trade off is keeping warm. It is also very important to pay close attention to the weather conditions. Getting snowed in for days is not the ideal way to spend a relaxing trip.

Winter fishing
If you are fishing a location that is covered in ice you will require specialized ice fishing equipment. This consists of a short fishing rod blank and a small reel for retrieving the line. However, if you are not ice fishing all the regular equipment required for trout fishing is perfectly fine for winter fishing. The bait/lure or fly that you are using may need to be adjusted according to the winter diet of the fish, but this varies in different areas. You can find out which bait is working best by speaking to the local tackle store.

Winter can be a very rewarding time to go trout fishing as the fish are active in the coldest of water. As long as you are well prepared you can be confident that you will have a great trip.

The technology utilized by Humminbird devices is referred to as dual beam sonar. One beam, which is 60 degrees, locates the fish, while the other, which is 20 degrees, maps the territory under the fishing boat. The result is that you’ll be able to see the fish regardless of whether they’re hiding in the vegetation or resting in recesses on the bottom.

The Humminbird line-up is comprised of 10 separate series, each with a range of diverse styles with different options. The devices are manufactured from durable plastic that is resistant to any environmental conditions and protects against most harm which can take place in the course of standard operation. A few of the units have a black and white display, while others such as the Humminbird 788ci have a color monitor for greater quality.

When you turn on your fish finder, you’ll observe a series of digital readings on the screen. You’ll quickly learn what the current temperature of the water is, its depth, and the speed at which you’re cruising. You’ll see lines and shapes that create an image of the world below you, from plants to fish to rocks. You will notice that you’ve got some ability to control the unit’s settings. It’ll launch in default mode, which has a few adjustments you can make quickly then get started. It has 7 separate sonar settings overall that may be programmed to meet the requirements of the present surroundings.

By taking a bit of time to peruse some fish finder reviews, it should become quite obvious to you that the Humminbird fish finder is an excellent choice. Its sturdiness, ease of use and affordability make it an essential component of your fishing gear.