There are a variety of places where you can pick up affordable materials to construct excellent fishing lures. You can order them online or simply visit your local Walmart. There are also an unlimited number of sites on the internet which provide instruction on how to construct your favorite lures.

Now as far as bass fishing goes anglers like to use some type of bass bug. This type of lure usually resembles some type of minnow, small fish or frog. They can also resemble some type of insect such as a dragonfly, butterfly or grasshopper or bug that has fallen into the water and now has the potential to be an easy meal.

These types of insects float and kick around on the surface so when you create your imitation also remember to mimic their movements. This will make you a better angler by showing you how they land and how they maneuver on the surface of the water. If you monitor these insects or bugs you will also gain an understanding of the time of day and weather conditions to use them. In other words you have to think like a bug.

One of the favorite meals of bass as well as walleye and pike are frogs and you can easily make them out of wood or cork but you will have to load some weight to the cork if you intend to do any casting.

There are several different ways to dress up your newly created masterpiece. If it has a wood or cork body it is recommended to use enamels or lacquers. You might want to try dipping the body several times in your selected color. Thin coats are best. Other suggested methods are to use an air brush or fast drying paint that model airplane builders use.

Don’t forget to put in some eyes. You can paint them on or use glass eyes or some sort of decal, but you must have them.
Tip: I even paint them on my icefishing spoons.

Some of the tools you will need include small drill bits, assortment of weights (I wouldn’t recommend lead), hammer, epoxy glue, sandpaper, small screws, assortment of treble and single hook and beads.

If you decide to make this a serious hobby then some of the must have tools include split ring pliers, round nose pliers, flat nose pliers, wire cutters, gate cutters, table top wire bender and a skirt making tool.

Want to know a couple of the greatest benefits to making your own fishing lures?

All you have to do is catch one fish on your home made lure and feel the rush.

The joy you will get when you share it with your children. Just think about the time you spend together, the fact that they are not attached to some expensive video game or plugged into some IPOD, cell phone or text messaging system.

There is more to fishing than just grabbing a fishing pole and heading to the nearest body of water. First and foremost you need to acquire your fishing license. After that task is complete, you can start assembling your fishing gear.

If you are sitting there scratching your head and wondering what fishing gear is than you definitely need to keep reading this article. Fishing will become a lot more fun when you have the right equipment. This might require you to open up your wallet and part with some money, all in all your fishing gear shouldn’t cost more than a hundred dollars, which is a small price to pay when you think of the bigger picture.

Selecting the rod and reel are the first steps to assembling your fishing gear. Some rods are sold whole, while others you will have to assemble. If you are panicking about that prospect, don’t fret. All it takes is merely screwing the pieces of the rod together. Once the rod is assembled correctly with the guides perfectly matched up, you need to get a feel for your rod. Hold it, bend it, and make sure that the size and weight is something that you are comfortable with.

Now you will need some fishing line to go with your rod and reel. There are so many choices when it comes to fishing lines. You can’t go wrong choosing a four pound line, if you are still unsure, just make sure that it is 10 feet long and it will fit a basic rig.

Selecting the right lures and bait becomes a little tricky. The first thing a new angler should do is consider what species of fish he or she is most likely seeking. Once you have determined that, it is time to do a little research using books, forums and articles, gathering as much information as possible. Otherwise you will spend a lot of money on fishing gear that you don’t really need and probably will never use.

Tips to a successful fishing trip

1. Fishing with bait
• The most popular bait to use is worms, although some fishermen prefer to use chicken or liver. Just make sure that your bait is cold this prevents it from sliding off the hook.
• Next you need to obtain a weight. Try using a bait sinker or a number two hook if you are just starting out.
• Using a swivel prevents the sinker from sliding. For example you could put a bead between the weight and the swivel to protect your knot.
2. Where to find fishing bait
• You can buy your bait or catch your bait for free. The advantage of buying it is that you have all that you need, but the disadvantage is you could get stuck paying a hefty price for it.
• Earthworms are strongly recommended to use as bait, it almost guarantees a catch.

There are three basic methods of fishing. First is drift fishing, where you allow your line to drift in the current. This can be done for upstream or downstream fishing. Second is plunking, this is where you use a weight to keep the bait in place after casting. Lastly is back bouncing where you lift the rod up one or two feet and then let the lure settle back down while reeling your line in slightly keeping it taut.

As you can see, there is a lot of time and effort put into fishing. It is not just grabbing any old rod and going to the lake. If you do your research and follow these helpful hints, then your first fishing trip is guaranteed to be a success.

Using biodegradable lures instead of soft plastic ones has many advantages. The advantage to anglers would be the fact that they catch fish! The biodegradable lures have a soft, natural feel that fish perceive as food, thus they hold onto it for that extra second it takes to set the hook. Another big advantage is the fact that, when the biodegradable lures break off, they decompose.

Soft plastic lures are not only polluting the waters, because they don’t decompose, they are also being ingested by fish where the lures are being lodged in their gastrointestinal tract. Also, the plastic that they are made up of is said to cause liver damage and other problems for the freshwater fish.

Now just think about this folks, imagine that you have just caught a prize winning fish and you take it home to clean it, only to discover that it is full of soft plastic lures. Wouldn’t that put you off just a little bit considering the fact that it is hard for fish to pass these lures through their digestive tracts and the fact that the plastic causes health problems in the fish. I know I would think twice about eating one of those fish.

Using biodegradable lures will not only cut down on the amount of pollution from lures found in the waters, it is also minimizes the hazardous effects to the fish.

So come on folks wake up and jump on the green bandwagon. Go out and get yourself some biodegradable fishing lures.

Early spring signals bass to emerge from their winter hangouts and move to staging areas and eventually to shallow flats.

Now you ask yourself, what is the most effective way to catch these elusive fish?

Well the answer is by using a crawfish imitating lure. It is a known fact that bass have a fondness for freshwater crawfish and even though they will eat crawfish throughout the year, bass especially crave crawfish in the early spring.

Why you ask do bass crave crawfish in the early spring? Well in my opinion it is due to the fact that the crawfish possess important nutrients that the pre-spawn bass need. Also during the cold water period, the crawfish matches the low metabolic activity of the bass which makes it the perfect delicacy.

Now I am going to teach you the art of catching bass in early spring. The simplest way to do this is by dressing like a crawfish, by this statement I mean using a lure that looks like a crawfish. There are a few different lures you can use to accomplish this task.

The water temperature in early spring is lower, so this means that the metabolism of the bass is still slow. Now you are going to want bait that will fall slowly and stay in the strike zone for as long as possible. This is why the jig/pig is the best option. It is important to match the hatch and go with the lightest jig possible. It is also effective when it is cast out and slowly dragged over deep structure. Some combinations you could use are a black/blue jig with a metal flake trailer or a green/pumpkin with a green/pumpkin trailer.

The trailer is important because it gives the jig a natural appearance and it doesn’t hurt that it encourages the bass to hold onto the lure longer thus increasing your chances of a successful catch. It is said that the jig/pig combo is hard to beat, but there are other lures that you could use to get the job done.

The next best thing compared to the jig/pig is a Carolina rigged worm especially if the fish are looking for something small to bite. It is extremely effective to use this lure when bass are on deep structure and feeding on crawfish. It is a known fact that when crawfish emerge from hibernation they are covered in mud.

Naturally they are going to want to free themselves of said mud. When they accomplish this, it causes a disturbance known as a cloud of dirt along the bottom which attracts the bass. Now you are probably asking yourself how this relates to the Carolina rigged worm. If you attach a rattler to the lure, it imitates the noise of the crawfish’s pinchers, thus attracting bass and if the worm is dragged across the bottom it will kick up silt which tricks the bass into thinking that the crawfish are emerging from their winter hideout.

The largest population of crawfish is found on weed beds and timber filled flats at the back of creeks. It is believed that actively feeding bass are on the move, which flushes crawfish and other forage from the grass beds and shallows.

The perfect lure to use when fishing weed beds is a slow rolled spinnerbait like a Rat-L-Trap crankbait. This type of lure is effective because it draws a reaction bite due to the fact that a bass will think it is a crawfish fleeing a grassy area.

A helpful tip to drawing a reaction bite with this type of lure is retrieving it so that it stays in contact with the grass throughout the retrieve. The technique to use is keeping it in touch with the grass then when it snags, rip it free.

This mimics a crawfish fleeing danger and effectively attracts bass. Using all of these helpful hints will definitely improve your fishing game. Just keep in mind that the key to catching bass in early spring is to use a lure that actively mimics a crawfish. Remember dress like a crawfish, catch a bass.

So now in order to find the walleye you so desperately seek, you will have to do a little detective work. Dying weeds are your first clue that the transition has come. Weeds begin dying from colder overnight temperatures and what most people don’t understand is baitfish will only stay in the weeds as long as they are very green. When the weeds start dying, walleye leave the shallow-water weed areas.

The good news is, not all lakes are affected at once. Shallow, dark water lakes experience the transition first and deep, clear water lakes are not affected until later in the fall. The transition can be frustrating if you don’t know where to locate walleye. The thing to remember is, fish migrate to predictable areas and gather in big schools according to size. Locate the big ones and it’s like you found gold.

Your second clue that the transition has come is fish are not spread all over the lake anymore. Walleye tend to be in key spots in the deepest part of the lake. Now you might be asking yourself, what are the key spots? The best place to locate walleye is sandy areas. These include sand flats, sand points and sand humps. Typically in September you will find walleye in spots 15 feet deep and less. Later in the fall they travel to deeper water.

In spots 15 feet deep and less, a good quality sonar fishfinder can be your best friend. Walleye tend to hug the bottom so they may be difficult to see, but not impossible. Using bottom tracking and the zoom feature on your fishfinder will often pick up on walleye that hug the bottom. The rule for checking shallows is simple. Keep your boat in deeper water, cast to the top of the structure and work your way back down.

When water temperatures drop to 62 degrees F, walleye tend to migrate deeper. During this time they tend to be in places like sharper breaks or mid-lake humps of about 20 feet rather than 15 feet. Because walleye are more selective about where they stay, there is a trick to finding them. For example, if they are on a mid-lake hump with scattered boulders, they will be on the boulders. If it’s all rock, look for the sand and that is where they will be. If it is all sand, look for a rock pile. I know it sounds strange, but it works.

Precision with regard to location is very important. If you get it right, you will hit the walleye jackpot. Keep in mind as water continues to turn colder, walleye will be on structure that leads to the deepest part of the lake. Deep boulders become "fish magnets" because walleye find places where mud and hard bottom meet the deepest part of the lake.

This is due to the fact that deep water is warmer and holds food for them at this time of year. Shallow dark- water lakes that have a perch forage base, find walleye digging up Lake Manitoba fishflies and mayflies from the deep mud at the bottom of the Lake Manitoba Narrows. If you are fishing in deeper, clear water lakes, walleye may be at 70 feet looking for minnows, whitefish and other aquatic life. Fish are constantly moving as the seasons change. Keep this in mind as well as the other helpful hints mentioned above, and you will no longer be desperately seeking walleye in the autumn, you will have found them in abundance.

Answer: The transducer takes readings directly under where the transducer is located.

Now, there are four considerations to be made in order for your fishfinder to be considered a good unit.

• You need a high power transmitter
• You need an efficient transducer
• You need a sensitive receiver
• You need a High Resolution/Contrast display

A simple way of describing what your transducer is doing would to be compare it to the way a "BAT" navigates its way while flying at night. It sends out a high frequency sound wave which bounces off and object returns to the bat’s ears which send the information to brain which then interprets it and tells the bat which way to go to avoid a collision. All this is done almost instanteously.

What your transmitter is doing is taking a electrical impulse, converting it into a sound wave, which is then transmitted into the water. This soundwave hits and object and rebounds to the surface where it gets converted back into an electric signal which is then amplified by the receiver which then shows up on the screen as a continuous line. This whole process is repeated continously and at many times per second. In order to give you an idea of how fast this happens, the speed of sound in water is approximately 4800 feet per second.

Here is another analogy to help describe the transmitter coverage. Think of the beam as being what you see from a flashlight, the outside edge of the beam only goes about 1/2 the distance of the what the center of the beam does. It is what you would call cone shaped.

First it is important to learn their spawning habits. In the northern states, the spawning period for walleye can be anywhere from mid-April to mid-May. This depends on how early the warm weather starts in the spring. Keep in mind that walleye do not spawn at the same time. Some start early, but the majority wait until the conditions are ideal, and some procrastinate and don’t spawn until late in the spring.

Now the question to ask yourself is, what are the ideal conditions walleye need before they start spawning? The two most important things needed are water temperature and rock or rubble shore lines.

Water temperature is an important factor because it not only starts the spawning activity, but it plays a role in maximum reproduction. Walleye need the water to warm slowly and constantly without temperature swings or wave action. This is most important during the gestation and hatching period.

Rock or rubble shorelines are also extremely important due to the fact that this type of structure can provide a successful hatch. How does this happen? Well if walleye spawn on this type of structure, the eggs have something uneven to fall into, therefore protecting them from predators that like to feed on the eggs. Now it is important to know where the spawning takes place. The North and East shorelines are the most popular locations for walleye because these shorelines get the hottest sun of the day, which warms the water and makes the conditions ideal for spawning.

After walleye are through spawning, they move to the deepest structure to rest for about four to ten days. When their rest period is complete, they move back to their spawning areas to feed. This is when walleye fishing is at its best.

Walleye like to keep to the shallow points and shorelines. So you may find that you will have better luck leaving your boat behind and fishing from shore or from the pier.

Picking the right equipment is extremely important when fishing for walleye as they are extremely picky. Some suggested bait and tackle are listed below:

• Rigs with live bait or live bait with slip bobbers.
• Minnows and night crawlers or insect larvae e.g. Marabou jigs or similar lures.

Now all you need to know is the right time to snag these elusive fish. It is said that nighttime is the best time to catch walleye. This is true because walleye are notorious for being nighttime feeders. This is due to the fact that during the day there is tons of boat activity which scares the fish off. When the aquatic world turns black, walleye come out to feed. Night is when the predators prey and you can include yourself among them to guarantee fishing success. Remember nighttime is the right time for catching walleye in the spring. Keep repeating this as your mantra and you will become a fishing superstar.

Now the question you ask yourself is where to find said fish, well the most common place you can find them is on weedy or rocky humps except in the spring where they can be found in shallow bays and on shallow flats where the sun is warming the water.

For summertime perch fishing, you should try fishing in deep water that has high weeds. Make sure that you fish just above the weeds and I think you will be surprised at what comes out to feed on your hook.
Now you might be asking yourself, what kind of bait and tackle do I use when fishing perch? Well you don’t want to use heavy tackle because perch are not heavy fighters. Light tackle is preferred due to the fact that it makes casting the smaller hooks easier, so don’t use more than a four pound test.

Since most perch are caught two to three inches off the bottom of the lake, your bait of choice should naturally be live bait. It has been said that maggots are the most popular choice. If you want my opinion, you could use a plain number four to six hook with a split shot about six inches above the hook to catch perch or you can tip a lead head jig with bait, it is really up to you. Now I am going to get more specific and discuss yellow perch.

Yellow perch are rampant in quite a few areas. In Canada, the great lakes region has a widespread of yellow perch. They are even found in lakes and rivers throughout Pennsylvania all the way to South Carolina. These are not the only places you can find yellow perch though. Some other states that house them are Iowa, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana and Utah.

Now that we know where to find them, the next step to catching them is to learn their habits, only then can you be successful in snaring them.
Some of the habits of the yellow perch are that they eat during the daylight hours and they like to maintain an active lifestyle. Yellow perch are still during nighttime hours, thus making it easy for daytime fishermen to catch them.

The yellow perch tend to spawn at night in 50 degree water temperature. Their spawning period occurs in the spring. The yellow perch produce quite a few eggs ranging from 4000 to 40000 eggs.

As mentioned above, yellow perch are most active during the daytime, so if you are going to fish yellow perch, you stand a good chance of catching them during daylight hours. As for the bait and lures used to catch these fish, you could use a wide variety of baits and artificial lures as yellow perch have a fondness for almost anything.

Perch fishing have been a great way to kill the day for many years. So if you are a father looking to bond with his children, or a husband looking for an activity that you and your wife can enjoy, perch fishing can bring you closer together.

The key to locating bass in the spring is finding the warmest water in the area of the lake you are fishing. There are a few ways you can accomplish this. One way is by looking to see where the sun is hitting the banks. Another way is to rely on your temperature gauge to lead you to the warmest water. The next step to finding bass in the spring is by finding the locations where they will gather. These spots include rocky banks, bluffs, flats, and main and secondary points.

Rocky bluffs are a great spot to find fish as the rocky bluffs hold heat better than any other type of structure. The fish either suspend off the rocky bluffs or they hug against the rocks. You will want to position your boat one of two ways when you are fishing deep water bluffs. One way is by positioning your boat straight out from the bluff, that way you can cast into the bank. Another way is by positioning the boat parallel to the bank and casting along the bluff. This is especially helpful if the fish are hugging the bank.

Now you will want to use certain types of lures to fish the rocky bluffs. These lures are suspending jerk baits, spoonbills, and crankbaits. The best techniques to use when fishing these suspending lures is a jerk, jerk, pause technique or a sweep and pause technique. The jerk, jerk, pause technique works best on sunny days when the water temperature is warm and the sweep and pause technique works best when the weather is harsher.

Try alternating the intervals of time between your pauses to determine how aggressive the fish are. Often fish will sit and watch a suspending lure for a long period of time before striking, or they could decide to bite right away. Shifting your pause technique could encourage them to play and increase your chances of a catch.

You could also locate fish on large flats with wood, as wooded flats will hold heat. Flats also attract baitfish in the spring. It is said that the best flats to fish are the ones that receive sunlight during the afternoon hours. It is also beneficial if the fish move up to feed as they can be caught using lures such as, jerk baits, spinnerbaits, and soft plastic jerk baits. Remember when fishing a spinnerbait, bump every piece of structure you can. If you do this, you can be almost guaranteed to get a reaction bite from a bass lying on a log, stump or rock. Using the jerk, jerk, pause technique is quite beneficial as it mimics an injured baitfish, which bass actively feed on.

The last location to look for bass is main points or secondary points. These are excellent locations as fish will move here to find baitfish that are attracted to the points. The types of lures to use when fishing these locations are suspending jerk baits and spinnerbaits especially if fish are suspended from these points. Baitfish are randomly moving to the point making bass feed all at once. So if you are looking to load your boat with bass this spring, look for structure at these points, such as trees, stumps, chunk rock or brush piles, as you can find the mother load of bass here.

We all know that early spring temperatures are unpredictable to say the least, which makes fishing difficult, but if you manage to get out on the lake during a warm front and use the techniques provided in this article, it will be a banner day out on the water.

When buying a trolling motor it is important to examine all the aspects such as size, shaft length, power, props, bow or transom mount and what brand you want to buy. All of these factors have been outlined below.
Size

It would not be beneficial to you if you had an undersized trolling motor. Which size you will need is determined by a few different factors. For example, let’s look at a fiberglass boat and an aluminum boat that are the same size. If you have the fiberglass boat, you will probably need an electric motor with 60 pounds of thrust, as fiberglass boats are heavier than aluminum. An aluminum boat would probably only need 50 pounds of thrust.

You would also need to consider which type of fishing you will be doing. If you are fishing in a river with a strong current or in high winds you will want a bigger, stronger motor to help fight the current.
Shaft length

The length of the shaft on your electric motor is very important to consider. If it is too short, your propeller will be bouncing in and out of the water, which is extremely detrimental as it not only wrecks your motor, you also lose boat control. So even though a motor with a longer shaft is more difficult to lift, it is advantageous to have.

You also need to consider how high the bow of your boat will be above water. If it sits close to the water, a shorter shaft length is all that is necessary, but if it is going to sit high above the water, a longer shaft is necessary.

Power

The biggest decision to make concerning the power of your trolling motor is whether to get the 12 volt or the 24 volt. The difference between the two is the 12 volt uses one deep cycle battery and the 24 volt uses two. If it were me, I would choose the 24 volt model as it will last twice as long, which helps a lot especially if you are fishing in a tournament, you don’t want to lose power half way through.
Props

Trolling motor propellers come in two, three, or four blade models. If you are fishing deep, open water, a two blade propeller would probably be sufficient. Keep in mind though that this model does not do so well in weeded areas as the weeds will wrap around the blades and prevent them from turning. This will really disrupt your fishing day if you have to constantly untangle the motor from the weeds.

The solution would be to have a three or four blade propeller as it will eat right through the weeds. Nothing will slow you down with this propeller. Keep in mind that even though this type of propeller does not have the same power as a two blade propeller, you can fish anywhere you’d like and not get disrupted.

Bow Mount or Transom Mount

Choosing between a bow mount or a transom mount is really up to your preference. If you are like me and like to fish from the front of your boat, a bow mount would be beneficial to use, but if you are just trolling along slowly and quietly, a transom mount might be a better choice. Whatever your preference, just make sure that your fish finder is handy as seeing the structure you are fishing is vital.
Brands to consider

As I mentioned above, the top two brands to use are Min Kota and Motorguide. The only real difference that needs comparison with these two brands is the foot pedal. “Test driving” these two models would be beneficial for you as the foot pedal is a vital part of the trolling motor. It is important to be comfortable when using your motor.

So when asked if a trolling motor is absolutely necessary, the answer is yes. No boat should be without one as it is one of the most valuable pieces of boating equipment one can have.