TID BITS OF QUALITY INFORMATION
THESE ARE JUST SOME THINGS I HAVE PICKED UP OVER
THE YEARS THROUGH READING, FRIENDS, OR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE...BY NO WAY
IS THIS INTENDED TO BE A DEFINITIVE LIST.
LESSON NUMBER 1
DO WHATEVER PAUL DUCLOS TELLS YOU!!!
PAUL CAUGHT THIS AWESOME LARGEMOUTH AT 74
ACRE SPRING LAKE ON MARCH 1ST. 1997. HE WAS USING A 9" CASTAIC TROUT PLUG.
THIS FISH WAS NOT ENTERED INTO THE FRESHWATER FISHING RECORD BOOKS DUE
TO NOT OFFICIALLY WEIGHING THE FISH AT AN AUTHORIZED STATION. PAUL SAID
THE FISH WAS ROUGHLY 24 LBS., BUT ALL HE WANTED TO DO WAS TO GET IT BACK
INTO THE WATER TO PREVENT DEATH...YOU CAN PLAINLY SEE THAT THIS IS AN ENORMOUS
FISH. I SAY GREAT JOB PAUL, AND THANKS FOR BEING CATCH AND RELEASE MINDED.
WE'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU NEXT HAWG.
GENERAL FORMULAS FOR MEASURING FISH
THIS FORMULA WILL BE FAIRLY CLOSE ON MOST
SPECIES OF FRESHWATER FISH.
LENGTH x GIRTH(SQUARED)
DIVIDED BY 800 = WEIGHT OF THE FISH
THIS FORMULA GETS A LITTLE MORE SPECIES
SPECIFIC.
LENGTH(CUBED) DIVIDED BY (x)
= WEIGHT OF THE FISH
LARGEMOUTH OR SMALLMOUTH (x = 1600)
WALLEYES (x = 2700)
NORTHERN PIKE (x = 3500)
CATFISH (x = 2400)
BLUEGILLS (x = 1200)
NOW SON I'M "KNOT" GONNA SHOW YOU THIS AGAIN
JUST A COUPLE OF USEFUL KNOTS TO GET YOU
OUT ON THE WATER
KEEP A LOG
KEEP A DETAILED LOG OF EACH FISHING TRIP
AND EXAMINE IT REGULARLY TO DISCOVER SEASONAL TRENDS AND OTHER SECRETS
ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE FISHING AREA. RECORD INFORMATION ON EACH FISH CAUGHT
SUCH AS DEPTH, WEATHER CONDITIONS, WATER TEMPERATURE AND CLARITY, COVER/STRUCTURE
CONDITIONS, LURE TYPE INCLUDING COLOR, WEIGHT, AND SPEED FISHED, THE TYPE
OF LINE USED, DATE AND TIME OF DAY. A SIMPLE ANALYSIS OF A SINGLE SEASON
OF FISHING CAN NOT ONLY SUGGEST WHERE YOU SHOULD BE FISHING; IT CAN ALSO
TELL YOU HOW THE FISH CAN BEST BE CAUGHT. EVEN MANY PROFESSIONAL FISHERMEN
FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES OF JOURNALING FOR FISH.
ME??? CASTING PRACTICE???
COME ON NOW...BE HONEST. HOW MANY OF YOU
SPEND TIME DURING YOUR NON-FISHING TIMES PRACTICING YOUR CASTING. NOW YOU
CAN'T FOOL ME, REMEMBER I AM A FISHERMAN TOO. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN
OUT ON THE WATER AND SEEN SOMEBODY SNAGGED IN A TREE OR UP IN SOME
WEEDS. WE HAVE ALL SEEN IT, AND WE HAVE ALL DONE IT. WE HAVE DONE IT BECAUSE
WE DID NOT TAKE THE TIME OUT TO GO OUT IN THE YARD AND PRACTICE OUR CASTING.
THIS IS A SIMPLE MISTAKE THAT ALMOST ALL FISHERMEN AND WOMEN MAKE. A LOT
OF THE TIME YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE AT A FISH, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU
ARE BASS FISHING YOU GOTTA GOR FOR IT WITH YOUR CAST. YOU GOTTA CHUNK IT
UP AS CLOSE TO SHORE AS YOU CAN. IF YOU THROW ONE BAD CAST IT COULD BE ALL
OVER, AND THAT HAWG IS GONE FOREVER. SO DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GO OUT
IN THE YARD ONCE A WEEK AND PRACTICE THROWING AT A BUCKET OR SOME OTHER
OBJECT. DON'T JUST DO IT OUT IN THE OPEN BUT, PUT YOUR TARGET NEXT TO SOME SORT
OF STRUCTURE LIKE A BUSH, TREE, OR YOUR SPOUSE (IF YOU CAN GET THEM TO
STAND STILL WHILE THOSE SET OF TREBLE'S ARE COMING AT 'EM). MAKE IT FUN,
BUT MAKE IT PRACTICE.......YOU PRACTICE FOR ALL OTHER SPORTING ACTIVITIES...WHY
NOT YOUR FAVORITE ONE, FISHING?
PRESERVE THAT FISH
WHEN ICE IS UNAVAILABLE, FRESHLY CAUGHT FISH
CAN BE PRESERVED FOR DAYS BY COVERING EACH FILLET WITH A LIBERAL HANDFUL
OF EQUAL PARTS OF BROWN SUGAR AND PICKLING SALT, THEN SEALING THE FILLETS
IN A PLASTIC BAG AND KEEPING IT IN A COOL PLACE OUT OF THE SUN. FISH CURED
IN THIS MANNER CAN THEN BE SMOKED OR SLICED THINLY AND EATEN AS IS.
KEEP IT FUN
WE ALL LIKE TO FISH AND DURING THIS PURSUIT WE SOMETIMES
GET CAUGHT UP IN FISHING FOR ONLY THE SO CALLED "ELITE" SPECIES...DON'T
SHORTCHANGE YOURSELVES...DON'T FORGET THE FUN YOU CAN HAVE WHILE CATCHING
OTHER SPECIES, SUCH AS CARP, RED HORSE SUCKER, OR RIVER SHAD. IN FACT,
OVER IN EUROPE CARP ARE CONSIDERED A TOP SPORTFISH. THESE ARE GREAT FISH
TO CATCH...YOU HAVEN'T FOUGHT A TOUGH FISH UNTILL YOU TANGLED WITH A CARP.
I HAVE GREAT MEMORIES OF FISHING FOR RED HORSE SUCKERS WHEN I WAS A KID.
THEY ARE FUN TO FIGHT, ESPECIALLY ON A LIGHT OR ULTRA LIGHT ACTION ROD.
AND HAVE MERCY!!!! IF YOU WANT A REAL THRILL, GO SHAD FISHING WHEN THEY
MAKE THEIR RUN UP THE RIVER. THESE FISH AVERAGE ANYWHERE FROM 3-5 POUNDS.
THEY ARE A FLAT FISH, AND WHEN THEY TURN SIDEWAYS IN THE RIVER CURRENT YOU
WILL THINK YOU ARE IN HEAVEN...JUST REMEMBER THAT FISHING PURISTS WHO ONLY
TACKLE ONE OR TWO SPECIES ARE MISSING OUT ON LOADS OF FUN...DON'T LET IT
HAPPEN TO YOU.
ONE LAST THING...DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND READ JIMMY
HOUSTON'S BOOK, "CAUGHT ME A BIG 'UN...THEN I LET HIM GO."
THIS IS A GREAT BOOK WITH A LOT OF FUN AND
INSIGHT INTO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF FISHING.
ALSO CHECK OUT ANY OF JOHN GIERACH'S BOOKS...MY FAVORITE
IS SEX, DEATH, AND FLY-FISHING. GIERACH HAS AN UNCANNY WIT ABOUT HIM. YOU
ARE GUARANTEED TO LAUGH AND HAVE A GREAT TIME...
JIMMY KISSES 'EM MAYBE YOU SHOULD TOO
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