Fishing 4 idiots

I will be starting on a new section just about saltwater fly fishing. Some of the things will include; Tips, flies, casting, techniques and more. I just took fly fishing up 2 weeks ago and so I am still learning just like you. So what ever I learn I will post on here...

I might create another blog just on fly tying. As I also am going to take a class on fly tying. So this will be another reason for you to visit my blog! ;) Don't worry I will post that I updated a fly pattern whenever I learn one. I will post how-to pictures on this site. And I might also post youtube videos. Don't expect this blog to be up for about a month. As it will be 'under construction.'

And If you have any questions/comments or suggestions please shoot me an email. I would love suggestions for topics either on saltwater fly fishing or just regular fishing. (Fishing4idiots) And I will probably post my first fly fishing post within a few days. And I will also do something with regular S.Fishing. (Saltwater fishing.)

Thanks a lot for the support and for reading! Hope to hear back from you!
Alex Read more!

I have finally got the read more link widget working.
What it does is it puts the first paragraph on the home page. Then if you want to read the rest you will have to click on the read more link. I removed all the other stuff to find the read more link. But some of the posts you won't have to press the read more link because of the shortness. If you have any questions shoot me an email or leave me a comment. Thanks a lot!
Alex Read more!

I am sorry for the late delay in posting, but here it is! This is just for the Florida Gulf, as I live in it :P

I have got the new and updated fishing 4casts for January. And for this year a special treat. I will give you the Tide Tables for every month in addition to the 4cast. I hope you find them useful also. ;)


For Florida Gulf 4cast and adjustment times click here.

For North Gulf 4cast and adjustment times click here.

For West Gulf 4cast and adjustment times click here.


And just in case you were wondering I got this from Gulf Coast Fisherman. It is a very helpful fishing magazine, and it has 3months of fishing4casts. And 6months of calenders, so help out Gulf coast and subscribe for them. Believe me you will like it!
Thanks and happy new year!
Alex

Remember the the 'random tips' chapter posts? Well here is the last part of it. :)

Sight Fishing
When fishing the flats always make sure to look for tailing fish in shallow water. Most of the time you can spot these fish before you catch them.


Deep Sea fishing tip
Next time anybody goes out deep sea fishing do this it works. Take a coke can and cut a strip out about 1/2 in wide and 4 inches long pop a hole in it and have the deckhands slip it on your line and then tie your hook. You guessed it a spinner but when you are a few miles out this works. My dad and I were selling these on the boat for a 1.00 because nobody could figure out what they were.....lol. But we caught more fish than anyone so next time you go take this tip and bring the Icy Hot b/c you will need it that night.

bottom baits
bottom feeders can't resist these powersbaits sandworms, squid, sand eel, clams and other shellfish

Trolling tip
When you locate a school of fish while trolling, slow down while you turn around and into the school. The fishing rods on the inside of the turn drop deeper into the water, while the rods on the outside of the turn rise. Basically, you end up covering more area and keeping your baits in front of the fish longer

Well I hope you liked them and found them useful.. They are shot, sweet and to the point! Read more!

Keeping a fishing log is like putting a giant jigsaw puzzle together. One piece of the puzzle doesn’t give much to go on. Fishing is not an exact science, but the more information you have at hand, based on past experience, the better equipped you are to consistently find fish that are feeding. Anglers can learn much from logging their catch data and other pertinent information about their fishing trips.
Useful information might include, but not be limited to barometric pressure-- steady, high-rising, low- falling, etc., tide levels in feet and tenths of feet, plus tide direction, i.e., incoming, changing, out-going, etc., moon phases, wind direction and velocity, cloud cover, i.e., overcast, cloudy, sunny, etc., fish caught and where, on what time of the tide, water temperature, water clarity, and more. Perhaps the best tool for maintaining your log is the use of the Florida Sportsman Fishing Planner. This has the tides and moon phases on the planner, and all you need to add are the other bits and pieces to the puzzle to help you sort out the big picture, and these puzzle parts could just help you catch more fish. Read more!

Winter strike zones shrink as water temperatures drop. The colder the water for most species, the smaller the strike zone, making it even more important for an “in your face” presentation. Baitfish continually swim, with brief periods of stopping. The problem with most baitfish imitations is that they only look natural when they’re moving. As soon as they’re stopped, they sink to the bottom and lay on their sides…not so with a shrimp. In nature, shrimp sit on the bottom, bury in the mud or grass, and basically do nothing. They’re not swimming most the time like most baitfish, but do drift with the current. Artificial shrimp, like those from DOA Lures can mimic this crustacean to the letter. This bait can stay in the strike zone as long as desired, giving fish an opportunity to eat it. Some new suspending baitfish imitations like the Rapala Twitchin’ Rap and the MirrOlure MirrOdine and MirrOminnow can be worked slowly enough and “hover” in the water column for a similar presentation, making them effective winter canal baits. Try one of these baits in the winter and you may find that you’ll catch more fish. Read more!

Buying, Handling, and Sharpening Hooks
Hooks are sold in bulk packages of from 10 to a hundred hooks or more, or in packages of 4 to 6 snelled hooks. Leave the hooks in the package until you need them, to keep them safe and neat and to keep the points from becoming dull. Packages of snelled hooks fit nicely in a tackle box. Keep them there, and don't let them get in a tangled mess.
The quality of a fishhook can be determined by its finish. Inexpensive hooks have a 'blued' finish and are made from carbon steel. They are used primarily for freshwater fishing and should be avoided for use on saltwater. Saltwater fishing requires materials with greater resistance to corrosion, such as nickel- or bronze-plated alloys or stainless steel. These cost slightly more than carbon steel hooks, but not too much more. Even among the superior alloys, there are differences. Hooks made from drawn wire are less expensive but not as strong as forged hooks.
Better hooks last longer and retain their sharp points longer than their less expensive counterparts. Some points are chemically sharpened; these cannot be mechanically sharpened when they get dull. Most hooks, however, can be sharpened by passing a sharpening stone or a hook hone along the sides of the barb and the point. This takes only a few seconds.
To check a hook's sharpness, don't try to poke yourself, rather rest the point of the hook at a 45-degree angle against your thumbnail, facing away from the cuticle. While applying pressure, move the point forward. If it grabs hold of the tubumnail, it's sharp enough. If it doesn't grab, it need to be sharpened.

I hope I have helped you understand hooks more now! Read more!

Shank Characteristics
J hooks are manufactured with short or long shanks. Long-shank hooks are used for sharp-toothed fish, such as bluefish and mackerel, allowing the fish to bite the shank and not the leader. They are also used for fish that suck in their food, such as winter flounder. The long shank makes removing the hook easier.

A long-shank hook provides room for the bait to be placed along the shank, which makes for better presentation of the bait and in most cases ensures that the bait will not fall off. A worm or fish can be stretched out along the whole length of the shank, looking much more natural than if it were curled around the bend of the hook.
Short-shank hooks are used with smaller pieces of cut bait or shrimp, because the hook can be more effectively hidden within the bait. Short-shank hooks take up little space in the tackle box and can be easily removed from smaller fish that do not inhale their food.
Some J hooks have bait barbs on the shank, which prevent the lager pieces of bait from sliding into a ball at the bend of the hook. Where natural bait presentation is important, these barbs are most helpful. Read more!

Sorry for the lateness for the post. Well here it is hope you enjoy!!

If you're accustomed to J hooks, using circle hooks involves some adjustment. Instead of setting the hook by sharply pulling back on the rod, apply steady pressure on the line, bringing it in evenly and slowly. Avoid jerking the rod to prevent pulling the hook from the fish's mouth.
Packaged snelled hooks have monofilament or wire leader attached. The strength of the leader can range from 3o-to-80 pound test and above, and leader length varies considerably. The leader has a loop at the end opposite the hook, making tying on quick and easy. Snelled hooks are available in J and C hooks.
Some anglers snell their own hooks, buying their hooks in bulk, and the leader material separately. Although snelling a hook takes a little longer, it's not difficult. (See under TOC 'Knots' for a website on how to tie a snell.)
Most fishing lures have one or more sets of treble, or 3-pointed, hooks. These range in size from #6 through 8/0. Treble hooks are strong and can withstand abuse, but they require much care in hangling, especially when you attempt to remove the lure from a hooked fish.
Manufacturers put treble hooks on lures to improve the hook-up ratio, based on the logical theory that 3 points are than 1. But some anglers (like me) replace treble hooks with J hooks for safety and convenience. Switching them is simple because the hooks are held onto the lure with split rings, which can be pried open easily. Wheather you keep the treble hooks or replace them is a matter of personal preference.

I bet you didn't think hooks could be this complicated, did ya?? I am hoping I am helping you understand hooks better. And I will have 2 more parts; Part 4 is on Shank Characteristics and part 5 is on Sharpening Hooks. Read more!