Fishing Tips...

This page will be updated as we have time and come up with new tips. Please email if you have a tip you'd like to share.

Camera....camera....camera

So you're out musky fishing and you see the follow, experience the thrill of the musky exploding out of the water. You play the fish, bringing it to boatside, safely netting it, or just removing the hooks. You quickly setup your camera to take a photo of you and your fish. You set the camera to take a picture in 10 seconds, press the button, go and get in the shot and wait. You hear the picture being taken, measure the fish and get it back in the water. Excellent. Or not. Yep...been there done that. Even went so far as to take pics as I was releasing the fish. I swear the camera made noise for each picture I took. Once the fish was gone and I looked at the camera.....oh yeah.....nothing...no pictures of my fish. Not one. So, always be familiar with your camera. Mine is now set to show a 2 second display of the picture I just took. Now I know I actually took the picture. If possible, have someone else take the picture so you can get the fish back in the water as soon as possible. If you're by yourself, have a spot ready to set the camera so you don't waste time once you have the fish in the boat. Always make sure your camera is working before your trip.

Keeping or releasing your catch

Depending on what you're fishing for, there are times when you want to release your fish and times when you're going to keep fish for a fish-fry. If you plan to release the fish, unhook the fish as carefully as possible. If at all possible, try to not handle the fish or even remove from the water.

If you plan to keep your catch to eat, you should try to keep the fish as fresh as possible. If you have a livewell in your boat, use it, and circulate the water often, especially during hot summer days. If you don't have a livewell, you can put the fish on a stringer and keep them in the water. If nothing else you can put them in a cooler filled with water (preferably from the same lake) or with ice to keep the fish cold. Fish can spoil fairly quickly and can result in a strong "fishy" taste or a sour odor. The flesh may also seem soft. So always try to keep your fish as fresh as possible.

Casting

• Try to make your bait or lure land on the water with as little noise as possible, and try to cast past your target area.
• Do not overfill the spool of your reel. Fill with line no more than 1/8 of an inch to the lip of the spool.
• When casting, post ion yourself as close as possible, but only as close as water clarity allows.
• When casting into the wind, lower your rod tip immediately after the cast. This will help prevent the line from blowing in the wind.

Rocks

Watch for rocks above the water surface in streams, creeks and rivers. When the water flows past these rocks it forms "feeding lanes", and fish can be located in or next to these lanes waiting and looking for food.

Fishing Etiquette

Most fishing etiquette is a simple matter of common sense.

• Do not fish next to other anglers if they are fishing a spot and there is ample room for you to fish without crowding them.
• Try and keep your noise level down so as not to disturb other anglers near you.
• Don't throw your line next to someone else's line.
• Don't go and fish next to someone when you see them catch a fish.
• When traveling in a boat, try and give other boats as wide a berth as possible.