When winter comes to the Northern states, and the lakes and rivers freeze solid, you can try the most rugged fishing sport of all—ice-fishing. Of course, you must be somewhat rugged yourself because standing in freezing temperatures and snow squalls for hours at a time isn't anyone's idea of comfort. But you can catch yourself a mess of fish. A surprising number of species bite in midwinter as well as midsummer. They may not have as much pep because of the cold, but neither will you. There are Perch in the deep holes of the lake and Pickerel or Pike in the shallows where the water is only a couple of feet deep. There are also Walleyes, Lake Trout, Bluegills, and even Eels where you're permitted to fish at night. You'll catch a few Black Bass, however, because they seem to hibernate. Winter fishing for them is illegal in most states, anyhow. All ice-fishing generally is illegal in waters containing Trout other than Lakers. (CAUTION: A few anglers drown every year by falling through ice that's too thin. It must be at least 3 inches thick to be safe. Be especially careful near the shores of spring-fed lakes, near outlets and inlets, and wherever there's a moving current of water. Also, ice may be dangerously thin when it first freezes in fall or when it's about to break up in spring.)
Tackle
You need an ice-ax or ice-chisel to chop your fishing hole and an ice-skimmer to keep it free of slush and to break and remove any ice crust that might try to freeze over it. Any ax will serve the purpose, and a long-handled food strainer which you can buy in any hardware store, makes a good skimmer. Rods and reels aren't necessary for ice-fishing—there's no room to use them. Instead, you have a device called a "tilt" or "trap" or simply "tip-up," which stands in the ice alongside your fishing hole and holds your line. The simplest kind is a wooden frame with a small spool for the line and a red flag tied to a spring. The spring is bent down and cocked under a latch, and the line that hangs through the fishing hole is looped over a trigger connected to the latch. When a fish tugs on the hook, the line pulls the trigger, and the spring lifts the red flag to warn you. Then you take over the fishing by hand. You also have to pull in your fish by hand. Ice-anglers for Lake Trout have a unique way of landing their monster fish—they turn around, lay the fish line over one shoulder, and run madly across the ice until the Trout is pulled flopping out of the hole. As for line, the nylon bait-casting kind is best, about 15-pound-test, with a transparent leader of at least 10-pound-test. However, it doesn't work for Bluegills which are voracious feeders in summer but become strangely wary in winter. With them, use a thin 3-pound-test leader. Hooks from size No. 2 to No. 6 are generally used. Warm clothing, of course, is a necessity but some ice-anglers solve the cold problem in another way — they build a small cabin on runners with no floor and push it out on the ice. Then they chop their fishing hole under it and rig the tip-up. With a fire going in a small stove, they can even take their coats off and play cards while they're waiting for the fish to bite!
Bait
Artificial lures won't work for ice-fishing. A good trick, however, is to dangle a luminous lure on another line near your baited hook to bring the fish around. Live minnows or shiners (large ones for big fish and small ones for little fish) are by far the best bait. Hook the minnow under the skin near its dorsal fin so it won't be badly injured. If it dies, discard it and use another. To keep minnows alive until needed, you must have a minnow bucket with a separate ventilated inside the container. When you've chopped your fishing hole and rigged your tip-up, chop another hole a short distance away. Here you can hang the inside container of the minnow bucket with its minnows. Then they won't freeze because the lake water is always above freezing—if it weren't, it would be ice. Your bucket, however, standing on the open ice, can freeze solid—minnows and all!
Small dead minnows will catch some Perch and Pickerel if you keep jigging the line to give them some lifelike motion. If you run out of bait, use a fin of a Yellow Perch, or a slice of its white belly, or even one of its eyes—but you must jig continually. It's difficult to tempt winter-wary Bluegills, but there are a few baits that will do it consistently— small red manure worms, mealworms, and the grubs that you find inside goldenrod galls (bulb-like growths on the dry goldenrod stalks). Small pieces of bread strewn on the water to sink and crumbled eggshells will act as chum and attract fish.
How to Ice-Fish
With dead bait that you must keep jigging, your fishing is limited to a single ice hole, but live minnows permit you to fish several holes. Chop the first over shallow water near shore, the next about 100 feet out over deeper water, the third 100 feet farther, etc. Each must have a tip-up, of course. Your bait should hang about 2 feet from the bottom, so lower a sinker through each hole to determine the depth, subtract 2 feet and measure out your fish line, tying a loop in the line to mark the length. Chop a small hole for the base of your tip-up, and fill this hole with water so it freezes solid around the base; holding the tip-up upright, drop your line as far as the measured loop and hook it over the tip-up's trigger. You should tend your fishing holes constantly, skimming off any ice that might be forming over them, and jigging the minnows occasionally to keep them active. If you have a loose line lying on the ice, be careful not to step on it and bury it on the icy surface where it might freeze and break when a fish pulls.
With tip-up fishing, a fish rarely hooks himself. His first tug on a worm or grub will release the warning flag, then the rest is up to you. If it was just a nibble, hold the line in your hand until he bites. If he doesn't after a moment, pull in because he probably took your bait. When a fish grabs a minnow, he'll first run with it, raising your flag. Let him go till he stops, then runs again. Remember, he always spits out the minnow at least once before swallowing it. Don't try to "play" a hooked ice-fish—haul him in as quickly as possible before he wakes up!
Information for the Instructor
This Guide was designed using the references listed on this page including portions from the Merit Badge Counselor Orientation Supplemental Adult Leader Training outline. The author has expanded on the BSA outline, organizing the material in a easy to follow format and supplementing information which the author feels is important in his local area. This guide was designed to be used in conjunction with a Youth Protection Program (YPP) training session or to adults already YPP trained.
This guide contains an appendix (pages numbered mbc_#) which are masters for making transparencies for an overhead projector. If no overhead projector is available, use newsprint. If you use newsprint, it is recommended that you prepare the pages in advance. The mbc_# numbers are used to reference the overheads in this guide.
This guide also provides suggested examples and text to use with the masters. This estimate length of this course is about 50 minutes. This allows for questions during the training and five minutes of questions at the end.
This Instructor's Guide was developed in the FALL of 1995 and is based upon the current policies and information. PLEASE keep up with changes in the references listed. Change is about the only thing constant in this world!
References
Merit Badge Counselor Orientation #34542 (34541?)
A guide for Recommending Merit Badge Counselors #34532
Boy Scout Requirements (current edition) #33217
Advancement Policies and Procedures Committee Guide #33088
Merit Badge Counseling #34520
Application for Merit Badge #34124
Boy Scout Handbook #33229
BSA Adult Application #28-501J
Delivering the Promise #18-917
MBC Instructor's Guide, SE WI Council, author Michael Holmes
Handouts
Merit Badge Counseling #34520
Application for Merit Badge #34124
Delivering the Promise #18-917
Merit Badge Counselor Application, local version of #34405 BSA Adult Application #28-501J
INTRODUCTION
Instructors introduce themselves and provide background.
Explain that as a result of this unit of training, the merit badge counselor (MBC) should be able to:
(Place mbc_1 on overhead or newsprint.)
- Use the buddy system for counseling.
- State the purpose of the merit badge program for Scouts.
- Explain the role of the merit badge counselor.
- List some methods of counseling and coaching.
Go over class outline explaining this is how we plan to cover these training objectives.
(Place mbc_1a on overhead or newsprint.)
Merit Badge Counselor Orientation
- Introduction
- Scout Buddy System
- Purpose of the Merit Badge Program
- The Merit Badge Process and the Role of the Counselor
- Counseling Techniques
- Review
SCOUT BUDDY SYSTEM
Since Scouts who come to you are under your temporary guardianship, the Boy Scouts of America have established certain guidelines for all counselors and Scouts. As part of this course, we will be doing the BSA Child Protection Training. This will go into detail about BSA's youth protection program (YPP). Briefly, at this point we want to cover the buddy system and BSA's policy on group instruction.
(Place mbc_2 on overhead or newsprint.)
A Scout must have a buddy with him at each meeting with a MBC.
Buddies may be:
- Another scout working on the same merit badge.
- A parent, guardian, brother, sister, or relative.
- A friend.
Due to the way the merit badge process is normally described, we frequently get questions about Group Instruction of Merit Badges?
Here is the National Executive Board policy statement:
(Place mbc_3 on overhead or newsprint.)
"To the fullest extent possible, the merit badge counseling relationship is a counselor-Scout arrangement in which the boy is not only judged on his performance of the requirements, but receives maximum benefit from the knowledge, skill, character, and personal interest of this counselor. Group instruction and orientation are encouraged where special facilities and expert personnel make this most practical, or when Scouts are dependent on only a few counselors for assistance. However, this group experience should be followed by attention to each individual candidate's projects and his ability to fulfill all requirements."
Go over what this means, answering any questions. Stress that the real emphasis of merit badge work should be Scout-counselor, as much as possible. (Ref. Adv. Policies pg. 15.)
PURPOSE OF THE MERIT BADGE PROGRAM
(Distribute: Delivering the Promise - The Aims and Methods of Boy Scouting and display mbc_4 on overhead or newsprint.)
- Basic character-developing tools.
- Scouts learn career skills.
- Scouts develop physical fitness and hobbies that give a lifetime of healthful recreation.
- Contact with adults with whom they might not be acquainted.
One of the methods of Scouting is "Advancement". Go over what is in Delivering the Promise and how that relates to the Three Aims. Specifically:
The merit badge program is one of Scouting's basic character-developing tools. Earning merit badges gives a boy the kind of self-confidence that comes only from Overcoming difficult obstacles to achieve a goal.
Through the merit badge program, a boy is introduced to skills which may help him choose his adult vocation. Use Spielberg or other example - Scouting introduced Spielberg to movie making, look where he took this.
Other merit badges help a boy develop physical fitness, or discover "outside" interests and hobbies, encourage citizenship and generally become a more well-rounded person.
Many youths are uncomfortable dealing with adults they are not familiar with. Working on a merit badge with an adult should provide a super environment to help youth overcome this discomfort. It can be a excellent opportunity to help the youth build confidence.
THE MERIT BADGE PROCESS AND THE ROLE OF THE COUNSELOR
(Distribute Application for Merit Badge, Merit Badge Counseling, & MBC Application. Display mbc_5 on overhead or newsprint.)
I. The Procedures Scouts follow to earn merit badges.
2. The Scout indicates his interest in a merit badge to his scoutmaster who gives him:
b. A signed Application for Merit Badge.
c. The name and phone number of a council or district approved MBC.
d. Encouragement to wear the official uniform when he visits the counselor with a buddy.
C. The Scout calls the counselor and makes an appointment.
D. The counselor sets a date, time, and place for the meeting, making sure that the YPP guidelines are followed. He or she suggests that the scout bring the following:
2. SCM signed application for MB.
3. Any projects he may have started.
4. Any other indication of preparedness.
(Place mbc_6 on overhead or newsprint.)
1. Projects.
2. Short-term and long-term goals with dates of completion in mind.
3. Dates, times, and places for further interviews.
G. When the Scout has finished all required projects and learned all relevant material, he arranges with the counselor for examination. At the testing
2. Scouts are expected to meet the requirements as stated in the handbook -- no more and no less.
3. Individual requirements for a merit badge may be signed off and recorded on the Application for merit badge as they are completed. Re-testing of these completed requirements is not necessary. If a partial was done by another counselor, you may review these requirements to satisfy yourself that the Scout has indeed completed the project or learned the material.
4. The MBC assists the Scout to meet the requirements and certifies when he has completed them.
5. MBC keeps counselor's record of the Application for Merit Badge. Scout returns Unit copy to SCM and keeps Applicant's copy.
6. You continue to follow YPP (a buddy is present).
II. The Counselor's Role
The counselor's job is to act as a coach and an examiner. As a coach you help the Scout over the hurdles of the requirement developing his self-confidence as you proceed. Through your expertise and experience, you also make him aware of the broader and deeper aspects of the subject, developing in him an interest which may lead to further explorations of his own. As an examiner you satisfy yourself that each Scout who comes to you meets all the requirements for the merit badge and that all boys are treated equally.
(Place mbc_7 on overhead or newsprint.)
b. The amount of knowledge he already has in the subject.
c. His interest in the subject.
3. Counselor follows up with the Scout on his goals-projects, collections, written work.
4. Counselor helps the Scout evaluate his progress.
5. Counselor encourages the Scout to ask for any help he needs to gain more knowledge or skill in the subject.
(Place mbc_8 on overhead or newsprint.)
2. Gives the Scout an opportunity to practice the skills under his or her guidance.
3. Takes a genuine interest in the projects and encourages completion.
4. Always remember that your enthusiasm and interest not only make the merit badge experience more rewarding for the Scout, but may induce him to pursue the topic on his own in the future.
C. Duties as an Examiner
The current Boy Scout Requirements lists all of the merit badges in the back and it shows the dates when the merit badge requirements were last updated. About 15-20 merit badges are updated each year.
2. Before you sign the Scout's Application for a Merit Badge, you must insist that the Scout do exactly what the requirements call for. If it says, "show or demonstrate," that is what he must do. Just telling is not enough. The same holds true for words such as "make," "list," "in the field", and "collect, identify, and label."
Disabled Scouts must also complete all the requirements as stated, within the bounds of common sense. A disabled youth who could not write, may use a voice recognition computer to dictate and send an E-mail letter to his congressman for Citizenship in the Nation. But he still has to fulfill the requirement in order to receive the merit badge.
3. On the other hand you may not require more of a Scout than stated. You must not, for example, say, "I want to be sure you really know this material, so instead of the 20 items in your collection, you must have 30 before I will sign your card."
No more, no less insures that every Scout plays on a "level field." No one is asked to do more; no one is allowed to do less.
D. Duties to the District/Council
2. Get YPP training and follow YPP guidelines.
3. Follow BSA policies.
COUNSELING TECHNIQUES
(Place mbc_11 on overhead or newsprint.)
2. Another way is to show him something related to the subject. A Coin Collecting MBC might show the Scout his own collection. But be careful not to overwhelm the Scout; remember he is only a beginner.
3. A third way is to ask the Scout to do a simple skill. For instance, a Woodwork MBC might say, "Would you sand this piece of wood while I get some tools ready?"
C. When reviewing completed requirements, you may find the boy needs help. You may give such aid provided that the boy himself ultimately does the work.
D. While you may test for neither more or less than the requirements, you may teach more than is required as a method of encouraging a Scout's further interest in the subject.
E. It is, of course, acceptable for a Scout on his own initiative to do more than the requirement calls for.
F. Remember that the most effective way of teaching these skills is to get the student to practice while learning.
G. KISMIF.
REVIEW
(Place mbc_1 on overhead or newsprint.)FREQUENT QUESTIONS
How many merit badges may one person be a counselor for?Can a parent be a counselor for their son?
How many merit badges can one counselor sign for one scout?
These and other similar questions are discussed in the Advancement Policies and Procedures Committee Guide. In the 1995 printing, they were covered on page 9 under the heading of Recruiting and Training Merit Badge Counselors and Publishing Lists. WARNING: DO NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO TEACH THIS COURSE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AND ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CURRENT ADVANCEMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES COMMITTEE GUIDE. There is too much misinformation in this area already!
I usually add to the explanation in the Advancement Policies by pointing out that different areas have different needs. In certain rural areas I would not want to force the Scouts to travel for two to three hours just to meet with a Merit Badge Counselor because I have limited the number of badges that the few counselors in their area can teach. I would then turn around and state that if you submitted a list of 10 or more merit badges that you wanted to be a counselor for, I just may ask for evidence that you have the skills necessary to teach all these merit badges. While National states there is no limit, they also state it is the duty of the Council Advancement Committee to approval all counselors. If you submit a list of 20 badges, you may not be approved for all of them.
I usually end up by stating that National's policy is "NO LIMIT", however, I recommend that they teach no more than five or six merit badges. I then remind them of one of the purposes of this program is to have the Scouts make contact with adults with whom they might not be acquainted.
Is there a time limit, from start to finish, for completing a merit badge?
The only time limit is their 18th birthday, all merit badges must be completed before their 18th birthday. (Except for disable Scouts with prior approval, via the procedures outlined in the Advancement Policies Guide.) This usually brings up the question of partials done with another counselor. I tell them that as the person who finally signs of the merit badge, you need to satisfy yourself that they did the work or know the material. They should not have to do the requirements over if they can demonstrate this. Keep in mind the NO LESS discussion, as well as the NO MORE when working with scouts with partials.
Why do I have to fill out another adult application?
I like to agree with them that it would be nice, if they were already registered, that they would not have to fill out another adult application. But, unfortunately the system is not yet that sophisticated. Merit Badge Counselors, even those working only with their unit, are kept on the DISTRICT CHARTER (registration), not the unit charter. This means two separate organizations with the unit responsibility (read that liability if you like) in the hands of the chartered organization and the District in the hands of the Council.
We also have problems with the registrations going in at different times. How does the person putting this in the computer already know you are registered with the unit? How often does the Merit Badge Counselor registration go in at the same time the adult's initial registration with the unit goes in? If they do go in at the same time, let us know. We will copy the application making the copy with the code 42 for the Merit Badge Counselor registration. The second application also helps assure registration as a Merit Badge Counselor. During re-charter time, things get hectic and the registrars are very busy. I have know cases where the Merit Badge Counselors were entered in on the unit charter as committee members because they went in with the unit charters.
TEXT FOR THE NEWSPRINT OR OVERHEAD SLIDES
Slide mbc_1:
Slide mbc_1a:
Course Objectives
- Use the buddy system for counseling.
- State the purpose of the merit badge program for Scouts
- Explain the role of the merit badge counselor.
- List some methods of counseling and coaching.
Merit Badge Counselor Orientation
- Introduction
- Scout Buddy System
- Purpose of the Merit Badge Program
- The Merit Badge Process and the Role of the Counselor
- Counseling Techniques
- Review
Slide mbc_2:
Buddy System
A Scout must have a buddy with him at each meeting with a MBC.
Buddies may be:
- Another scout working on the same merit badge
- A parent, guardian, brother, sister, or relative
- A friend
Slide mbc_3:
"To the fullest extent possible, the merit badge counseling relationship is a counselor-Scout arrangement in which the boy is not only judged on his performance of the requirements, but receives maximum benefit from the knowledge, skill, character, and personal interest of this counselor. Group instruction and orientation are encouraged where special facilities and expert personnel make this most practical, or when Scouts are dependent on only a few counselors for assistance. However, this group experience should be followed by attention to each individual candidate's projects and his ability to fulfill all requirements."
Slide mbc_4:
Purpose
- Basic character-developing tools.
- Scouts learn career skills.
- Scouts develop physical fitness and hobbies that give a lifetime of healthful recreation.
- Contact with adults with whom they might not be acquainted.
Slide mbc_5:
The Merit Badge Process
- Scout selects merit badge
- Scout indicates interest to SCM who
Interviews
Signs Application
Name & Number of MBC
Encourages uniform
- Scout gets MB book
- Scout calls counselor
- Counselor sets date, time, and place encourages Scout to bring
MB pamphlet
Signed application
Started projects
Other indications of preparedness
Slide mbc_6:
- At first interview decide upon
Projects
Goals
Further interviews
- Scout does work on own and with help from counselor
- Examination Tested individually
No more - No less
Test as you go
MBC helps Scout
MBC keeps record
Scout turns in Unit copy
Scout keeps his copy
YPP
Slide mbc_7:
Counselor's Role
Duties as a Counselor
- Interview the Scout to determine
Preparedness
Knowledge
Interest
- Goals
- Follow up
- Evaluate progress
- Offer assistance
Slide mbc_8:
Counselor's Role
Duties as a Coach
- Teach required skills
- Opportunity to Practice
- Genuine interest
- Enthusiasm
Slide mbc_9:
Counselor's Role
Duties as an Examiner
- Current Requirements
- NO MORE
- NO LESS
Slide mbc_10:
Counselor's Role
Duties to the District
- Renew registration
- Notify District when stop
- YPP
- Follow BSA policies
Slide mbc_11:
Counseling Techniques
- Put the Scout at ease
- Review each requirement
- Assistance when reviewing completed requirements
- May teach more than required
- Scout may do more than required
- Practice while learning
- KISMIF
The Merit Badge Counselor Orientation, Instructor's Guide, complied by Chris Haggerty
pages are presented by R. Gary Hendra --
There are many ways to fish, Here I will introduce some fishing methods that I am familiar with to you.
Fly Fishing
With fly fishing, various materials are used to design a very lightweight lure called a fly. Fish think the fly is an insect and they take the bait on, or just above, the surface of the water. It takes a little practice, but fly fishing is a pure and exciting way to fish.
Bait Casting
Bait casting is a style of fishing that relies on the weight of the lure to extend the line into the target area. Bait casting involves a revolving-spool reel (or "free spool") mounted on the top side of the rod. Bait casting is definitely an acquired skill. Once you get the hang of the technique (check out the casting animation), you will be casting your lures right on target into the structures where fish are feeding and hanging out.
Still Fishing
Still fishing is a versatile way to go. You can do it from a pier, a bridge, an anchored boat, or from shore. You can still fish on the bottom or off the bottom in ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams for a variety of species. And you can still fish during most seasons and during any part of the day. Your equipment and the size of the hooks and bait you use depends on what kind of fish you¹re after. But your best equipment for still fishing is patience. You have to wait for the fish to bite.
Drift Fishing
Drift fishing allows you to fish over a variety of habitats as your boat drifts with the currents or wind movement. You can drift fish on the bottom or change the depth with a bobber or float. Natural baits work best. But jigs, lures, and artificial flies will produce good results, too. You can drift fish on ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams any time of the day and year.
Bait-casting is the fishing method most sportsmen use. It's easy to learn, and its tackle is inexpensive. And it isn't limited to catching small fish, as fly-casting and spinning are unless you're an expert. A big cannibal Trout will hit your bait-casting spoon or plug. So will a hefty citizen of the sea such as a Striped Bass, and between these extremes, there are hundreds of species willing to do the same. Accuracy is a great advantage of this tackle. Soon you'll be able to sight your casting rod the way you do a rifle and hit the target every time. Distance is another advantage; you can cast 150 feet or more with almost no effort— if you let your springy rod do the casting for you instead of trying to make your arm do all the work. Also, with bait-casting, you don't need a lot of room behind you as in fly-casting.
The Rod
Your rod can be made of either fiberglass or split bamboo. Both are suitable, but glass is better. Bamboo is more expensive, and glass isn't as likely to snap when a big fish bends it in half. A long rod (6 to 7 feet) has more spring than a shorter one, and with a light reel, it will cast lures weighing as little as ¼ ounces, such as the ones you use for large panfish. For the â…-ounce to 1-ounce plugs and spoons used to lure big Pike, Black Bass, and so forth, you'll need a stiffer rod of 5 or 5½ feet. Although on a fly rod and spinning rod, the reel hangs downward from the rod's handle, on a bait-casting rod, the reel must be on top where you can reach its spool with your thumb. Therefore, this rod must have a reliable locking gadget to clamp the reel and keep it from slipping. It's usually a threaded band that screws out and over one end of the reel's base after the other end of the base has been slipped under a flange in the reel seat. Make sure a bait-casting rod has some locking arrangement similar to this before you buy it.
Guides are important on a bait-casting rod. On a cast, the line shoots through them at terrific speed, so they must be absolutely smooth, or else their friction will gradually wear and fray the line. Then, someday that prize fish you fight almost to the net will snap off and give you his fish laugh. Polished steel guides, which are all right for light spinning lines and slow-moving fly lines, are only second-best for bait-casting lines. Your guides should be made of uncracked agate, the genuine hard mineral, not ordinary glass. Or else they should be made of one of the new crackproof plastics. This is especially important for the tip guide over which the shooting line passes at an angle, generating the most friction and wear. To assemble your rod, hold its sections, so their guides line up perfectly with each other, then push—don't twist—the rod sections together. Guides out of alignment will cause more line wear.
The Reel
The bait-casting reel is a tricky little gadget. Once you've learned to control it, the rest of bait-casting is a cinch because it's the main part of the whole operation. A fly-casting reel simply holds the line; a spinning reel just holds the line and then winds it in after it's been cast, but a bait-casting reel does three things—stores line, lets it out, and pulls it in. It fastens to the top of your rod handle, its double-handle crank on the right (left on left-handed reels). Turn this crank and note how the spool of the reel revolves. It turns faster, usually about four turns for each turn of the crank. It's a "multiplying" reel—it multiplies the turns of the crank handle so you can reel in a lure quickly at a small fish's natural swimming speed. Reels come in different sizes which determine the length of line they'll hold on their spools. This information can be obtained from the folders which accompany them.
As you turn the crank, you'll also notice in the front of the reel a slotted device that moves from side to side. This is the "level wind," which distributes the line evenly on the spool as you wind it in. If it weren't for that, the line would build up in a mound on one spot on the spool, reducing the spool's capacity and slipping into an impossible snarl. On the side of the reel opposite the crank handle is a small sliding button—the "click" adjustment. Push it one way, and the spool and handle can be turned freely; push it the other way, and you'll hear a distinct "click" as they turn. This "click" is like a car's parking brake; it keeps the spool from unwinding when not in use. Push the "click" to "off" before casting. Large reels, such as those used for surf-casting, necessarily have large, heavy handles, and so they also have a built-in arrangement to keep these big handles from windmilling during a cast. Such a reel is called a "free spool." Before the cast, the handle is turned slightly forward. This disengages it from the spool. Therefore, when the cast is made, only the spool revolves, not the handle. For the retrieve, the first backward turn of the handle re-engages it, and the line is reeled in as usual. Large reels also have an adjustable "drag," or brake, to protect the line. This drag allows the spool to slip and release the line before it breaks when a fish pulls too hard, even when the angler may still be reeling in with all his strength.
The Line
The bait-casting line used to be made of silk until nylon, with its greater strength for its size, greater hardness, and greater resistance to mildew, showed itself to be far superior. It comes in various strengths and lengths, dyed all different colors for camouflage. Green or black seems to be least visible to fish. For most fresh-water Bass casting, an 8-pound-test line is strong enough. Use as light a line as you can because the heavier it is, the more difficult it is to cast and the shorter your casts will be. However, for fish larger than Bass, you'll have to settle for a stronger, heavier line. In order to make casting as easy as possible, the line should fill the spool of your reel almost to its edges. But 100 yards of 8-pound-test only cover the bottom of a standard spool! The answer is to use a "backing"—more line to fill the spool partially before you wind your casting line on it. This can be an old or cheap line since it probably will never see action. Before it could, some Bass would have to run away with all 100 yards of your good line, which isn't likely. But a Muskie might! As a safety measure, tie the backing tightly to the spool of your reel, and after winding it on, make sure to tie it securely to your casting line.
The Lure
There are thousands of lures for bait-casting—plugs that splash and gurgle, that perform on the surface and at all depths, and that imitate everything from small fish to swimming ducklings. Some recent ones look as though they might have come from Mars. There are also spoons of all descriptions that wobble fast and wobble slow, with and without hindquarters of colored feathers. They all catch fish, and all are easy to cast. Spoons, especially, cast like bullets. Use them when you have to cast into a high wind. Use a "snap" (it looks like a small safety pin) at the end of your line to make changing lures easy—and change them often. With every snap, there's a "swivel" to keep your line from being twisted by a revolving lure.
How to Cast
For your first bait-casting attempt, cast a f-ounce rubber practice plug you can buy at your tackle shop. Assemble your rod and reel, being sure to pass the line through the level-wind slot of the reel before threading it through the rod guides. Tie the plug to the line and let it hang about 8 inches from the rod tip. Now, turn the rod, so the reel is upright and grasps the rod handle with one hand, holding it so your thumb can rest on the spool of the reel. Holding the spool tight with your thumb, push the "click" button to "off" with your other hand. Next, release your thumb.
The spool unwinds as the plug falls and pulls out the line. But what happens when the plug hits the ground? The spool got started; there's nothing to stop it; it keeps right on turning. The line on it loosens and snarls. That, friend, is the curse of bait-casters—the "backlash"—but you have only a little one. Wait until you fumble a cast and get a king-size one! Straighten out your line, wind it in, and do it again, but this time press your thumb on the spool as soon as the plug touches the ground to keep the spool from overrunning. No snarl! That's what your thumb must-do during your cast: it must act as a brake to keep the spool from unwinding faster than the plug is pulling out line, and it must stop the spool completely before the plug touches the water.
Now let's try a short cast. With your thumb on the spool and the plug hanging about 8 inches from the rod tip, raise your rod and swish the plug in a fore-and-aft direction directly over your head, moving the rod tip back and forth only a yard or so each time. Notice how the spring of the rod keeps the lure moving! Now, just as the rod tip snaps the plug forward and just before the plug reaches its forward position, release your thumb, so it exerts only a very slight pressure on the spool. The plug will sail out farther than you think! And if you've remembered to use your thumb to stop the spool before the plug drops, you won't get a backlash. Repeat this exercise, lengthening the casts by swishing a little harder until you've learned at which stage in the cast to release your thumb and when to start increasing the pressure on the spool again. For your next step, eliminate the swishing entirely. Point your rod tip ahead of you, sighting it at your target. Imagine there's an apple stuck on the tip, and you're going to throw it. Bring the rod up and back sharply to your old swishing position, let the rod tip bend backward with the momentum of the plug, then bring the rod forward to about a 45-degree angle and release your thumb as the plug begins to pull forward—you know when from your swishing exercise. As the plug flies out, apply light thumb pressure to brake the reel slightly. When the plug is directly over the target, stop the spool so the plug will fall directly on it. Sounds easy—and it is! The whole secret is to educate that thumb. Once you've done this, there are a couple of additional tricks. When you cast, turn your rod on its side, so the reel is vertical with its crank handle on top. This puts the weight of the spool on the end bearing so it will turn more easily, and you'll get more distance. Also, keep pointing your rod tip at the lure as it flies through the air to lessen the line friction at the tip guide. You might try some side casts, too, which come in handy when there are trees overhead. But overhead casting is most accurate—and safer—especially when you're casting with a companion in a boat.
When you get a backlash, don't yank the line from the spool in desperation. Pull gently while rolling the snarled line from side to side with your thumb, and you'll gradually work it loose. To reel in a lure, or when playing a fish, you switch hands. Take the rod in your other hand and turn the reel crank with your first hand. Now your other thumb must control the spool—acting as an adjustable drag when a fish wallops your lure and starts to run with it.
The Bluegill also called Roach and Bream (pronounced "Brim"), and others of the Sunfish family are our most common panfish. These little battlers furnish many of us with our first fishing thrills, and even experienced anglers still find them fun to catch on the right tackle. They're not heavyweights -- ¼ pounders are average and one-pounders rare—but experts agree that pound-for-pound they fight harder on a hook-and-line than any other fish in existence! The Pickerel with his long, torpedo-like body may be the underwater speed champ but the flat, disk-shaped Sunfish is built not only for speed but also for wheeling and darting. Moreover, a plump butter-fried Bluegill will make any angler's mouth water.
The Sunfish species are even more numerous than Rock Bass and Crappie. They can be found in almost all waters from coast to coast, the exceptions being the very fast and cold Trout streams of the Northern states and those waters which contain other fish large enough to make a meal of the Sunfish, such as Black Bass and the Pickerel family. In recent years, Bluegill has become a favorite of owners of small homemade ponds. If you stock a one-acre pond with Bluegill and feed it and fish it enough, perhaps adding a few Black Bass to help keep down the Bluegill population, it will produce over 200 pounds of fish per year for your dinner table! In addition to all the fun, you'll have to catch them!
The origin of the Sunfish's name is interesting. It was chosen because all of these species do their courting and breeding only when the sun is shining brightly. At that time their colors are most brilliant. But even when they're not breeding, Sunfish are the most colorful of all the fresh-water fishes. Major color variations, and slight physical differences, designate their various species. Popularity winner and second in beauty is the largest Sunfish—the Bluegill (world record: 4 pounds, 12 ounces). He is dark green with darker green vertical sidebars, a brown-to-scarlet belly, and an overall purple iridescence. A jet-black tab projects from the end of each gill cover and his cheeks are an iridescent blue, which gives him his name. The top beauty is the Pumpkinseed, so-called because the orange spots that dot its sides resemble in color and shape the seeds of a pumpkin. He is a deeper purple than the Bluegill, his belly is orange and his cheeks an even brighter orange with a brilliant red spot on each gill cover. In addition to the Bluegill and Pumpkinseed, there are the Green Sunfish, which is colored like a Rock Bass; the Warmouth which looks like a Rock Bass but is slimmer and likes mud bottoms; the Shellcracker Sunfish with red-rimmed gill covers; the Yellowbelly Sunfish; the Long-eared Sunfish; and the brown Stumpknocker. And a few others. All of these species crossbreed, and the resulting young show quite confusing mixtures of colors which make their identity difficult. But Nature keeps the confusion from spreading further—the hybrids which result from this crossbreeding are incapable of producing young of their own.
Because Sunfish are so numerous, they must compete with each other for food and they're not choosey about their diet. They'll eat almost anything, although they have a special fondness for flies, grasshoppers, and crickets. And, of course, worms when they can get them. Therefore you'll find that the shallows around the edge of a pond or lake are favorite haunts of Sunfish because there the insects fall into the water from the shore bushes and trees. But the exposed shallows during daylight can be dangerous, too, as when a hungry kingfisher or duck flies overhead. And so while he waits, watching for his dinner, the Sunny likes to remain hidden in the underwater weeds, or under a convenient lily pad. And there's another logical reason, besides food, for his preference for the sun and shore shallows—no Black Bass. During the day this archenemy of all panfish is content to remain in the deeper, cooler water and to let the Sunny have his way. Only the largest Bluegills retreat to deep weed beds during very hot weather.
Sunfish are easiest to catch in spring and fall when the males are guarding their spawning beds which they've scooped out of the sand in the quiet waters near shore. Then they attack anything to drive it away, even a big Black Bass lure that happens along. Catching them under these conditions might seem to be taking an unfair advantage, but in most cases, the spawning bed survives without the parent's protection—sometimes even better since he isn't around to gobble up the tiny fry as soon as they hatch.
Small spinning lures are retrieved slowly, and both wet and dry Trout flies will almost always catch Sunfish. And any good-sized insect baited on a hook will be sure to bring a Sunny on the run. But for the most sport, and also for an opportunity to test your casting skill, take advantage of the Sunfish's lily-pad habit. Use a light fly rod (3 ounces or less), a leader that tapers to 2X, and a Trout fly or small imitation bug in fly-rod size. Cast the lure so that it lands directly on the lily pad. If you miss the pad and there's a Sunny hiding under it, he'll swim out and grab your offering. But it's more fun when you hit the pad. Then the Sunny will go crazy! You'll see him bump the pad with his nose, trying to shake off" the fly or bug. And when this doesn't succeed, he'll jump right on top of the pad to sink it. Sometimes his splashing will bring some unexpected action—from a big, hungry Pickerel lurking in the nearby reeds. Then it's every man for himself!
To biologists he's the Brook Trout, to Canadians he's the Speckled Trout, and to New Englanders, he's the Squaretail, but no matter what he's called, to anglers everywhere he's the aristocrat of game fish. His haunts are the purest waters of picturesque mountain streams and crystal-clear lakes. He takes the angler's dry fly eagerly—when it's the pattern he likes and is presented realistically. And when hooked he fights with a determination few fish his size can surpass. Last but not least, when he's taken fresh from the icy water and cooked over a stream-side fire his flavor is out of this world. Devoted Brook Trout anglers even refuse to fry the fish in butter, claiming it detracts from the flavor. And in respect for their hero they never say they "catch" a Brook Trout —they say they "kill" a Brook Trout because it sounds more honorable, like killing an elephant or tiger.
The original range of the Brook Trout was Northeastern North America from Labrador south to Virginia and west to the Mississippi, but he has been such a favorite that he has been stocked in the most popular angling regions in the Western States and Western Canada. Probably no fish is subjected to greater fishing pressure. Most of the thousands of hatcheries in this country and Canada are concerned exclusively with producing Brook Trout and his relatives, the Rainbow and Brown Trout, to replenish the tons anglers take every year. As a result, most of those you "kill" are stocked hatchery fish. Only in wilderness waters can "wild" fish still be found. But both perform equally well on your fly rod and you can't tell the difference until you clean them. White flesh means a hatchery-reared Trout; a "wild" Trout's flesh is pink like Salmon. Recently, however, biologists have discovered that ocean shrimp added to the diet of a pool-reared fish will turn its flesh pink, also, and so soon there'll be no way of telling the difference.
Technically the Brook Trout is a "charr" rather than a true Trout, but this needn't concern the angler because the differences are slight, such as the arrangement of teeth, and a tail that is square instead of forked. He is a pretty fish but not gaudy, a dark olive-green with an overlay of wavy dark markings along his back and a sprinkling of prominent red and white spots on his sides. His belly varies from pink to deep red, and the front edges of his fins are trimmed a pure white.
His size, varying according to the size of the water and the amount of food available to him, ranges from ½ to 5 pounds. His world record is 14½ pounds. His diet depends upon his size. Brook Trout up to one pound feed almost exclusively on flies, and so these fish are the fly fisherman's ideal. Of course, they also like earthworms, but the fly fisherman closes his eyes to this fact because he scorns bait-fishing for this aristocratic fish. Over one pound, the Brook Trout will still feed on flies but he doesn't find them very filling. He'd rather have a few plump minnows or crawfish.
In lakes, Brook Trout are found in the deepest holes formed by cold springs because they prefer the coldest water; they rarely survive temperatures over 70 degrees. In streams, when they aren't actively feeding you can find them resting in the swirls behind large submerged rocks, in the quiet water at the edges of rapids, or in the deep pools. When hungry, they swim into the shallower water of the riffles below the rapids to feed on the late afternoon fly hatch.
A bitter truth to dry-fly fishermen is that spin-casting will take larger Brook Trout than will fly-casting, simply because the "lunker" Brookies prefer minnows, which the spinning lures imitate. Therefore these lures fished deep over the spring holes, are best for lake fishing. A light rod (4 to 5 ounces) and a 6-pound-test monofilament line (because it's 28 practically invisible to the wary Brookie) are recommended. Change lures often until you find the type the Trout prefer. Often a fishing guide can suggest a pattern that is a consistent fish-getter for certain waters.
But no sport can top fly-fishing for the smaller Brook Trout in a tumbling stream. Use a 3- to a 4-ounce fly rod, a torpedo-tapered line (for distance in casting), and a 9-foot leader tapering to 4X for dry flies, or a 6-foot leader tapering to 2X for wet flies. Use the wet flies when no Trout are breaking the surface, and use dry flies when the Trout are rising to a fly hatch. In that case, use a pattern that matches the hatching flies as exactly as possible. For a choice of wet flies, it's wise to use the pattern that local fishermen tell you is best for the particular stream, and if it doesn't produce, experiment with other patterns.
For fishing wet or dry flies, you'll need boots or waders. Wade and cast upstream as you fish so you'll be out of sight to Trout that are above you, facing the current, and also so that any silt your feet dislodge will be carried downstream away from the Trout, not toward them to alarm them. Cast your fly beyond your target so it will drift submerged, or float, over the likely spot, and retrieve the slack line quickly so you'll be able to strike immediately when the Trout hits. If you delay an instant, he'll spit out the fly. In deep, wide streams cast above and across the current to drift the fly downstream past you. Be ready for a hit when your line tightens and swings the fly around below you.
There are many tricks to fool stream Brook Trout when conventional methods fail. Sometimes they won't take your flies simply because they're resting and are too lazy to move. Then the remedy is to stir them up. Get them excited! The simple way to do this is to take a large handful of pebbles and toss it into the stream, then cast your fly on top of the splash. Crazy? Not very! The sound will attract their attention and frequently they'll think it was caused by another fish feeding, especially if they're hatchery-reared Trout because in their hatchery they were fed in just that manner—by handfuls of food splashed into the water. And not wanting to miss their share, they'll usually swim out to grab your fly just in the spirit of competition, before another Trout gets it. This trick will work only once in the same spot, however.
There's even a trick for the garden-hackle dunker—the worm fisherman. Bait your hook with a lively worm, pinch a light split-shot about 6 feet up your leader, and let your line drift downstream until the sinker catches under a rock and stops the drift. Then sit back on the bank and wait! The worm will swing enticingly back and forth with the current while the sinker holds it. It won't be long before a Trout sees it and finds it too tempting to resist. When you jerk the line to set the hook, the sinker will pull free from the rock.
If there's a fish that deserves more appreciation from American anglers, it's the Brown Trout. He's highly respected in England, where angling first became an art. This Trout is larger than either the Brook Trout or Rainbow Trout; the world record Brownie, taken in Scotland, scaled 39½ pounds, and even in our large streams and lakes, 8-pounders are common. He can survive in murkier and warmer waters (80 degrees) than can other Trout, and if it weren't for him, there would be no Trout fishing at all in many of our warm southern streams and in many northern streams which have become partially muddied and polluted as civilization has deforested the wilderness areas.
Moreover, no fish offers a greater challenge to the fly angler. The Brown Trout is the most discriminating varmint you'll meet. Even when he likes your fly, it may take him 15 minutes to make up his mind to go for it. And then he may snatch it so viciously that your leader snaps before you realize what has happened. Or he may mouth it so gently that if you aren't wise to his ways, he'll spit it out before you can hook him. He's frequently criticized as being a sluggish fighter, which is true in warm streams, but in the cold Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout waters, he's guaranteed to smash your tackle faster than any other Trout his size. He's amazingly powerful, putting on a running, head-wagging battle that makes you think you're fast to a runaway torpedo. He doesn't leap like a Rainbow, but neither does a Brook Trout. The only really legitimate criticism of him is that his softer flesh often tastes more like panfish than Trout.
Our Brown Trout is a naturalized citizen, first transplanted in this country in 1803, and you can find him everywhere except in the extreme Southern states and Canada. Germany was his original home, and sometimes he's still called German Trout. He's also called Loch Leven Trout, a name he received in Scotland, which was one of the first countries to adopt him. In color, he's a dark brown tinged with olive on his back and upper sides, shading to a lighter olive-brown toward the belly. His back is covered with dark brown or black spots, his sides with bright red spots, each encircled by a white ring. Old males develop a hooked jaw, which gives them a pugnacious look.
The Brown Trout is not a wanderer; in searching for food, he doesn't forsake his chosen home, which is a lake or river is most frequently some large underwater obstruction (on which he can snag your leader when you hook him) or a deep flow beneath an overhanging bank. In a stream, he likes to lurk in front of the large boulders that break the current, seldom behind them as do other stream Trout. You'll also find him at the lower ends of the deep pools. Brown Trout are present in most Rainbow Trout waters, although you might not know it because an eager Rainbow will almost always get to your fly first. For dinner fare, the Brownie likes insects and flies, even when he grows to monster size, but to fill his belly, he must supplement these with worms, frogs, snails, minnows, and anything else edible that comes his way, such as a stray field mouse.
During the day, a Brown Trout in a lake or river can be persuaded to take a minnow-like spinning lure retrieved at moderate speed past his lair. But don't give up if the first few casts fail to bring results. Cast a dozen times, using a different lure each time. Use a stiff* spinning rod with a thin but strong (8-pound-test) monofilament line; a heavy line will scare him off" more quickly than anything else. For fly fishing in a lake or river, fish from a boat and work the shore beneath the overhanging bushes in the early morning and late evening when he comes into shallow water looking for flies. Make no noise with the oars and never use a motor. He prefers dry flies to wet ones. When you cast the dry fly toward shore, let it rest on the surface at least 15 minutes before you pick it up for another cast. Twitch it but don't jerk it; if it moves so as to leave a wake on the surface, he surely won't touch it. Use a standard dry-fly Trout rod with a 9-foot or 12-foot leader tapered to 4X. He might snap the light 4X tippet, but he's apt to see a heavier one and not strike at all. In fly patterns, he usually likes the less colorful ones, such as a Black Gnat or the brown variations. Use the same fly tackle when stream fishing for Brown Trout and the same techniques as described for Brook Trout—but be a hundred times more careful.
A Brown Trout is one of the most difficult fish to fool, but it can be done, and here's one way to do it repeatedly, although it requires some casting skill. When casting your dry fly toward shore at dawn or dusk, don't cast to drop the fly on the water; cast it further, so it lands on a low overhanging bush. Then twitch the tip of your rod several times. The fly will loosen and drop lightly on the water. What could be more realistic? If your fly refuses to become unsnagged from the bush, pull your line hard to break it off, tie on another fly and try again. So what if you lose a few flies! This trick will get you a nice Brownie—and a few lost 25-cent flies are a cheap enough price to pay for him.
Anglers have mixed feelings about the Carp. Most of them don't like him, although he's fun to catch on the right tackle. And he's not bad to eat when he's skinned, and the narrow band of pink flesh that runs along each of his sides is cut out before he's cooked. As a matter of fact, as a food item, he tops all other fresh-water fish. Originally a native of Asia and related to the common Goldfish, he has spread throughout the world and has become a major source of high-protein nourishment to people of every continent. In the United States alone, an estimated 20 million pounds of Carp are marketed annually, although fish-eaters consider him too soft and bony to be a delicacy. The trouble with Carp from the angler's standpoint is that he chokes out other game fish. He not only competes with them for live food when he becomes large enough to grab it with his small mouth, but he spends most of his life as a vegetarian, digging up plants to nibble on their roots and thus destroying the vegetation which other fish need for refuge and spawning. And his digging stirs up the bottom mud and silt, making the water too dirty for cleaner species. His greatest sin is probably his habit of searching for and feeding on the roe (eggs) of other fish. The only way to get rid of him once he's become established in a lake or pond is to poison the water to kill all the fish. Then, when the water has again purified itself, it can be stocked with game fish.
Whenever you have a few minnows left over after a day of fishing, don't dump them into the lake! There might be some Carp among them and if so, you'll be planting the seeds that will eventually destroy all the lake's game species. You'll never be able to get rid of the Carp by catching them on fishing tackle. Even commercial netters take only a small percentage. The reason is simply that the Carp is probably the most intelligent fish you'll ever meet! And the most difficult to deceive! Actually, he is one of the greatest challenges to your ability as an angler.
In this country, his weight averages between 2 and 5 pounds but 50-pounders occasionally are taken. His Asiatic cousin, the Mahseer, grows to 400 pounds. He is a solid, large-scaled fish with unusual teeth—they're in his throat. Growing from his small mouth on each side are two short whiskers, or "barbels." His color depends upon where he lives. In waters with sand, pebble, or rocky bottoms, he's usually a silvery-yellow, almost the color of brass. In muddy waters, he turns various shades of green, brown, or black.
In a river or lake that contains Carp, they're apt to be feeding anywhere. But since they aren't dummies, you'll have to make an extra effort if you expect to outwit them. Start by selecting a certain spot where you can see the bottom and "bait" this spot for a week or longer with chopped vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and turnips. Don't drop them on the water; they'll spread too far as they sink. Place them in a pail, lower the pail to the bottom, then up-end the pail to dump them in a space about one foot across. The Carp will find them. When you discover that your bait is disappearing, you'll know the Carp are visiting it, and that's the time to go fishing. But first, observe from your quiet, anchored boat how cautious they are. A Carp will mouth a small piece of vegetable a dozen times, spitting it out quickly each time, before he makes up his mind to swallow it.
For tackle, use a strong glass fly rod and a 9-foot leader of thin monofilament. A heavy leader will make him shy away. Your hook must be small, about a No. 12 or smaller, and your best bait will be doughballs. Make these by taking heavy bread dough, or the center of fresh-baked bread, and rolling it into pellets the size of large peas. Mix thin fibers of absorbent cotton in with the dough so the pellets won't dissolve quickly in the water. Also, add some honey, sugar, or anise oil for scent. Of course, you can use bits of vegetable for bait, too, but Carp seem to be especially tempted by bread dough, and it is more durable and will stay on the hook longer.
Embed your small hook in a doughball so it's completely hidden, and cast it close to your baited spot. Add a small split-shot sinker on the leader if the current tends to move the bait away. The slightest twitch of your line means a strike; jerk your rod immediately before the Carp rejects the dough. When he's hooked, lead him away carefully into shallow water so he won't disturb the other feeding fish. He'll come peacefully, as yet unaware that he's in trouble. But be ready when he reaches the shallows—that's when the fight starts. And a big Carp is as strong as a bulldozer. Fight him slowly, trying not to make a fuss that will alarm the others. If he swims back to his companions, move around and lead him off to the other side before putting rod pressure on him again. With luck in keeping the peace, your homemade fishing hole will pay off with several more Carp in succession before you have to let it rest till another day.
Proof of the Catfish's popularity is the great number of anglers interested in him; they total several million. It is doubtful if even the aristocratic Trout, or the little Sunfish caught in nearly every backyard pond, claims more attention than this strange fish with the whiskers. Maybe it's because there are more of him. The Catfish family contains over 1,000 species, distributed all over the world except in the coldest regions. In this country, the Channel Catfish is favored by the sportsman because he's one of the largest, and he's a tough fighter who will take a bait without too much coaxing. His home is the waters east of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico. South of Mexico, you'll find his various cousins all the way to the southernmost tip of South America. A species in the Amazon—the Manguruyu—reaches several hundred pounds. Some varieties even take to salt water.
Our Channel Catfish averages 2 pounds in weight. His world record is 55 pounds. The Blue Catfish, or Mississippi Catfish, is larger but not as widespread, being confined to the Mississippi Valley. His world record is 94 pounds, 8 ounces. The Catfish has a firm, chunky body covered with smooth skin instead of scales. And sprouting from his chin are long and tough whiskers, called "barbels," which inspired his name since they give him a somewhat cat-like appearance. He uses them as a kind of radar to guide him in the dark during his nightly foraging. Be very careful when handling a Catfish; the front spines of his dorsal (top) and pectoral (side) fins are sharp and saw-toothed. When danger threatens, he raises them, and a stab in the hand from one of them isn't an experience you'll forget in a hurry. Fortunately, they're not poisonous as on some South American species. The Channel Cat's back is dark gray, his sides a silvery gray, and he's sprinkled with black spots. The Blue Catfish is similar but more of a bluish-gray and he doesn't have spots. Both have deeply forked tails.
As for diet, it would be easier to list what a Catfish doesn't eat. He likes everything, even some things that seem impossible. He won't pass up any natural food such as flies, insects, minnows, frogs, worms, crawfish, and the rest. And he has quite an appetite for new items introduced to him by anglers: chopped fish, chicken and hog livers, chicken entrails and coagulated chicken blood, rabbit, squirrel, beef, lamb, and an assortment of ready-made commercial products accurately called "stink bait." The more it stinks, the more the Catfish seems to like it, probably because he can smell it at a greater distance. But in spite of his strange taste in food, the Catfish likes a clean home. You'll find him generally in the pure, clean waters of lakes and fast rivers with sand or pebble bottoms. Only a few of his cousins are happy in muddy homes.
In these waters, the Catfish varies his haunts and feeding habits, although he more frequently feeds on the bottom and at night. In spring, in good Catfish water, look for them in the warm shallow coves of ponds and lakes and in the deep fast current of streams and rivers, where they roam, feeding during the dusk, night, and dawn. During the day they retreat to deep rocky shelters in a lake; to deep pools under overhanging banks and tree bottoms in a river. When the summer heat arrives, Catfish remain in the coldest waters, leaving them only at night to feed and during dark, overcast, and rainy days. Autumn offers some of the best Catfishing. Then they increase their activity and come into the shallows more often in search of insects as well as bottom food, and they become a sport for the fly-fisherman. Use regular Trout tackle.
Although many Catfish are taken on flies and spinning lures, the most and largest always seem to be caught on bait. For this fishing, use a strong bait-casting rod stiff enough to sink your hook in a Cat's tough mouth and a bait-casting reel with a line of about 12-pound-test. Bait fishing at night, where legal, is done without a bobber. Let the bait (any of the tidbits listed above) rest on the bottom or roll with the current. When you are casting during the day, and artificial lures won't produce results, try a frog, crawfish, minnow, or a bunch of night-crawlers strung on a plain hook. A spinner added a few feet above the hook will help attract the Cats. In clear water, use a 3-foot monofilament leader, too.
The "stink baits," although unpleasant to smell and handle, are nevertheless the most effective if you want to be sure of catching Catfish. You can concoct your own, such as "sponge bait"—made by cutting a sponge into small cubes and letting these soak in a jar of mixed Limburger cheese and dead fish for several days, after which each cube is used as a single bait. But there's a simple and deadly Catfish bait that doesn't smell bad. An old Catfisherman passed it on to me. He had learned that Catfish like soap! His bait was a small chunk of white laundry soap into which he embedded his hook. When in the water, the soap gradually dissolved, sending out a trail of scent for the fish to follow, just as the "stink baits" do. He had a string of nice Cats to prove his invention worked! And since then, I've often proved it myself.
Personalize your drink coasters with this excellent themed craft. Your kids can customize them for special occasions like New Year, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and more.
What you'll need:
How to make it:
- Open the graphics software and choose Avery Kids #03111 Square Stickers as the format.
- Design the coaster to match the celebration that you are having.
- Add photos to the coasters if you would like a personalized coaster for each guest.
- Print out the stickers, and let dry.
- Peel off stickers, and apply them to cardboard.
- Cut around stickers.
- Apply Con-Tact paper on the top and the bottom of the coasters. Be sure to leave enough Con-Tact paper around the coaster to seal it from spills.
- Set out and enjoy the compliments.
If you are searching for information related to fishing and gear or any other such as fishing shows, ice fishing shelters, fishing secrets, or fishing you have come to the right article. This piece will provide you with not just general fishing and gear information but also specific and helpful information. Enjoy it.
Fishing traces its roots back to the Mesolithic period which began about 10,000 years ago. It is the major occupation of many coastal inhabitants. The catches vary according to the season and fishing place. Basically, there are three types of fishing - beach, rock fishing, and boat fishing.
Fishing Pictures is a fairly new website was you can upload fishing pictures. This website has a discussion forum, lure review, a personal fishing blog, and an online diary.
The term "traditional fishing" is used to depict subsistence fishing practices or small-scale commercial fishing, utilizing conventional approaches such as throw nets, rods, tackle, drag nets, harpoons and arrows, and more.
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For those who are experienced with boating, choosing and obtaining the perfect fishing boat is an easy task. But for individuals who have never tried to buy a fishing boat, it is surely a daunting task.
There is enough variety to please even the most difficult-to-please angler when fishing in Michigan. Visiting anglers that are not aware of the areas or lakes can hire one of Michigan's great fishing guides.
To win a tournament you need confidence, patience, and lots of practice. Therefore, take your time to explore and find the best bass fishing tournament for your skill level, your requirements, and your expectations.
Many people searching for fishing and gear also searched online for boat fishing tackle, fishing knot, and even sea fly fishing.