Tying Fly Fishing Flies – The Frankenstein Fly

You can buy flies for fly fishing, but you’ll want to tie your own at some point. Undoubtedly, your first fly will be the Frankenstein Fly.

Of Flies…

There is a particular fly for every fish, location and situation. There are basic flies like the Woolly Bugger and millions of exotic ones. You can buy thousands of them, but it will set you back a pretty penny. So, it’s time to tie your own.

The first step in the fly process is getting some educated advice at the bookstore. You’ll need to browse the fishing section for the hundreds of books on the subject. You’ll see books like “Flies for Idiots”, “Be One With The Fly”, “I Fly, You Fly, We All Fly” and other mythical titles. Pick the one that seems tailored to your needs, buy your tools and supplies and head home.

One of the first flies most people try to tie is the Woolly Bugger. It can be used for most situations and seems fairly simple to tie. Since this is your first time, you’ll actually be tying the Frankenstein Fly whether you realize it or not. This is true regardless of the specific fly you try to tie.

With the Woolly Bugger, you’ll use a jam knot, a fluffy piece of marabou, lead wire and so on. You’ll follow the directions in detail. You’ll wind. You’ll strip fuzz. You’ll wrap like you’ve never wrapped before. In the end, you will have followed every step in agonizing detail. As you finish the last step, whip finishing your fly, you’ll step back to admire the best Woolly Bugger.

At this point, you’ll look at the book and your masterpiece. Then you’ll jump on the Internet and pull up pictures of Woolly Bugger flies. Then the neighborhood will shake with a piercing scream. Yes, you’ve created something that faintly looks like a Woolly Bugger, but strikingly like Frankenstein.

Congratulations, you’ve tied a Frankenstein Fly. Welcome to the league of mad tie scientists.

Have Faith

Tying flies is definitely an art. You will almost never get it right the first time. Don’t be discouraged. Keep at it. Who knows, maybe the fish will find your Frankenstein Fly to be a tasty treat.

Salmon Fishing

Where to fish for salmon or the Chinook or the king salmon. The pacific salmon range from California to Alaska. These anadromous species can be found in most pacific coastal waters, streams and rivers that have a good flow of water and temperature as well as a suitable habitat for going up to spawn. You will find that they may be as many as three spawns per year, spring ,summer, fall.

The average size of the Chinook can be from 16 to 20 lb. but you will see larger fish up to 55 lb. taken from the remote areas along the pacific coast .From BC Alaska you can catch the largest or the Chinook. Fish up to 65 lb. which are common have been taken from the coastal areas.

The Chinook will return to the river in which they spawned from at the age of 2 to 7 years old. The salmon will travel over 7000 miles at sea to return to its spawning grounds. One of the longest river spawns is the 2000 miles battle up the Yukon River located in the state of Alaska.

With the advancement of man a lot of the smaller streams have been choked of with pollution and silt from local construction. Some of the streams have been filled in for housing and commercial use. There has been a increase of volunteers to clean up the streams and repair the gravel spawning grounds. With some success the salmon have slowly been returning to these devastated areas.

The salmon use solar navigation ,smell, day light and rain fall to help guide them to the spawning grounds. Most need a gravel bed of course gravel to spawn in. The female will dig out a spot and lay her eggs and the male will fertilize the eggs with jets of milt. Both fish die with in days of spawning.

The spawning fish feed many bears ,bird like the eagles and people on the run up to their spawning grounds. The decaying fish supply food for the river or stream organisms which provide food for the fry after the hatch. The fry will spend up to 18 months in the river and stream systems before heading out to sea to repeat the process all over

Before you fish for salmon you will need to check the regulations in the area you are planning to fish in every area will have different regulations. Time to fish size limits and the number of the fish you may keep. State and Provincial Regulations must be followed as the fines can be very large if you get caught fishing with out the proper license or are out of season. Always check with the regulatory body for the area you will be fishing in. Better to have what you need than to lose a boat or vehicle or go to jail.

If fishing in early spring or late summer or in the fall be aware that you may see bears of all sizes after all you are fishing in their favorite spot. Give them a wide berth they are hungry and will protect their territory. Better to play safe than to have a bad encounter you will lose if you come into contact with a bear.

Trolling from a boat will help you avoid the bears. The down rigger is very popular to get the bait down to the level to which the salmon are at. Trolling depth will vary from 10 ft to 150 ft a lead cannon ball from 2 to 10 lb. will be used .Hootches , and anchovies work in most location best to check with the local guides to find out what is working on the given days you are fishing.

No matter what you fish with or which method you use a Chinook salmon will give you a fight you will not soon forget.

Picking Out The Ultimate Fishing Boat

You and your family are heading out early in the morning for a day of fishing in your brand new fishing boat. You hit that highway that leads to the lake, excited voices echoing throughout your SUV. Your wife and kids are just as delighted with the new boat as you are and are discussing the whopper they hope to catch. You arrive at the lake, launch the runabout that contains the entire family's fishing gear and in no time at all, you are skimming across the water, every family member safely encased in a lifejacket. You just know that this is going to be a great family outing and everyone loves the new fishing boat.

A fishing boat can be anything between a canoe where you dangle basic bait over the side in a river or stream to a powerful cabin cruiser or yacht. Basically, all you need to get out onto the water is a vessel that is seaworthy. There are a large variety of fishing boats available on today's market. You can buy them at boat shows, fishing shows or dealerships. Let's look at some different types of fishing boats.

Freshwater Fishing Boats

If you enjoy fishing in freshwater rivers, lakes and streams, leave the big, powerful boats for someone else. Choose a fiberglass or aluminum boat that is lightweight and easy to transport. A bowrider, runabout, walleye boat or a boat with a small or dual console will meet all of your freshwater fishing needs. These boats are perfect for family outings.

Bass Boats

Bass boats ride low in the water and are usually very colorful and extremely fast. They can be aluminum or fiberglass and most often they are equipped with platforms in both the bow and stern for easy casting. If you've always dreamed of owning the perfect bass boat, be sure to buy one that has a trolling motor mounted on the bow. These boats are mainly used for sport fishing and tournament fishing.

Offshore Saltwater Boats

If you enjoy heading out on the open sea for a day of saltwater fishing that includes huge fish and heavy tackle, you will need a heavy boat that is dependable and can be relied on in all situations and weather. Anything less than a cuddy cabin or center console that's equipped with either twin or single outboard motors will not fit the bill. The high end of an offshore saltwater boat is a bluewater or convertible that comes complete with luxury quarters and elaborate salons. These boats should be equipped with inboard diesel engines that have maximum power.

Inshore Saltwater Boats

If you're planning to fish for tarpin, bonefish, trout and snook or redfish on tropical flats, a light boat will take you a long way. This type of boat should always be less than a 25-footer and powered by a single outboard motor. The best type of vessel for inshore saltwater fishing is a basic bay boat or flat boat. Both types of boats offer a spacious deck for casting and float well in shallow water.

Float Tubes

Float tubes are devices that allow fly anglers who don't own a boat easy access to get out onto the water. They are excellent for fishing ponds, lakes and mountain streams. Essentially a float tube is a floatation device that is equipped with a seat. The angler sits in the seat while wearing fins and kicks his way around while partially submerged. Fly fishing from float tubes can be difficult, especially for those who are using them for the first time. It definitely takes time to hone your fly casting skills from a float tube.

There are two basic types of float tubes - traditional and pontoon. Traditional float tubes are usually round and have an opening in the front or middle. Basically, these are an inner tube with built-in features for fly fishing. These float tubes can take a lot of time to maneuver because they are round in shape and cause a lot of water resistance.

The newer pontoon float tubes are much easier to use. These are equipped with two pontoons, or air chambers, one on each side of the fisherman. Pontoon float tubes have less water resistance and offer far less drag than traditional ones because the pontoons are V-shaped and move through the water almost effortlessly.

If you are thinking of purchasing a fishing boat, shop around, talk to anglers who own their own boats and do your research to help you decide which type of boat you'd like to have. If you still can't make a choice, talk to a boat fishing guide or the owner of a fishing charter service. They will be glad to give you tips on how to choose the perfect boat for you.

Grunion Runs

Fishing is peaceful and inspiring sport regardless of the type of fishing your doing. Well, with one exception – grunion runs.

El Grunionino

Throughout the year, the fish known as the grunion run in San Diego and much of California. This little silver fish reproduces by “running” up the beach during the high tide in the middle of the night. Literally thousands of the fish simply come storming up the beach with the waves to lay their eggs in the wet sand. It kind of looks like the beginning of a triathalon except the participants are going the wrong way and are pregnant.

The fish picked up their name from Spanish settlers because of, well, the grunting noise the make when doing their thing. It is a bit saucy now that I think about it. Anyway, the grunion averages five inches in length and has a silvery hue that shows in the moonlight. With thousands in the water, it looks like the a really fat person wearing way to many sequins while dancing to disco music.

You’re Inner Barbarian

“Fishing” for grunion requires you to get in touch with your inner barbarian. Under California law, you are not allowed to use bait, hooks, poles, nets or anything. Instead, you must physically catch the grunion with your hands. This, of course, results in you and others running around the beach like a crab while trying to snatch the grunions. They are exceedingly quick and slippery. You’ll be huffing and puffing before you know it.

Grunion are an extremely plentiful fish, but there are still rules to follow. As mentioned above, you have to go mano-a-fisho. No poles, nets or other items can be used. Second, you have to get a fishing license from the California Department of Fish and Game. Third, you can only go grunion hunting from May to September, the legal season in the area.

If you think getting in touch with your inner fishing barbarian sounds like a good time, here is the scoop on good spots. In San Diego, you should hit the beaches in Del Mar, La Jolla, Mission Beach or in front of the Hotel Del Coronado. These are all high end areas, which means the grunion must have excellent taste.

Running around the beach like a madman can be tiring. Bringing along fluids [okay, beer] is highly recommended.

Fly Fishing

When fly fishing, many anglers prefer to catch and release their fly fishing prizes. Still, what should you do when you’re the prize?

That’s Gotta Hurt

If you become a fly fishing fanatic, you will inevitably hook yourself one day. Of course, this has never happened to me, but my “friends” have done it repeatedly. Being a thoughtful and observant person, I’ve seen how they go about unhooking themselves from a fly. Again, this is never happened to me. Ever. No, I won’t take a lie detector test.

The Barb

The best hook removal method depends on the location of the hook barb. The barb is the part of the hook that keeps the hook from simply sliding back out of the fish or, in this case, you. The essential question is which direction will result in the least damage from the barb.

A “friend” of mine once managed to hook himself through the flap of skin between the thumb and forefinger. The hook penetrated from the top of this hand through to the palm. The barb had gone all the way through the skin. In such a situation, the best method is simply to cut the line at the base of the hook and push it the rest of the way through the skin. This technique will result in a minimum of damage.

Another “friend” of mine once slipped on a rock and hooked himself something fierce in the meat section of the palm about an inch below the pinkie. There wasn’t anyway to push the hook through, so it had to be pulled back out the way it went in. The problem, of course, is the barb could have caused a lot of damage on the way back out. So, what’s the solution?

There are two solutions [excluding the hospital] to avoiding barb damage. The first requires two people. The hooked individual should press the hook slowly toward the curve of the hook. Put another way, you want to compress this curve of the hook. This sounds brutal, but actually should cause the barb to retract from the meat of your hand. The second person then applies pressure to both sides of the entry point to pull it open. The hooked individual should then GENTLY slide the hook out trying to follow the curve of the entry path. Sounds painful, but it works.

If you’re alone, follow the same instructions but you’ll have to do without the pressure. Just go slow and easy. If the hook doesn’t slide, don’t force it. Just head off to the local emergency room.

Catch and release is a good way to fish. Even if you catch yourself.

Fishing Etiquette - Good Manners For All Generations

Reasonable people will readily agree that Life is a series of choices. We hope (and pray) that making good decisions will come more naturally as we mature and grow older. In conjunction with these concepts, most individuals acknowledge that as adults, "we are personally accountable for the results of those judgements"; an idea that some people have difficulty accepting.

Being a fisherman is definitely a hugely, conscious decision. For some, "To Fish or Not To Fish" is never a consideration for the true angler. After all, a considerable investment of time, money and resources are required for the self-sufficient, stand-alone angler. As your fishing budget grows, the number of "required" items increases significantly. A typical inventory can include:

* Boat, Engine, Spare Prop(s), Trailer, Towing Vehicle and state registration of said items.

* Fishing License, Rods and Reels (plus spare parts).

* Tackle Box, Spools of Filament (of various thicknesses), Fishing Tackle (broken down by Fish Species), Bobbers, Weights, Hooks and Leaders.

* Fishing Knives, Nets, Bait and other Sundry Stuff.

* Exotic gadgets such as Trolling Motors and Depth Finders.

* Food, Beverages, Trashbags, Gasoline, Oil, Parking, Membership and Access Fees.

This is a fair amount of planning and we have yet to reach the water. Then there is the challenge of allocating quality time without negatively impacting personal duties of church, family and work commitments. The complications of scheduling time may increase (exponentially) as one adds fishing companions. As one famous fisherman quipped, "If your job interferes with your ability to fish, then quit your job." An ideal that many fishers strive for today while others fall short.

So after this lengthy introduction, you're probably wondering "what is your point"? I'm glad you asked.

Obviously, being a fisherman is not unqiue - for there are many, many people who enjoy this activity. The types of fishermen can be divided into three basic categories:

** People who fish from "a Boat".

** People who fish from "the water".

** People who fish from "the shore".

Regardless of which category you place yourself, the idea of "Personal Conduct" must be included. An investment of fishing gear does not give one "exclusive rights" to a fishing hole. The idea of "sharing" is a lifelong concept; so accept it and move on. (In some areas, if you're not cognizant of this ideal, there are people who will inflict bodily harm as a reminder. And for those who are unsure, I'm not from the school of "might" makes "right". Perhaps one day I'll add the "Game Warden" to my cell phone list, should the need become apparent.)

For the genuine fisherman, a "Code of Conduct" is automatic and second nature. For others, who were not blessed with the legacy of a fishing family, they just need some proper instruction and enlightenment. So when in doubt, ask for help. Take lessons, observe others or contact your lake's Pond Association - they are a great source of information. Good manners need to be learned, no matter where you find yourself. Common sense, while obvious to most, is not so for all.

Fishing's informal principles include, but are not limited to:

* Treat fish with care; learn the principles of Catch & Release.

* Show respect for other people's property.

* Show respect for the environment; bring your own litter home with you; pick up other people's trash (and set an example).

* Don't disturb wildlife; for example, in Maine, human destruction of a loon's nest is a state offense.

* Keep a respectable distance from other fishermen; don't cross or drive over the lines of others; Give other anglers (and boaters) a wide berth.

* Don't bring blaring radios; if you must have one, then bring headphones.

* Learn the State's boating laws.

* Learn about the rights of property owners when accessing great waters by foot.

* Sharing fishing techniques.

* Understand breeding patterns of applicable species; return spawning fish back to the water.

* When applicable, give your fishing partner every opportunity to catch fish, just as you would expect him to give you the same opportunity if you were in the back of his boat.

* If someone signals for emergency assistance, then respond immediately. The fish can wait - Someday you may need directional help or a tow.

* Beware of what is going on; check weather forcasts in advance.

* Do not spill gasoline, oil or other pollutants on land or into the water.

* Observe your speed, wake and wash, while keeping a safe distance from jetties, water/shore-based anglers and other watercrafts.

* Mobile Phones are great for emergencies, but keep them turned off while fishing.

* It is also against the law to drink alcohol in most fishing boats.

* Report environmental damage and pollution to the relevant (state and local) authorities.

* Your actions should always be governed by what is right – BOTH ethically and legally.

* These ideals are for ALL fishermen; gender, youth or old age are not acceptable excuses. Be polite when attempting to teach less skilled anglers.

As a final thought, here is a quote from Baba Dioum:

** ln the end, we will conserve only what we love.

** We love only what we understand.

** We will understand only what we are taught.

Please note: This list is not all inclusive; learn to use your brain for something other than a seat cushion. Additional suggestions are welcomed.

Fishing For Leads - The 5 Steps

If you have a new experience everyday, you will lead a fulfilling life.

I had one during my summer holidays, when I went out fishing for mackerel. After the trip, I had an epiphany – I felt I was now able to explain easily, in 5 steps, how small companies can effectively increase their business.

We start with an anecdote, which captures the essence of the 5 steps, and hopefully will help you land next year’s profitable catch.

The first thing that I noticed when I got onto the small boat at the harbour in Enniscrone, Co. Sligo, was the cleanliness and order of the boat. The skipper in charge had all of the rods, upright, with their lines neatly tucked away, in holders. The holders were made out of piping, about 30cm long, which had been welded to the side of the boat.

A simple, inexpensive aid had made me sit up and pay attention. This skipper thought about his customers, and this device left a strong impression. We then got a very short lecture on safety, checked we had our life jackets on, and off we went. About 12 of us!

Finding your target market

About 12 minutes later, the skipper stopped the boat, and told us we should find some mackerel here. He explained that the lures on the hooks looked just like what mackerel wanted to eat. It certainly was not something I would have fancied!

He explained that through his experience and the help of a little sonar gadget on his boat, that he knew there was a shoal of fish below. We all slung our rods over the side and dropped our lines.

Reeling in the sale

Now I don’t know about you, but this was totally new to me. I wound up the line frantically, as soon as I felt a tug, and hey presto, there were three fish dangling off the hooks. I started flailing about, one jumped off before I even got it in over the side, and when I was trying to reel it in the final bit I lost an other one. The one that I got in, I lost down the gutter when I finally got it off the hook.

The skipper explained to me, that once a fish took the bait, I should give a quick tug on the rod, to make sure it was firmly hooked. I should then take my time, to reel it in. Secure the rod in the holder, with the fish hanging over the bucket and deal with them one by one – I did, and I ended up with 20 fish, which delighted me, as I had set a target of 10, since my friend had caught 9 on his first time

1. So what are the lessons for marketing – if you are still with me, and have not already got most of them, here they are in business speak;

2. Set goals and targets that are realistic, and based on some valid foundation or research.

3. Have simple procedures set up, to make it easy to operate and for your customers to conduct business with you.

4. Speak in your prospects language, about what they want – it’s a bit like the fish bait, unlikely that strawberries and cream will catch many mackerel!

5. Once you know what your prospects like, find out where they are, do some research and target them accordingly – as in our example, not much point in putting down shark bait in a shoal of mackerel.

Once you get your customers attention, or have a lead, qualify it, and ensure you follow up at all time to close the sale.

Again the use of a good sales process is essential here.

The bottom line, if you know what problems or desires your customers have, and you can solve or fulfill these, while providing value for money, you will always be a winner.

And if you don’t know the answer to that question, go ask the people who have already bought from you – they do!