Let me first begin by stating the obvious.  When bass are very aggressive, as in the pre-spawn weeks, and during fall, I wouldn’t be going out on a limb to say that bass aren’t very selective during these times.  Take a look sometime at what marine biologists find in the stomachs of sharks.  Trash cans, shoes, lunch boxes, just about anything you can imagine.  In the same way, these “As seen on TV” products can be picked up by any indescriminate fish that happens to be on a hunger binge.  That is exactly what these TV commercials want you to see.  They introduce the bait to hungry bass in a controlled environment, and trick you into believing that bass or other fish “can’t handle it.”  This couldn’t be farther from the truth, and in the end, you’ll be out a pretty penny for these products.  Let’s take a look at a few.

1)  The Banjo Minnow – Everybody’s heard about this lure, and it has been around seemingly forever.  The commercial is well put together, and the product’s action looks fantastic.  They show bass after bass hitting this lure, over and over again.  Then they offer it to you for a relatively low price, and hook you.  Being someone that has a passion for fishing and lures, I had to buy a pack.  Then, I received my package.  Let me tell you the results. 

First, the colors are completely ridiculous.  If you have ever read an article about “matching the fry”, or “matching the hatch”, these lures won’t make the cut.  Ranging from a ridiculous pick between glowing chartreuse, and a mix between clear and crest toothpaste with sparkles, you are far from matching the baitfish in the lake. 

Second, the action looks good on tape, but far different in the water. The stars absolutely must align to make this bait perform the way you want it to.  I do have to say that the dying minnow look is special, and I have seen bass engulf this lure…but only during the MOST aggressive days of the year.  Your line tends to twist when using this product causing the bait to spin and whirl, instead of bolt and die.   The hook through the nose is a great idea, but must be approached with care, as the bass must engulf the ENTIRE lure before setting.  This does happen…once again…on highly aggressive days.  However, on the day where the bass just seem to be slapping your bait, you have a much higher chance of foul hooking it than landing it through the lip.

Last, these baits are cheaply made.  It is only a matter of a few casts, when the “life-like” eyes coming falling our of your lure, leaving nothing but a cold “Jaws-like” gray.  It doesn’t really bother me, because these lures christened the bottom of my supply compartment anyways.

Conclusion?  Stay away from these lures.  Save your $20+ after shipping, and buy the basics….

2)  The Blade Dancer – I was eager to try these lures out after seeing an lcd tv commercial at my local fishing shop.  I believe Berkeley puts out great products for the most part, but these are absolutely garbage.  Of course, in the video, they are hammering bass after bass, and pike afte pike on this lure.  I immediately bought the tackle shop out of this lure, and tried them out.  Verdict?  Absolute garbage.

First, the lures are very expensive.  They give you only one spoon, which you attach the remaining lures to throughout use.  Lock this lure up on a log, and your whole pack is gone. 

Second, I’ve cast this lure out in the most aggressive times…I’ve worked on swimming the lure, jigging the lure, and doing everything universally that the video talks about, and all I did was foul hook a perch on accident in the side. 

Lastly, the action does look amazing, yet, the presentation is very hard to control.  Either you get a violent wobbling of the lure, or nothing at all.  This cannot work on days where you need to really slow your presentation.  I will say, that in late summer and early fall, I have had a lot of success landing Northern Pike.  Again, however, anybody who goes bass fishing during this time has inevitably hit a pike with a grub or senko on accident.  I’m not sold that this is the only lure for pike.  However, with the flash of the spoon, and violent wobbling, at the right time of the year, this can be a pike killer.

Conclusion, stay away from this lure unless you are singling out pike for the day.  Only work it during late summer, early fall, when pike are most aggressive.  When you see a TV advertising a lure…Keep walking!!!

Stick to the basics.  Buy yourself a few jigs, cranks, spinnerbaits, and plastics, such as a ribbon worm, and Senko.  These will keep the price down, but fill your tackle box with universal baits for anytime of the year.  Companies try to use these “As seen on TV” methods to make a lure “original”.  I have only one comment for that.  There is a reason why these lures weren’t sold in MASS quantites to sports and tackle shops…They would just take up more shelf space.

Feel free to joing us at www.hungryhook.com – We are building the Northwest’s #1 Fishing site, where you can learn anything you need to know about fishing.  We give you the opportunity to write your own articles, and promote your own fishing products.  Please contact hungryhook@live.com for more information about submitting articles.

Happy Fishing, and Respect the Lake….

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/gimmick-bass-lure-review-1298422.html

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These 2 shad fishing lures (or types of fishing lures) are the main two varieties when it comes to baits that mimic shad, and is what this article is about. The “perfect” shad imitation comes from one of these to varieties of fishing lures. The number one “perfect” fishing lure is probably impossible to determine, and depends on the angler and temperament of the bass themselves, but if there is one single “perfect” shad imitation it comes form these two fishing lure varieties.

Soft Plastics – Soft plastics, especially swim baits, are very effective shad fishing lures. Typically these baits are segmented soft plastic baits with a thumping tail. Normally Swimbaits are retrieved quite fast, and then stopped from time to time to allow the bait to sink into the strike zone. There are Swimbaits that imitate shad as well as other bait fish. On most waterways the shad imitating Swimbaits are the most effective. YUM brand soft plastic shad are an effective shad imitation for bass fishing as well. These soft plastics have been impregnated with scents that smell much like a live shad, which makes them more effective than traditional soft plastics.

Crank Baits – Crank baits have been imitating shad for many years. Some of the more popular and effective shad crank baits would include the Bagley G-force and the Rapala Shad Rap. These are both great shad imitations and are quite effective for bass fishing. Typically crank baits have a lip in the front to allow the bait to ‘swim’ to different depths when retrieved. When it comes to shad fishing lures another effective crank bait is the KickTail minnow. This shad imitation is sort of a hybrid between a swim bait and a crank bait. In any case many crankbaits are effective shad imitations.

The bottom line is that any serious bass angler needs to have effective shad lures in their tackle bag/box. The most effective bass baits that imitate our friend the shad will come from one of the two varieties of fishing lures listed above. These two bass lure varieties will produce your own personal ‘perfect’ shad imitation that hopefully will serve you well for many years to come.

Fishing – What to Wear

I have no sense of fashion, and rarely can match my clothing.  I usually choose clothing based on comfort. When selecting what clothing to wear on the river, comfort is key.  Here in the mountains, the weather changes quickly.  In winter months, cold weather is a constant.  Cold temperatures are found along the rivers or low spots across the land.  Temperatures at Teton Valley Lodge along the river can be -30, while Grand Targhee Ski Resort, fifteen miles up the mountain, will be 0 at the same time of day.  
 
Winter fishing can be fantastic, unless you choose the wrong clothing. For winter fishing you should wear the same things you might wear skiing or snowmobiling, plus a bit extra.  One key item is fleece fingerless gloves. You must wear fingerless gloves so you have control over your line.  Fingered gloves just don’t work.  The fleece gloves retain heat even when wet and dry easily.  Another great piece of clothing is the boot foot wader by Simms.  This newly redesigned wader is warm and comfortable.  Regular stocking foot waders pale in comparison.  For winter fishing nothing beats the boot foot.
 
Summer clothing has advanced a lot over the past few years.  It wasn’t too long ago that we always wore waders or hip boots in the summer.  There just wasn’t the clothing available to fish comfortably any other way. Manufacturers like Patagonia, Simms and Cloudveil, have excellent choices for the summer angler.  For most of the summer season you are able to wet wade with quick dry pants and sandals.  There are two different types of shirts made specifically for fishing.  You can select standard button-up shirts in both long and short sleeves. These are quick dry like the pants and most offer an SPF factor.  The other type of shirt is a T-shirt style of lighter weight material than the conventional button-up.  Both are quick drying and cool in hot weather.

Buy our award winning fishing lures at www.escalure.co.uk. These fishing lures are guaranteed to improve your catch rate success

Flipping For Bass

The technique of pitching has largely replaced it in some quarters, but the flipping technique remains the same ultra precise, this is a deadly method of catching large bass in cover that Californians Dee Thomas and Dave Gliebe first brought East 30 years ago. This was a technique that revolutionized the sport. When the technique of flipping was introduced to the fishing world it was the most effective method ever. The fisherman learned that flipping was amazingly accurate procedure to get the big bass out of cover. It was such an outstanding weapon the fisherman from the west where the warriors in the early and mid 70s. Bass pro fisherman Roland Martin says flipping changed everything, suddenly we had a way to get a bait to big bass in some bad places.

The virtues of flipping have not changed. Bass fisherman fishing for the bigger bass always pays off when they are flipping for individual bass instead of schoolies. Individual fish are normally big fish. They’ll hold on the most unusual piece of cover in the area. They stake out their own territory.

If you are going to be a serious bass fisherman, you will have to master the flipping technique, that’s what the pros say. It remains a major part of bass fishing throughout the year.

The bass pros known the merits of flipping are well known. The bass pro fisherman known that technique is just isn’t limited for spring and summer when bass are most likely to bury up in cover. Unless the water where you live freezes over in winter, there is an application for this close quarters fighting technique throughout the year.

Here’s a look at where experienced flippers concentrate their efforts on flipping year around.

When flipping in the summer fishing main lake flip tight cover that tends to be a little bit better, especially after the spring rains where the water is still high. Also the bass pro says fishing vegetation, downed tree’s and branches when the water is high after the spring rains. Many pros us the flipping technique on the thickest mats during the hottest times in the summer with a lake fork trophy tackle craw tube teamed with a 1 ounce tungsten weight and 80 pound test spiderwire braid.

During the dog days of summer the fish are in grass lines on points and main lake cover. Ounce your fishing into the fall, flipping into creek channels becomes more productive. Fishing the channels are the migration of baitfish holding on the channel, but there are always fish in channels but in late summer and early fall the channels play a huge role in finding the most productive fishing area.

Bass fishing in the fall the bass are going to be on thick grass and hydrilla and matted hyacinths. The pros are going to key on stuff, there going to be flipping on isolated patches of grass and hyacinths or hydrilla and even wood. Some of them expend most of there flipping in the backs of creeks throughout the fall.

When the pros are flipping in the winter they will fish shallow situations in muddy, highly fertile lakes, where the bass population doesn’t live very deep, to surprisingly deep cover. Some of the pros will us a 1/8 to 3/16 ounce Berkley jig with a big power frog trailer to get a slow descent to entice sluggish coldwater fish.

Buy our award winning fishing lures at www.escalure.co.uk.

These fishing lures are guaranteed to improve your catch rate success

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/shad-fishing-lures-the-perfect-shad-imitation-for-bass-fishing-4007830.html

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These are one of the most realistic looking lures you can buy. An ingenious fisherman created the first lures in the 1930s. After observing the habits of fish in the waters of Finland, he realized that big fish eat wounded little fish. He created a lure that wiggled and wobbled in the water and he started catching more and more fish. And to this very day all Rapala lures that are made are hand tuned and water tested to make absolutely certain that they swim in perfect harmony right out of the box. Actually, no lure holds more records for the biggest fish caught than Rapala lures. These lures are made of Balsa wood; Balsa trees are found primarily in Central and South America.

Rapala lures come in every size and shape imaginable and are very sturdy. Some styles are made to bounce off rocks, bump against the bottom of lakes and streams, and rip through thick weeds. Some styles will deliver an amazing distance in each cast. And some are actually designed with a sound chamber that transmits sound and vibration. Sound is known to heighten curiosity in fish; so any sound combined with a wiggle will sound like a dinner bell to a fish.

Rapala lures are great for ice fishing too. Rapala offers a lure that will swim in tantalizing circles directly in the middle of deep game fish. They also created a lure with a slow circle down action that works very well.

Rapala Fishing Lures – How They Developed

Rapala Fishing Lures first appeared on the market in 1936, still found in an angler’s fishing box today as an essential item. At the beginning, the Rapala Fishing Lures were hand carved using cork and native balsa wood by Lauri Rapala, an avid fisherman from Finland. He noted how fish had a tendency to head towards any injured baitfish and bite aggressively, so he designed a lure that was lightweight and mimicked an injured fish as it moved through the water, so this made the ideal lure.

These first fishing lures were experimental, produced using materials that were accessed from the home. The carved cork with the wood was coved using ordinary tin foil, which produced an even greater result as large fish would make more strikes thinking they had struck lucky with an injured fish. Rapala melted photography negatives which was used as a clear coating to cover the fishing lures to make them waterproof and to seal the tin foil covering. This proved amazing results, in a part of the world that was used to daily fishing events.

All the original Rapala Fishing Lures were handmade and were tested in person by Rapala himself as he had invented them. The demand grew so soon more people were hired to help with production, with the same attention to detail and personal handmade that became Rapala’s trademark for each lure that was sold. Today, all Rapala Fishing Lures go through the rigorous testing in a tank before being passed on for sale so as to ensure that it does have the correct movement of an injured fish in water.

Between 1936 and 1965 the Rapala floater was the original and only Rapala Fishing Lure available on the market, then came the balanced jigging lure and the introduction of the saltwater floater. A jointed diver was newly produced in 1974 and in the 1980′s came the production of the shad lures.

From 1999, a newer version of Rapala Fishing Lure has been introduced just about every season. These lures are famously sold in over 140 countries worldwide in many stores that sell sporting goods, and with the internet even more have been sold globally. Each year sees a turnover of more than twenty million Rapala Fishing Lures that are sold, which just reflects the actual new ones that are sold in retail outlets. Rapala has also introduced many more fishing gadgest like a fish and fillet knife which came out in 1964, and then came the handheld digital weighing scale in the year 1989. The company, Normark, the owner of the Rapala line include in their product range – rods, reels, accessories and other fishing tools.

Today, the Rapala Fishing Lures continue to be mostly made and tested by the original method of Lauri Rapala’s first lure made in his home in 1936, and is still a bestselling lure around the world.

Musky Lures and Pike Lures – Crankbaits Review

Pike lures and musky lures are often associated with crankbait lures. Here is a brief review of the most popular crankbaits.

Buy Esca Lures online at – http://www.escalure.co.uk/

The Zalt Wobbler

The Zalt wobbler came on the market in the early 1990`s with an innovative design. This wobbler is from Sweden and has had great success in the market. The Zalt is a very lively wobbler which is very attractive when fishing for pike. The Zalt wobbler works at its best when using minimum 8 inches wire trace in front since its movement are dependent on the weight of the wire trace.

The wobbler can be bought in many colors and sizes and as with most wobblers, one can attach sinkers about 24- 35 inches in front of the wobbler, and then fish slowly in 33- 40 feet depths.

Bomber Lures

Since the 1930`s, Bomber brand lures have been leading the market in the USA but they have also peaked Nordic sport-fishermen’s interest. In Sweden, the sea-trout record was broken using a Bomber, and it is the favourite of several of the biggest trolling, salmon and trout fishermen in the Nordic.

Bomber is not only great for catching salmon and trout, but also for pike. Bomber brand lures can be bought in all thinkable variants and colors.

Abu`s HI-LO wobbler

The HI-LO is a classic wobbler from ABU. There are few wobblers which are more connected with pike fishing as the HI-LO wobbler. I can remember that when reading about pike fishing when I was younger, all books mentioned the HI-LO.

The best feature about this pike fishing lure is the adjustable spoon making it useable for different depths – even on top of the water. The variability of this wobbler makes it very useful. I have had the greatest success with the red and white HI-LO as well as one with bright colors of orange, yellow and green.

It could be these are best for me personally, so it is best to try different types to see which work best for you. The HI-LO is available in several colors and sizes and it is also possible to find them in a jointed type.

Swim Whizz

The Swim Whizz is a very good pike wobbler with which I have caught many big pike. This wobbler is relatively light versus its size and is therefore not well suited for throwing, but is well suited for pike trolling. With the Swim Whizz, there are two spots to attach the line which makes it easy to fish in different depths.

I have one in bright yellow which fish enjoy. These wobblers are made in the USA where it is the favourite of many American sport fishermen. This pike wobbler is relatively big, but is available in at least two sizes.

It is also available in a jointed type which can be very effective if the fish are a bit slow.

Terminator

The Terminator is a new wobbler from ABU and has a very natural holographic appearance. It has been very popular amongst trolling fishermen in Sweden, but the sinking model is also very good for long casts.

This wobbler is not designed specifically for pike fishing, but it works extremely well for them. As with the Zalt wobbler, the Terminator moves a bit calmer in the water than traditional wobblers, which in some cases can be beneficial.

This wobbler can also be found in different colors and sizes and you can choose between floating and sinking types.

Rapala Lures

In 1936 the Rapala wobbler was created when Lauri Rapala made his first hand made wobbler. Since then, Rapala has been the biggest manufacturer of wobblers on the market, and not without reason. There are several hundred different rapala lures each made for different types of fish.

Also, most people know Rapala’s Red Head as the biggest pike wobbler ever made. The only negative with Rapala is that most of their lures are so light that they are difficult to cast far, but they do make a few sinking and slow sinking types which are heavier and easier to cast.

Like the Zalt Wobbler, these can be turned into sinking lures if one uses fireline because the thickness helps one to cast longer and go deeper in the water.

This was a quick presentation of pike lures in this category. Northern pike lures or musky lures include many more types of fishing lures and you will find more information about those when searching my site.

Buy Esca Lures online at – http://www.escalure.co.uk/

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/rapala-fishing-lures-3882156.html

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One common theme to the diet of largemouth bass is that they take advantage of edges to capture their prey.

There is also a rule that bass and all living predators use. The energy used to catch food cannot be greater than the energy the food caught provides. If the energy used to catch food is greater than that the food provides, the predator will eventually die.

Edges come in many forms and nearly all will attract and hold bass at one time or another.

Weed edges: Many forms of aquatic vegetation offer prime bass habitat. Whether you are fishing the edges of lily pads, pondweed or milfoil, always look for the “spot on the spot”. The outer edges always seem to hold fish, but look for inside turns, breaks or weed points. Many times the inside weed edge is often overlooked and can be very productive especially in the morning and evening. The weed edges act as a place of ambush and a place of refuge for bass. Eat and watch out so you’re not eaten.

Current edges: Smallmouth bass will seek areas in rivers that serve as a ambush point but also a resting point to expend as little energy as possible. Large boulders and turns in the river are prime places to look for active smallmouth bass. Current can also be found in lakes. Many large lakes can have current on windy days in the neck areas in channels or in between islands. The current often times will push in baitfish for an easy meal. There are times that the bass can be stacked in these areas on windy days.

Structural edges: Bass will often establish a” pecking order” on the prime structures. The prime structure edges include fallen trees and logs, docks, bridges, marinas etc.

Shade edges: Shade is one of the most overlooked edges of all. Docks, although a structure also provides a shady area away from the sun. Trees also provide a shade edge. Early morning and evening can provide some of the best bass fishing in the day. One reason is the shade edge that is created by low sun angles behind trees and the horizon. Just think how at night when you have the lights on in your house, it is harder to see out in the dark, but it is very easy to see from a dark outside to a lighted home. These edges give the bass a very distinct advantage over their prey.

If you can ever combine different types of edges into one area than you have your “A” spot for fishing. Seeking these edges will provide you with an advantage on finding greater success on your next bass fishing trip.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/bass-fishing-on-the-edge-224317.html

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A fishing lure is an object that is attached to the end of a fishing line. Its purpose, as the name suggests, is to lure fish through a combination of movement, vibrations and color. Fish get attracted to the lure and attack it, in the process fall prey to the hook on which the lure is set.

How does it work?

Fishing lures are widely used with fishing tackle. The lure is attached to the fishing line with a knot. It is first cast out into the water and then slowly retrieved. The process of retrieval makes it appear as if the lure is alive and swimming. This grabs the attention of any fish that are nearby.

History of fishing lures

Fishing lures can be dated back to ancient civilizations, where fish hooks carved out of bone and molded out of bronze have been discovered. In fact, archaeological sites in China and Egypt have revealed fishing rods, hooks, and lines. In the early nineteenth century, the making of tackles and lures was no longer an individual craftsman’s job, but something of interest to commercial manufacturers. Over the years, this craft considerably advanced, and post WWII, much more technical advancement was seen in fishing lines and fishing lures. Soon, fishing was both a hobby and a sport, enjoyed by those who could afford it.

How many types of lures are there?

Fishing lures are available in a myriad variety of sizes, colors, and types. The lures behave differently in the water depending on the kind of fish that they are designed to catch. The most common types are jigs, spoons, plastic bait, plugs, spinners, spinnerbait, poppers, and flies.

Materials used for fishing lures

Fishing lures can be made of metal, wood, cork, and plastic, depending on the type of lure. Lure-makers seldom make an entire lure; they specialize in a particular part of the lure. Manufacturers as well as hobbyists need to then assemble the lure after collecting all the required parts. Metal could be used to make hooks, wire, beads, blades, ball bearings, rings, loops, and spacers. Wood and cork are often used to make plugs. Plastic is equally popular and is used to make plastic bait; in fact, almost all lures are dressed up with plastic attractions.

How to use a lure?
A skilled angler will tell you that it’s not so much about the lure (apart from using the right one for the right kind of fishing), but more about how you work the line. When a lure is used for fishing, it is necessary to continuously cast out and retrieve the line. This ensures that the lure moves in the water, giving the appearance of a moving fish or insect. The lure will be completely ineffective if it not made to move in the water.

For more information on fishing lures as well as on the latest and widest range of methods for attracting and catching fish, make sure to visit http://www.seaisletackle.com.

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