Ultra Light Fishing

There is no more challenging and enjoyable form of fishing than ultra light fishing (in my humble opinion). Ultra light fishing simply means using rods, reels, line, and baits that are matched to the type of fish that you're fishing for. To me, this only makes sense, and rather than calling this type of fishing 'ultra light' to me, this type of fishing is fishing.

In my humble opinion there is entirely too much "winching" going on, that's being passed of as fishing? In other words, many anglers use rods, reels, line and bait (s) that are entirely too heavy for their quarry and they end up simply "winching in their catch. If you're a "meat fisherman" and don't care about the sport of fishing, by all means winch away!

But for those of you who enjoy the sporting endeavor called fishing, ultra light fishing is for you. Let me provide a couple of examples to help make my point. When fishing for fish such as trout and smallmouth bass out of small rivers and streams, ultra light action rods and reels, spooled with line no heavier than six-pound test would be considered ultra light fishing. So would fishing for walleye or large mouth bass with light action rods and reels, spooled with six or eight-pound test line.

Of course certain situations, such as heavy weeds or tons of underwater debris warrant the use of heavier gear, but many anglers don't vary their gear for the specific situation. They use heavy gear for all fishing situations and this mistake costs them a lot of fish. This is why ultra light fishing or more specifically matching your fishing gear to the fishing situation is so important.

Ultra light fishing is not only more fun, it's also more effective. Just like making sure that you're fishing at the proper times is important, so is the size of your gear. For many species of freshwater fish the diameter of the line that's used makes an enormous difference. Remember, for most fish, if they can see your line, they are much less apt to bite your offering.

If you have any question about the validity of what I'm saying, do this: Get yourself an ultra light action rod and reel, spool that reel with four-pound test, and head out to your local small river or stream. Use a gang hook rig or small lure and spend the afternoon fishing. As soon as you hook and battle your first 15 + inch trout or smallmouth in the 2-3 pound category, you'll be hooked! I'm telling you catching fish on ultra light gear and light line is as much fun as can be had while clothed!

Montana Fishing Guide

When it comes to fishing in Montana, what do you think of? Beautiful mountains, amazing scenery, wide open species, and great trout fishing, right? Well, that's about right, and in some parts of Montana, a bear attack is never out of the question as well. You know, just to keep your adrenaline pumping. Montana is well known for all outdoor activities, including hunting, hiking, and skiing, but the great state of Montana is probably best known for fishing.

Not just any fishing, but trout fishing in particular. Trout aren't the only species of fish available for the angler in the state of Montana; they are just the most popular. In this article, I'm going to provide a basic Montana fishing guide so that you can better understand what fishing is about in Montana.

For me, Montana is about wading in a small river or stream for the four main species of trout: brook, rainbow, cutthroat, and brown. Many of Montana's blue ribbon trout rivers are much larger, however, and require the use of drift boats. This however obviously isn't the case for all of Montana's trout rivers.

Montana also has some great lake fishing as well, and any Montana fishing guide should mention lake fishing as well as river fishing. A couple of the more popular lakes/reservoirs in Montana are Fort Peck Reservoir and Flathead Lake. Fort Peck has a thriving walleye fishery and Flathead Lake has some of the best Lake Trout fishing in the entire country. The department of fish and wildlife also stocks lakes throughout the state with trout regularly.

When fishing in Montana it's always a good idea to pay attention to the weather. The weather can change without much notice in the great state of Montana. It's also always a good idea to pay attention the weather & moon for fishing purposes. These two forces of Mother Nature play a very large role in the activity level of fish, and as anglers we can use this information to our advantage.

You can find more information about fishing in Montana, and trout fishing in general, by performing a simple internet search. The point is to get information from anglers, for other anglers. As anglers we want to shy away from "theories" that may or may not work. We want time tested information that is known to be effective, and if you can get information of Montana fishing from Montana fishermen, all the better.

Inflatable Boats - Which Type Suits You?

When you're in the market for a new boat, sometimes the cost of traditional boats is a bit overwhelming. Not only are traditional boats expensive, they are sometimes very inconvenient as well. Having to trailer your boat from here to there can become a real problem. If either of these issues has come up in your experience, it may be time to look into an inflatable boat.

There are a ton of different kinds of inflatable boats available on the market today, but which type is best for you? In this article, inflatable boats – which type suits you, I'm going to discuss some of the options that are available. With the convenience that inflatable boats offer the water lover, they have become a viable option for anyone (especially if they are interested in saving some money). The economical aspect of inflatable boats is hard to beat. In this article I'm going to lay out the options as best I can, with the hopes of helping you make an informed decision. Below, we will discuss the good points of each of the most popular varieties:

• Inflatable Pontoon Boats - These boats are perfect for 1 or 2 people to travel a flowing river. They are basically two inflatable pontoons with a seat or two attached to the pontoons. These boats are really cool. They are great for those of you who like to fish in rivers. The amount of water that can be covered with the help of a personal pontoon boat will make walking and wading a thing of the past. With an inflatable pontoon boat an angler can float to a good stretch of river, stop, and then fish the stretch. This is an incredible advantage to any angler.
• Kayaks - we all know what a kayak is, but in the case of inflatables there is probably more offered than you may think. Again, the convenience of being able to fit your kayak in the trunk of your vehicle is pretty neat. And the price difference between inflatable and traditional kayaks is significant. A kayak is a great way for 1 or 2 people to explore a lake as well as a river. Just because you're dealing with a kayak, doesn't mean you have to be dealing with whitewater.
• Motor Mount Boats - These boats are what you may think of when you think of an inflatable boat, except for the fact that they have floorboards in them and motors can be attached to them. They come in various sizes and can fit from 3 to 7 adults comfortably! Runabouts are a viable alternative to spending tens of thousands of dollars on a "traditional" boat. Runabouts can also be called motor mount boats.
• Personal Sailboats - That's right, there are even inflatable sail boats available in this day and age. These aren't big enough to sleep in or anything, but they are a nice little sail boat for 1 to 2 people. For those of you who love to sail, these are like little 'personal' sailboats. And again, they're inflatable, so they fit in the trunk of your car or the storage in your RV. What could be more convenient? Inflatable sail boats are becoming quite popular.
• The Paddleski – Paddle ski's are a hybrid. Think of them as ˝ kayak and ˝ "normal" boat. A paddleski is probably the most versatile boat on the water, whether that boat is inflatable or not. A small motor can even be attached to a paddleski without any problem whatsoever. When it comes to versatility, a Paddleski may be your best bet.
• Canoes – Okay, inflatable canoes are very much the same as inflatable kayaks, but they are a bit larger and wider. This means that for activities like fishing, an inflatable canoe is a great bet. On lazy rivers, an inflatable canoe could be just what the doctor ordered.

The bottom line is that you should now be able to figure out what type of inflatable boat is right for you. No matter what you're trying to accomplish on the water an inflatable boat can help. You may be an angler, explorer, kayaker, or sailing fanatic, whatever the case may be, and inflatable boat can offer you amazing convenience and affordability. Affordability is probably the biggest aspect of inflatable boats. Inflatable boats literally cost a fraction of a traditional boat.

So, the next time that you think a new boat is too expensive, keep in mind that there are options available. All you have to do is research your options a little bit, and keep an open mind. I'm not referring to "your mothers" inflatable boats. There are quality boats available for very affordable prices in today's marketplace.

Fishing In The Winter

Fishing in the winter can be a bit difficult. I don't know about you, but I've found that fishing in the winter is what we call a "challenge". I'm of course not referring to sitting on a frozen lake looking through a hole in the ice (ice fishing). What I'm referring to is fishing in the way we do at other times of the year, the only big differences being…the temperature and amount of daylight.

What's interesting to me about fishing in the winter, is how much more difficult it is to catch fish. I know in the rivers and streams I fish in Montana, fishing slows down dramatically in the winter time. I have a theory as to why this happens.

As the temperatures cool, so does the water temperature (obviously!), and as water temperatures become colder (and stay that way for extended periods) the fish that swim in that water become colder as well. Fish are cold blooded, and as their body temperature becomes colder, their metabolism slows down, requiring them to eat less. Hence the reason fishing is so much more difficult in the winter.

There are some things that can be done to tip the odds into your favor though. Before we get into those things, let's discuss staying warm. Don't worry, I'm not going to go into a diatribe about layering and keeping warm in cold weather (you already know all this), but I am going to discuss keeping your hands warm. As fishermen, we need our fingers for our craft, and in the winter, having the use of our fingers, while still keeping our hands warm can be a problem. This is where a pair of quality glove liners comes in. If you wear glove liners under your gloves, you can then remove your gloves when fishing and your hands still have protection from the cold.

Because the fish are less active in the winter, making sure that you're fishing art the most opportune times is very important. How do you go about knowing that you're fishing at the most opportune times? Simply by paying attention to the weather and moon. That's right, the weather and moon have as much to do with your fishing successor failure, as any two things. This might sound strange, but it's nonetheless true. When fishing in the winter, make sure that you're fishing at the most opportune times.

Fishing in the winter can be a challenge, but these two simple tips will make you more successful. Oh, and one more thing. Make sure you downsize your offerings as much as possible. In cold weather fish like to expend as little energy as possible getting meals, which mean that small meals are in order. In the winter downsize your baits as much as you can.

Ice Fishing Tips – For The Beginner

For those of you who are new or just starting out in the sport of ice fishing, I decided to write an article with some tips that might help you have an enjoyable experience. Ice fishing can go one of two ways, in my opinion. It can be a ton of fun or it can be one of the worst experiences of your life. Something about sitting on a frozen lake in the middle of winter just screams of something terrible, but it doesn't have to be that way.

Ice fishing can truly be a ton of fun, and one of the things that make it better is an ice house or shanty. These little numbers can make ice fishing a ton more comfortable, especially when a small heater is involved. Ice house also provide shelter from the wind and sun, which means that you can see into you hole, and if the water is shallow enough, see the fish you're trying to catch. This can be a catch 22 though, because seeing fish and then having them not bite kind of sucks.

The first ice fishing tip is to downsize your offerings. When fishing through the ice you want to employ baits and hooks that are as small as possible. Small jigs (either twister tail or marabou) tipped with live bait is always a good idea. The live bait can be in the form of minnows (if possible) or meal worms/maggots (which are available most everywhere). Tipping your offering helps success rates in many instances.

Another great tip is to make sure that you're fishing at the most opportune times. What do I mean by this? Simply that your ice fishing trip coincides with both the weather and moon. You see, these two forces of Mother Nature have as much to do with fishing success as any other single factor. That's why paying attention to the weather and moon, and planning your ice fishing accordingly is important. You want to make sure that you're fishing when the fish are the most active.

This tip sounds sophomoric, but it's nonetheless true. When ice fishing we have to keep our hands warm or it's game over. But, at the same time we need access to our fingers in many cases. This is why we need a pair of quality glove liners. You wear glove liners under your heavy gloves, and then when you take your gloves off you still have some protection from the cold. If you're going to have an enjoyable ice fishing trip, a pair of quality glove liners is a must.

The bottom line is that ice fishing is a ton of fun, as long as you keep these simple tips in mind. Hey, and if you keep these tips in mind, you'll be much more comfortable and successful as well. Ice fishing is always one of two things: fun or torture, and many times which of these two it is, is completely up to you.