In the early spring the best time to fish seems to be during warm fronts when the air and water temperature has been rising over a number of days and the sun is shining.  The bass will usually move up a little and get more active.  The baitfish they may have been feeding on all winter have been somewhat depleted and they need to start looking for other sources of food.  In the very late fall or winter months I tend to favor cloudy days with a lower barometric pressure. Try and fish different times of the day but I can tell you from experience the later part of the day will be most productive followed closely by early mornings.

Once I have determined the spots I want to try I usually rig my poles with the same 4 types of proven lures. My number one lure of choice for largemouth bass when water is stained or muddy is a rubber skirted jig and trailer. My personal favorite is the new the Strike King Hack Attack Jig in 3/8 oz size and a baby craw trailer. I tend to scale down the weed guard and make the bait a little more compact by trimming the skirt. We fish this set up with Vicious fluorocarbon line in a medium or heavy weight on a bait casting reel and med to med heavy rod. My preferred colors are black blue, green pumpkin craw and texas craw.  When fishing this bait it is so important to fish it very slow bouncing it off the bottom occasionally or giving it a little twitch when encountering cover. The next weapon in our arsenal is the hair jig or bucktail jig in an ¼ oz or 3/8 oz sizes .  If smallmouth bass are at all present in the waters you will be fishing you cannot leave home without this bait.  The bait is extremely effective to turn on smallmouth bass due to its compact size matching the bass’s lowered metabolism. We base our color choice on the forage for the lake and typically try and mimic a crawfish or minnow.  Generally we will fish this bait in waters 10-15 feet deep in water around 50 degrees and even deeper in 40-45 degrees, sometimes up to 30 feet deep. I like a stiff 6’-6” spinning rod with 6-8 lb test monofilament line for the smaller jigs and may go to a small bait cast reel with a medium to medium heavy rod with 12 lb test line for the heaver jigs in stained water.  If I find the fish to be holding in a more suspended pattern and the lake is clear or slightly stained I resort to using a suspending jerkbait.  I generally like to use a Kevin VanDam Wild Shinner in a chrome sexy shad pattern or chrome and black.  This bait is ideal for catching those slow moving winter bass. The properties of this bait allow it to sit motionless in the water column right in front of that fish resulting in a strike out of instinct.  We use a medium spinning rod and med size spinning reel rigged with 8lb test line to fish these jerk baits.  Fish this bait slow and pause for 5-6 seconds in between short 3 to 4 foot slow retrieves.  Sounds like a long pause but it gives the fish time to react to the bait. Last of all I never leave home without a large grub style bait on a ¼ oz jig head for both smallmouth and largemouth bass.  This bait will sometimes produce when no other bait will work.  Its simple design replicates a minnow and can be slow bounced off the bottom or cover. Always use your rod tip to slowly move the bait instead of a reeling action.  We will use a color that resembles the baitfish the bass tend to be feeding on in that particular body of water.  If the water is stained we sometimes go to pumpkin colors.  We tend to fish this lure on med spinning gear with 6-8 lb test monofilament line.

Using these tips and a little patient’s and you will soon become an expert coldwater fisherman. Don’t forget the cold weather gear and always think safety.  Whenever fishing in coldwater conditions wear your life jackets. Today’s compact inflatable automatic life vests like the ones we use from Mustang are very comfortable and do not impair your ability to effectively fish.  Be sure to dress warm and dry and you will begin to enjoy these days and extend your fishing season by a few extra weeks or even months.

Good luck

Daniel Mueller

Pro Staff

http://hooksettersupply.com

http://www.hooksettersupply.com/Strike_King_Fishing_Lures_Baits_Sunglasses_s/26.htm

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The goal of our experts is to help you make an informed decision when you replace or add an on-board charging system to your vessel. You are adding value to your boat by having an on-board battery charger. In addition, these chargers also offer you the convenience and the ability to charge multiple batteries at the same time. You no longer will need to drag out a portable battery charger every time your batteries need charging.  Maintaining your batteries will be as easy as plugging in your boat to any 110 volt outlet.

The first step in the process is to identify what type of batteries you have on board your watercraft.  You will need to look for some specifics about the batteries you are wishing to incorporate into the charging system. You will need to determine the following:

-Voltage

-Battery type

-Amp-hour capacity

Typically, in the marine world, you will be dealing with 12-volt systems. The battery’s capacity is usually listed on the battery as “ah” or amp hour.  Marine batteries will be one of the following types:

-Flooded/wet cell lead

-acidStarved electrolyte

-AMGMaintenance free

Once you know a little about the batteries you are wishing to charge, it is time to pick a charger. I know from my years of experience tournament bass fishing, picking a charger is not where you want to cut dollars. Starting and trolling system batteries are very expensive. A good quality battery charger, backed by a top manufacturer, will prolong the life of these batteries and ultimately save you money.

Chargers typically come in single, double, triple and quadruple bank systems and should have independent outputs to charge each battery separately. The battery industry recommends charging your battery at approximately 15-20 percent of its capacity. For example, a 100-amp hour battery would be best charged at 15-20 amps.  For your safety, be sure the battery charger you buy is UL listed to Marine 1236 standards and FCC compliant.  If you choose a charger that is too large or small for your batteries it could damage them and decrease the life by overheating, gassing and causing excessive water loss.

Depending on what type of boating you enjoy, you will need to make sure your on-board charger’s waterproof housing is designed for fresh and/or salt water. It is also important that you make sure it is vibration resistant and incorporates built-in reverse polarity protection. To prevent boil over or your battery over-heating, be sure the charger you purchase has an automatic temperature compensation, this feature adjust output depending on the temperature to assure a fast full charge in any weather conditions. We suggest getting a charger that will charge in three stages typically these stages are:

-Bulk or quick charge mode  - gets your batteries charged quickly

-Absorption stage  - brings your batteries to a full charge

-Maintenance or trickle charge  - keeps your batteries charged and protects batteries

I personally like units that offer on-board diagnostics and LED indicator lights to let you know the state of charge or condition of your batteries.

Once you have purchased your new on-board charger make sure it is securely mounted in your boat using stainless steel fasteners.  We recommend you clean your terminals, use dialectic grease and make sure all connections are tight. Following these steps will insure years of trouble free operations.  We take convenience a step further on our tournament boats, we install a receptacle plug. You are then able to plug your extension cord directly into the boat without even unlocking or opening a compartment.

Before operating your charger, be sure your batteries are not run down too far. In some cases, your charger may show you have a bad connection, even though you are confident they are properly installed, if this is the case it may be necessary to apply jumper cables from another battery to the one showing connection issues, this will allow your portable charger to recognize your batteries. Our professionals have informed us that this condition occurs often during very windy days, usually when they are operating the trolling motor for extended time on a high-power setting.  On these days, batteries typically are completely depleted by the end of the day. When they plug in the charger it will indicate a bad connection. Simply using a set of short jumper cables to connect the starting battery to the trolling battery for about 3-4 minutes the battery will be picked up by the charger and the bad connection light goes out.  They repeat this process until all the trolling batteries are recognized by the charger.

Happy boating

Daniel Mueller
Pro Staff

http://www.hooksettersupply.com/

http://www.hooksettersupply.com/Marine_on_board_battery_chargers_s/86.htm

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/marine-battery-chargers-the-basics-1775195.html

Prepared  to  learn  more? When you’re outfitting your boat with electronic equipment, a great place to start is with safety equipment. All the entertainment gadgets in the world don’t mean much if your boat is in trouble and you’re trying to reach help. Humminbird  has you covered  with a choice of  five   various  VHF radios. The VHF255s and the VHF255sw are fixed-mount radios made from rugged, submersible materials, with U.S.  and  International channels, and  innovative   Digital Selective Calling  feature. They’re  very much alike  except   that the VHF255s is black and the VHF255sw is white. Humminbird also offers three handheld models: the VHF55s, the VHF55sc, and the VHF55s-Plus. The first two  are identical  except for color. The VHF55s is black-colored and the VHF55sc is camo-designed. Both  work with   6   batteries of AA type. the VHF55s-Plus has a rechargeable NiMH battery and a charger. Humminbird  presents  five  series of  sonar/GPS   combination  units, from the  300 series. which is small and simple  to the large and multi-featured 1100 series. As for fish finders, Humminbird makes four different series: the PiranhaMAX series, the Fishin’ Buddy Series, the SmartCast Series, and Ice Fishing Flashers. The PiranhaMAX sonar series ranges from the PiranhaMAX 150, with four level gray scale display and single beam sonar ($79.99) to the PiranhaMAX 230 Portable, with  4-level  gray scale  screen  and dual beam sonar and SmartCast Wireless Remote Sonar Sensor for $199.99.

The Fishin’ Buddy series  starts  with the 110 model  which has   four level  gray scale and single beam sonar that  requires  no wiring, rigging, or transducer to set up. It costs $119.99. The 140c Fishin’ Buddy has a  display  of 256 colors ,  down and side  looking sonar, and it does not  require  wiring, rigging, or a transducer to set up either. The 140c is $269.99. The Smart Cast Series Wireless Sonar Link can connect any Humminbird fish finding system with the SmartCast Remote Sonar Sensor to reveal fish and structural features up to 100 feet away in any direction. It’s $99.99. The RF15 has advanced remote sonar sensor wireless technology and a four level gray scale display for $149.99.

The RF35 is a wrist mounted fish finder with advanced remote sonar sensor wireless technology that is wrist mounted, so that it’s the ultimate in portable fish finders. It costs $79.99.  When it comes to  ice fishing flashers, the ICE 35  provides you with  a  3-color fiber optic  monitor  with an accurate,  easy-to-read  overlay depth  scale . It has a dual beam transducer and 800 watts peak-to-peak power and costs $299.99. The ICE 45 and ICE 55 are progressively fancier, with the 55 having six color display and loads of other features for $499.99. While shopping for electronics to outfit your boat may not be as exciting as buying the boat itself, it’s definitely a close second. Humminbird makes it easy for you to  outfit  your  vessel  with  top quality  VHF radios, GPS systems, fish finders, and ice fishing flashers.

One of the  greatest  things about having a  yacht is that  soon  after you  buy  this luxury you’ve been  expecting   many years , you  get  to go shopping  once  again   for the  electronic product  you want  to have  on-board. Marine electronics as a category covers a broad selection: communications equipment, weather equipment, and entertainment equipment are just a few. Humminbird  provides you with   various  marine  electronics  that will make your  vessel  the envy of all the other  boaters . Are you ready to find out more?

When  you’re   equipping  your  boat  with  electronic equipment  , a  great  place to  start  is with safety equipment. All the entertainment gadgets in the world don’t mean much if your boat is in trouble and you’re trying to reach help. Humminbird  provide you the complete coverage  with a choice of  five   different  VHF radios. The VHF255s and the VHF255sw are fixed-mount radios made from rugged, submersible materials, with U.S.  and  International channels, and  advanced   Digital Selective Calling  feature. They’re  identical  except   that the VHF255s is black and the VHF255sw is white. Humminbird also offers three handheld models: the VHF55s, the VHF55sc, and the VHF55s-Plus. The first two are identical except for color. The VHF55s is black and the VHF55sc is camo-designed. Both  work with   six   AA batteries . the VHF55s-Plus has a rechargeable NiMH battery and a charger.

Humminbird offers five series of sonar/GPS combination units, from the small and simple 300 series to the large and multi-featured 1100 series. As for fish finders, Humminbird makes four different series: the PiranhaMAX series, the Fishin’ Buddy Series, the SmartCast Series, and Ice Fishing Flashers.

The  notable  PiranhaMAX sonar series ranges from the PiranhaMAX 150, with  4-level  gray scale display and single beam sonar ($79.99) to the PiranhaMAX 230 Portable, with  4-level  gray scale  screen  and dual beam sonar and SmartCast Wireless Remote Sonar Sensor for $199.99.

The Fishin’ Buddy series starts with the 110 model with four level gray scale and single beam sonar that requires no wiring, rigging, or transducer to set up. It costs $119.99. The 140c Fishin’ Buddy has a  screen  of 256 colors ,  side and down looking sonar, and it does not  need  wiring, rigging, or a transducer to set up either. The 140c  is   269 dollars .99.

The Smart Cast Series Wireless Sonar Link can connect any Humminbird fish finding system with the SmartCast Remote Sonar Sensor to reveal fish and structural features up to 100 feet away in any direction. It’s $99.99. The RF15 has advanced remote sonar sensor wireless technology and a four level gray scale display for $149.99. The RF35 is a portable fish finder with advanced remote sonar sensor   technology that  is wrist mounted  , so that it’s the  ultimate  choice in  small-sized  fish finders. It costs $79.99.

When it comes to ice fishing flashers, the ICE 35 brings you a three color fiber optic display with an accurate, readable overlay depth scale. It  is equipped with  a dual beam transducer and  peak-to-peak power of 800W , costing  $299.99. The ICE 45 and ICE 55 are progressively fancier, with the 55 having six color display and loads of other features for $499.99.

While shopping for electronics to outfit your boat may not be as exciting as buying the boat itself, it’s definitely a close second. Humminbird makes it easy for you to outfit your vessel with top quality VHF radios, GPS systems, fish finders, and ice fishing flashers.

eFishBox is a Fishing and Boating Electronics Outfitter Store featuring Humminbird Marine Electronics. We offer great customer care and same day shipping.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/marine-electronic-products-by-humminbird-1782815.html

 To begin with  , a VHF radio is a safety  feature   obligatory for every boat . If you or your boat is in distress, a VHF radio can make the difference between finding help right away and being left to your own devices.

The NS100 VHF radio  comes  in  single/dual station   configurations . They feature dedicated distress call button that automatically transmits your MMSID and position until an acknowledgment signal is received. It  can access  all  marine  VHF channel banks,  even the  weather ones.

The Northstar Explorer 721 and 725 have a built-in barometric pressure sensor that gives weather and fish activity predictions. The "Happy Fish" icon on the  display  helps you  in determining the  likelihood  of  finding  fish. The 721 and 725 can each be outfitted with wireless handheld units, and the 725 has a "Track Your Buddy" feature for locating up to three boating friends and placing their locations on  your chart display.

Northstar Marine Electronics has a range of navigation tools, including the Chartplotter 8000i, a multipurpose instrument with a 12 inch touchscreen display. If you  a’re going  to  acquire  one piece of equipment  in addition  than a VHF radio, then you might  consider  the 8000i. It features the following goodies: chartplotter, depth sounder, radar, video monitor, network camera monitor, DVD player, CD player, music jukebox, fuel and engine management system, and instrument repeater.

If  you are  just  looking  for a chartplotter / sonar combo , then you should  consider  the Explorer series, models 660, 657, and 650. Each  variation has a built in  32  megabyte  background maps with intricate cartographic detail  . It gives you the option of using C-MAP NT MAX chart technology provided by cartography leader C-MAP. The Explorer 538 is a stand alone chartplotter with a simple menu system and daylight viewable screen. It comes with  the regular   background map of 16 MB and has a  place for the C-MAP NT MAX cartridge. The 3.A  display  of  8  inches is "transflective"  featuring  high contrast  so you can  read it in  sunny days   with ease. This chartplotter is a good companion electronics component with the Explorer 438 fish finder. The 438  model  has a 640  by  480  monitor that  gives  great detail. It has digital sounder technology to give you the highest quality sonar images. Advanced displays include A-scope, split screen variable zoom, and your choice of color palette. With 256 colors, you can see the nature of the floor structure and detail that will help you identify fish habitats.

Marine elecronics selection doesn’t have to be frustrating. Northstar has the marine electronics equipment that will help you enjoy your boat safely and comfortably while using equipment that’s at the leading edge of technology. 

eFishBox.com is a Fishing and Boating Electronics Outfitter Store featuring Northstar marine products along with all of the major brand marine electronics. We offer great customer care and same day shipping.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/northstar-marine-electronics-1784575.html

There are numerous videos and television shows to view that will teach you tricks and tips of the experts. If you cannot seem to get the hang of the perfect technique spend the day watching the pros or make a visit to the library for a book with detailed information.

The artificial flies are used to attract the fish and come in different varieties. These colorful little fish catchers are colorful and created to mimic insects that fish eat. The fly is basically designed in two different types. The dry and the submerged. A dry fly is designed to float on the surface tricking the fish into thinking it has recently landed. A submerged style is heavy enough to go beneath the water to look like drowned insects or aquatic insects in there early stages.

If you have intentions of spending many years at the local water source the rod you choose should be one that is made to last. This requires spending time in the sports department. Do not grab the first rod that gets your attention, it is important to hold it and get a feel for the weight and length. They vary in price from a few dollars to a weeks pay, so the rod you opt for should be within your budget and one you are comfortable holding.

Second in line for importance is the reel. If you purchase your fishing equipment at a department store, some rods and reels are pared up and packaged as a set. This is fine if you only intend to use the equipment a couple of times. For long term dependable equipment, you should choose them separately. Most combination packaged items are not made for long term use which is why the price is significantly lower than purchasing top quality brands separately.

The purpose of the reel is to hold the fishing line and will vary in its ability to avoid tangling of line and quickness for pulling in the fish. A smooth drag reel system is the perfect choice for catching salmon or large trout. An arbor reel will give you the availability of reeling in a larger amount of line with each turn. The more line you can reel the easier it is to pull them in without a long fight with the fish. If you can find a reel compatible to interchangeable spools this will allow you to switch lines without switching reels.

Now that you have chosen the rod and reel of your dreams it is time to get the fishing line. The line will play a large part in how you cast as well as how you reel in. The line should be heavy enough to cast smooth and reel in with snapping. Choosing a light weight is not the best to use for a good cast. It can droop, snap and be more difficult to reel than the heavier line.

One final fly fishing tip is how to cast. Your casting style will become an important part of catching or not catching. While casting out it should be a straight shot, do not jerk and keep it as smooth as possible. For practice before going to the river, make a target on a flat surface in a large area and continue casting until you have your body and line relaxed enough to hit the target.

Duncan Mcleod is an avid Fly Fishing enthusiast and If after reading this tip, you still cant seem to land that trophy fish or even get your cast to land in the water then go grab his free fly fishing tip ebook titled: 101 Fly Fishing Tips. You may even find a secret or two.

http://www.fly-fishing-revealed.comArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/land-the-big-one-fly-fishing-tip-1773030.html

Best Hawaii Snorkeling for Beginners and Small Children on the Big Island

If you’re traveling with small children or novice swimmers, you’ll want to make sure you pick Hawaii group services offering snorkeling locations which are safe and allow easy entry and exit from the water. You might also consider taking a shorter snorkeling trip to just one location so as to avoid over-taxing your youngsters.

Both Kahaluu Beach Park and Kealakekua Bay are great places for novice snorkelers. Aside from relatively safe waters, marine life and coral reefs are plentiful in these areas as well, making for a sure-fire day of snorkeling success.

Best Hawaii Snorkeling Adventure Tours on the Big Island

The Big Island is chock full of astonishing activities and sights. If you’re the adventurous type who is looking for Hawaii tour groups offering snorkeling expeditions, keep an eye out for those which allow you to explore sea caves, underwater lava tubes and beaches of black, green and red hues.

You’ll find these adventures and more primarily along the western and south western coasts.

Best Hawaii Snorkeling Group Tours Which Combine Other Activities

While spending the entire day snorkeling is a blast, sometimes you’ll want to combine your expedition with other activities as well – especially if you’re traveling with a group. Fortunately, there are Hawaii charter tours which specialize in keeping everyone in your party happy – even if that means that some people spend the day snorkeling while others spend it kayaking, sailing, hiking, or just plain sunbathing.

Be sure to communicate with your Hawaii group accommodations coordinator about the activity needs, skill level and desired adventures of your group before you make reservations in order to experience the best Hawaii snorkeling day possible. And finally, don’t forget to bring your underwater camera!

For more advice about finding the best Hawaii snorkeling spots to take your group, visit www.alohatopten.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/best-hawaii-snorkeling-for-group-tours-of-the-big-island-1773433.html

Those of you who have money and plan to keep one boat forever, should buy again. If you do happen to be on a budget and skeptical about a boat, you have to buy used. Purchasing is used for some large, but not always the most glamorous choice. Oceans and lakes are filled with boats that are much richer than most. Many boats are beyond their means and financing their boats at extreme levels.

What really counts with a boat there in the water. Someone who is every weekend flying boat is a great browser. A businessman who has time to get in his 60-foot yacht once or twice a year, not as a boater at all.

If you look around at the water, you have to have the small boats in motion, while the larger vessels are not moved. The money, which are busy and have no time to go boating should not really have a boat at all.

New boats can lose, half of its value in less than 2 years. With a used boat, the owner has corrected the problems with new vessels. The previous owner took care of the concessionaire for the care of warranty.

A ship used in the rule, not much was needed at all. One boat in particular SA, it is not like a used car. You will find many boats with less than two hundred hours of engine time. For comparison, look at the number of hours on the engine of his car.

A used boat has scratches and dents, so do not feel so bad if some of his own added. When you buy your sale, you must at least take a great team on board and the necessary repairs.

A ship is usually with dock lines, life jackets, accessories, spare parts, radio, safety equipment and other supplements in Nice. New boat owners will be paying hundreds of dollars for these things.

The Joker is, of course, if the previous owner the right boat maintenance boat. Before you buy, you should always ensure that the ship from the poll, is in reasonably good condition. In this way you will know your journey to a great used boat.

George S. is a freelance writer, you can read more of his jobs about High Waisted Jeans and Mont Blanc Wallet

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/information-about-buying-a-used-boat-1776104.html