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Practice makes perfect with braided lines

Braided fishing lines were on the market for years before I finally decided to give them a try on my own rods and reels. The biggest reason for my resistance to braid was my distrust of knots between the main line and leader. Braid is woven from single strands of synthetic fibers, including Spectra, Dacron and micro-dyeema. Virtually unbreakable, braided line offers great advantages to anglers who know how to integrate them into their fishing tactics. They also are considerably thinner in diameter than nylon monofilament and fluorocarbon lines of similar breaking strengths. ...

Broken boat leads to a maintenance lesson

There’s nothing like a floating trailer bunk to dampen spirits at the end of a fishing day. With chagrin, I spied the starboard side outer bunk askew and bobbing in the ripples as I idled the Bass Cat toward the waiting trailer last week. After 50 years of launching and loading my fishing boats, I immediately recognized the predicament: Getting home and escaping the blistering heat was going to be delayed. For anglers who fish from boats, the effort to get our watercraft to and from our lakes and rivers is not to be taken for granted. We rely on smooth-rolling, easy-loading ...

Hot temps and hot fishing

Have you had it with this summer’s heat? I can’t speak for all the other people who fish near Youngstown and Warren, but I can tell you that I am ready for cool mornings and breezy afternoons, the kind of days when the fish are in the mood and the catching is plentiful. Hot weather is one thing. But the days when your shirt sticks to your back after simply hitching the boat trailer are quite another. Anglers nevertheless persevere. It’s tough out there, but somebody’s got to get out there and keep the fish honest. Cooler days are coming. In the meantime, this dog-day ...

Fish decide which lures work

Fishing is full of mysteries and riddles to be solved by anglers who pull from their experiences and the multitude of truisms that are passed down from generation to generation. One of the so-called truths that many anglers take to the lakes is about lure size. I am among them. For years, I stocked my Plano boxes with lures that over the years had become standard equipment for bass anglers. I went to the lakes with preconceived notions that for certain fish, I was going to throw lures of a certain size. I didn’t give much thought to whether bigger might be better or, for that ...

The joy in enjoying your catch every time

Imagine a time way back in antiquity when an early angler dragged a fish to the mud at his feet and expressed disdain for his catch. That seems improbable considering prehistoric fishing was a subsistence activity, the opportunity to gain protein to feed family and friends. But at some point, I am certain, ancient anglers began to specialize in their hook-and-line pursuit of fish for the table. For the hungry, a fish is a fish, a meal for the table. But among sport anglers, fish snobbery is a thing these days, as we increasingly specialize in our pursuit of our favorite species. ...

Making the decision on new fishing technology

New technology comes to the fishing world about as frequently as most of us change socks, tempting anglers to reach deep into their pockets with hopes of gaining more satisfaction during our days on the water. Temptations are everywhere for people who fish. New lures, rods, reels and accessories are just a few clicks from delivery to your door. Who can resist grabbing goodies while strolling the aisles at our favorite tackle retailers? Who hasn’t marveled at the quality and reality displayed on the screens of today’s sophisticated sonar units? Every purchase comes with a dream ...