Noah van Hochman (the Outdoors Guy) with a Wisconsin Summer Trout

There is nothing better during the dog days of summer than to grab a rod and head off to your favorite stream in pursuit of Trout. Although I would much prefer to be in some of the high mountain streams in Montana, I do fairly well on my trips to the Driftless area of Wisconsin and some of the small creeks there. There are some things I have learned in other areas that serve me well whenever I am in pursuit of the tasty Trout of summer!

Remember that trout like cooler water and the hot summer sun can warm up a shallow stream to the point where the Trout may get a bit stressed out. The warmer water and anglers mucking up the stream can really do a number on the fishing. Trout prefer water temperatures of between 50 65 degrees (depending on the type of Trout as well) so you may think about fishing at higher elevations after a period of very high Temperatures. The streams at higher elevations may be a bit smaller but hey will also be a bit cooler as well. If you are fishing in an area that doesn’t vary much in altitude try and think like a Trout, where would you find the cooler water? Look for deep pools and holes in the bottom that may be a bit cooler than the shallower areas. Keep a thermometer in your vest for just such an occasion.

Time of day is also very important in pursuit of summer Trout. Not only is it a bit cooler during daybreak and dusk but also the fish tend to feed more voraciously at these times. So, if a nice vacation of sleeping in with breakfast in bed at your favorite bed and breakfast, forget it, you are here to fish! Think about what kinds of food the trout may be eating and then figure out what time of the morning these little Trout tasty treats are fluttering or hopping about. This plays out in the last hour of sunlight as well and is my personal favorite time to fish. Yeah, I am the guy that likes to sleep late! But if you get the chance to stand on the bank or wade a shallow pool when the Trout are rising to feed on a recently hatched insect population, I guarantee you that it is something you will never forget.

I'm fishing a hole in the shade

So what have we learned about summer Trout fishing? The key is to look for cooler water! Remember that you are not immune to the effects of the sun either and should take necessary precautions yourself, this means drink plenty of water and use an appropriate sun block, and for those of us who have grown just a tad taller than their hair, a cap and a high SPF lotion for our heads as well. You should also consider using the cool water as a climate control system as well; cool water and thin waders can keep you at optimum temps or even a pair of shorts and old sneakers will do if you don’t think hypothermia will kick in. Finally, a light shirt and breathable vest and you are ready for a summer Trout adventure.

To start off, ask yourself the question, “am I experienced enough to fish offshore and is my boat adequate for the adventure?” If you are not sure, then do not go offshore, or at least not without an experienced person on board. It is also a very good idea to carry a PLB or personal Locator Beacon, this is a device that when activated will send a signal to the search and rescue teams to come and get you, immediately. The great thing about fishing off the coast of Florida is that you really don’t have to go that far to catch a variety of species such as Sailfish, some Tuna species, King Mackerel, Dolphin and Wahoo to name a few. While there is a resident population of these species present pretty much year round, some times of the year are better than others. I’ll give a brief rundown of the usual suspects.

Sailfish can be had pretty much year round, but the best fishing is usually in the winter and early spring. When South Floridians feel those cold fronts of November and December you can be certain that the Sailfish wont be far behind. You don’t have to run as far offshore as one may think for them, as although they can be caught in almost any depth, they are typically caught between 90 and 200 feet of water. The simple way to catch them (remember this article is for the offshore newbies) is trolling with rigged ballyhoo, place a skirt in front of this and troll a few rods at varying distances behind the boat and you’re in business. When you get a bit more experienced you can also drift live bait such as Pilchard and Goggle eyes and if you really get going you can learn to fish with a kite to dangle your bait on the surface making it an enticing treat for a variety of game fish. Have a pair strong gloves and a pair of pliers to remove the hook while the fish is still in the water and pull him along until he regains strength and watch him swim away. This of course is after you all lean over and take pictures!

If possible try to leave the Sailfish in the water when unhooking him

Dolphin, also known as Mahi Mahi can be caught year round as well with the best fishing taking place in spring and early summer. The methods used to catch Dolphin are pretty much the same as for sailfish or any of the other species we will mention with the subtle differences primarily coming in depth, color of skirts and thickness of leader or wire line. If you are not skilled at rigging, a newbie to this type of fishing can just purchase rigged ballyhoo at the bait shop and be done with it. Slip a skirt over the rigged bait and go for it! Don’t forget to buy some non rigged bait as well because small to medium sized dolphin travel in schools and if you troll one up, keep him in the water for a bit and look for some of his friends to be lurking near the boat. If so, tie a hook to the end of a line, place a chunk of bait on the hook and you can limit out in just a matter of minutes. Dolphin are usually found in deeper, cleaner blue water, and although they can be caught blind trolling along currents and just about anywhere, they do prefer weed lines and flotsam. Larger dolphin can be caught with live bait under the weed lines and around floating objects trees, cargo pallets and even abandoned crab trap buoys.

King Mackerel or Kingfish as they are sometimes called are another year round resident but as with most of our South Florida Game fish, some seasons are better than others. They can be caught using the same methods as Dolphin or Sailfish but require a wire leader as they can bite through most lines like they were butter. King Mackerel are predominantly found in 60-200 feet of water and tend to hang around structures or changes in the bottom contours which cause current variations. In Summer months when trolling seems to work best you may try using a planer or trolling weight to get your baits down a bit further, but during the spring there is nothing more fun than drifting live baits while listening to some tunes and munching on some chips. If you have trouble finding live bait (pilchards, Pinfish, etc.) dead ballyhoo will produce as well. Wahoo can also be caught in the same areas you fish for all these fish; they are incredible fighters and one of the tastiest fish in the ocean. You would need a bit more expertise to actually target them with bigger rods and lures. To target Wahoo, many anglers do what is know as High Speed trolling, in excess of 12 knots with lures covering the surface and deeper into the water column. Wahoo seem to be most active around the full moon.

As for Tuna, most of the species that you will catch in the areas you can safely fish will be Blackfin Tuna; they are tasty, great fighters and can be part of a mixed bag while fishing for the above-mentioned species. For the bigger Yellowfin Tuna, well, if you are reading this article, you are probably not ready to go out on your own, as they require long-range trips, better equipment, bigger boats and a good crew. But the thrill is amazing as line rips off the reel and you are holding on until that initial run has subsided. When fishing the far offshore trips there is also the possibility of running into a big Blue Marlin or a White Marlin, but that’s for another story!

So, You have some basic information now on how to fish for some of South Florida’s favorite offshore game fish. Keep in mind that in most parts of South Florida the depths you will fish may be only 2-5 miles from shore. Pick out your favorite rods in the 20-50 lb class grab a friend and some rigged baits and head out for a great adventure! A friend once asked me when is the best time of day to catch Sailfish and the others, my reply was quite simple, “anytime you can get out there!”

Fishing with your child is not rocket science!

Schools out! Oh my god how are we going to entertain the kids and keep them out of trouble! This is a dilemma faced by many parents, especial single moms and dads. We all want to engage in outdoor activities with our children and spend quality time with them, but especially to reverse the mind numbing effects of video games and to keep them off of their Wii or Xbox for a short time. Any time outdoors is time well spent if it can actually bring you and your children closer together and perhaps have an incredible adventure as well! The warmer weather is here, and your local lakes should be teaming with Panfish, including Sunfish, Bream, Crappies and a host of others. They are all very simple to catch, don’t require expensive equipment and are actually quite tasty too!

The first thing you need to do is outfit your self with all the necessary gear, but don’t forget to also have a bucket, a knife and a pair of nail clippers along with you, they are often forgotten but frequently essential, a small towel should be taken as well. Most of the equipment needed can be found at your local Wal-Mart, Target, Sporting goods store or perhaps there is a bait and tackle shop nearby that can not only outfit you, but give you suggestions on what is biting and where. It is also important to check on any regulations or the need for a fishing license in your area. Nothing can ruin a day faster than rain, mosquitoes or a game warden who is having a bad day!

Common Panfish

Many of the stores sell packages that contain all the equipment you will need, but lets break it down into a few essential items. The rod and reel should be relative to the size of the fish you are trying to catch, in the case of most Panfish and Sunfish and Crappies, it should be light. The rod and reel should be matched to handle line in the 6-10 lb test category. Pound test  (lb test) is generally thought of as the breaking strength of the line. You can look on the rod or reel and see what it is rated for. Line that is too light will easily break if you hook a fish that you do not have the experience to handle and if it gets snagged or caught on the bottom you run the risk of it breaking. Line that is too heavy for your task will be difficult to cast and could cause wary fish to shy away. The hooks should also be relatively light a size 8 should do the job nicely, remember, the higher the number the smaller the hook. Tie the hook to the end of the line and you are half way home! You next need to place a bobber a few feet above the hook. How high above the hook really depends on how deep is the water you are fishing.   The size of the bobber should not be large for these fish. Remember you want it to float the bait at a particular depth yet be light enough to be pulled under to indicate a fish strike. Sometimes very small weights attached to the line called split shot can help. I’d start off with the bobber about 2 feet above the hook and adjust from there, a very small split shot the size of a small bb should be in between the float and hook.

For the species of fish you are targeting, just about anything will work. Sunfish and Bream are not all that picky and are usually in great numbers. Try different things, usually a worm or a piece of a worm is sure to bring results and can be purchased at most of the stores mentioned earlier. You can even make the adventure bigger by first going on a worm hunt to catch your own bait. If all else fails, almost anything that will fit on the hook may work. I’ve even seen Panfish caught using Pillsbury dough and pieces of a hot dog!

Now comes the most complicated aspect of the adventure, where to fish? Just about any body of water should do as most lakes and streams have something swimming in them. If you can’t ask the local bait shop owner then just look on a map, find a nearby lake and head out, in short order you should be others fishing there as well. Most anglers will be happy to assist newcomers, but be careful not to crowd them, remember they are here to catch fish too. If you don’t see anyone else fishing, look around for any spots that are flat and near the water, you may even see things left behind by previous anglers in that spot, if not go ahead and try anyway, you may be lucky enough to find your very own honey hole or hotspot. Just cast your line out a few yards from shore and wait it out, I prefer water that is about 5-8 feet deep for Panfish.

Finally, this is about fishing, not necessarily catching. Although catching a fish with your son or daughter will highlight a great day, it is more about spending time together outdoors. Our children miss so much when their world revolves around a TV or video games and we miss so much in being able to spend time with them. Let your inner child loose and take a kid fishing!

I love eating the white flakey meat of the Pompano, they are perhaps among the finest table fare of any fish in the ocean and available in many of Florida’s better restaurants. The Florida Pompano is within reach of any anglers that can walk onto a pier, fish a jetty or cast from the beach. The Florida Pompano is an excellent fighter although they only average a few pounds and fish over five pounds are considered monsters. For those who know how to fish for them, they are available mostly early spring through early fall.

The prime bait for catching Pompano is the ‘sand flea’ also called mole crabs, most small crustaceans and shrimp will work as well but sand fleas are by far the bait of choice for the accomplished Pompano fisherman. These fish travel in schools so if you see one caught, there will probably be more to follow. One of the things I love about Pompano fishing is that I don’t have to be in the crowds at the tip of a fishing pier or the end of the jetty to catch them, pompano like to feed just on the ocean side of a shore break or sand bar where they can ambush small crustaceans being washed out with the current or tides.
They tend to feed on the incoming tide and the early part of the outgoing tide when water depth is optimal for them to move in closer to shore.

Any medium spinning rod with 12 lb test line will work just fine as remember, these are fish that average one to four pounds but fight like heck, and since they feed just beyond the shore break mega long surf rods are not a necessity either. But this should be determined by surf conditions at the time. Small circle hooks can be used as singles or in multiple hook rigs. I prefer one 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook hanging about a foot above a pyramid sinker. I have a preference for pyramid sinkers as they will hold bottom better than bank or egg sinkers.

An Average Florida Pompano

In my next article I will go over catching your own sand fleas using a sand flea rake that can either be built or purchased at stores such as Bass Pro shops or Gander Mountain. It should be noted that once you find a stretch of beach that is abundant in sand fleas there is a good chance it will hold Pompano as well. After all you can use these little critters as your advance scouts! So, find the sand fleas, find some choppy water with a shore break and an incoming tide and cast to the far side. Then start daydreaming of a great wine to go with your incredible Florida Pompano meal!

I spent quite a bit of time researching various products, asking many questions at the local Bass Pro Shops in Fort Lauderdale and Gander Mountain in West palm Beach and comparing the answers of the sales staff with my own personal needs. They were all very informative and were all also in agreement that for my needs I needed something that was extremely reliable and hopefully would never need to be used. There were several models that were reviewed, some that allowed friends to track your progress and send text messages and others that were geared strictly for imminent danger and life threatening situations.

After weighing all my options and needs, and deciding that reliability in such a device outweighed price and occasionally used features, I had narrowed my decision down to a select few, all made by the company ACR which deals primarily in Epirbs, PLB’s and other life support devices. The several models I looked at from this company confused me for a while as they all seemed quite similar. I visited their website and then sent an email to their customer service manger detailing my intended uses for a Personal Locator Beacon and how my journeys are quite often water related. I was very pleased with his response and have copied here in hopes it helps others contemplating purchasing one of these units.

Dear Noah,

Look no further than one of the two units below.

• SARLink 406 GPS PLB

http://www.acrelectronics.com/product2.aspx?sku=2883

• AquaLink 406 GPS PLB

http://www.acrelectronics.com/product2.aspx?sku=2882

The SARLink is sold by the Outdoor Industry because the voice of the Outdoor customer tells us that they want smaller and lighter. So we responded by taking all of the air out of it to make it as small as possible, and because of this it doesn’t float. However, because a small portion of the Outdoor consumers also recreate around water, we do offer a floatation pouch accessory.

The AquaLink is sold by the Marine Industry because they need a product that will float. This product has a larger back making it inherently buoyant, as size is not as important to the boater.

The following is the physical differences.

AQUALINK P/N 2882 9.2 oz OR 260g 2.3 x 5.8 x 1.45″ 5.9 x 14.8 x 3.7 cm

SARLINK P/N 2883 8.9 oz OR 252g 2.3 x 5.8 x 1.25″ 5.9 x 14.8 x 3.2 cm

Because it floats and you have no problems with a unit a little bigger than the Sarlink, the Aqualink would be your best bet.

You can then also use it for any overland excursions you may want to add to your travelling itinerary.

I am now planning to purchase the AquaLink 406 GPS PLB this week and regain my confidence that if I Journey into the great outdoors I will also be coming home with more great stories to share. Remember that when purchasing such units, they should be considered a method of last resort and not because you ran out of gas but because your survival is seriously in question.

After a very long while, my good friend Mitch purchased a very expensive Electric Rod and Reel combo, as he had been going out on other friend’s boats equipped with such tackle in order to pursue day time Sword fishing, which can take place in up to 2,000 feet of water. After a substantial amount of time and effort, I convinced him to rig the Electric Reel and re-enforced rod holders in his 25 foot contender and presented him with several deep drop snapper rigs along with a promise that I would finally chip in for bait and gas to give a try deep dropping for Tilefish somewhere between Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. The Blueline Tilefish also called the Grey Tile are frequently caught in the South Florida waters with the larger Golden Tilefish caught a bit deeper but less frequently.

The Blueline Tilefish is usually found in water ranging from 250 to 750 feet deep. The lesser depth although sometimes fished with conventional tackle can produce Tilefish when fishing for Snapper and Grouper as these fish are quite often found in the same areas. Tile fish prefer a bumpy mud bottom in which they can construct burrows in which to live. They can grow up to 32 inches (smaller than the Golden Tilefish) and live up to 15 years. The Grey Tilefish have a diet of crabs, shrimp and many other bottom creatures which may contribute to its excellent taste when cooked. It is an extra lean fish with firm white meat and a very mild flavor.

Deep Drop Fishing for Blueline Tilefish is mostly done by means of an Electric Reel and a very stout rod. The rod is secured into a re-enforced rod holder and plugged into an outlet on the boat. The weight of this tackle alone makes stand up angling impossible, and the weight used to get down and hold bottom while drifting in 500 or more feet of water can be anywhere from 2 to 12 lbs depending on current. If you are a fishing purist and must try conventional tackle, make sure your cardiologist has given you a stress test as this will surely be a workout. If you are having trouble holding bottom with more than 12 lbs of lead it may be time to head to your favorite watering hold and watch football.

The rig is actually quite simple, a multi-hook snapper rig with circle hooks, many anglers prefer to use 60lb test leaders but 80 will work too and a very heavy lead weight depending on the current. You want to be able to bounce over the bottom as you drift. Braided line is a must as it is thinner and will not stretch like monofilament. Cut baits such as squid, Bonita or Barracuda will work fine as baits that are too soft such as Pilchard will come off the hooks to easily.

The winter months may be a bit trickier for this type of fishing as you need to keep the baits on the bottom and unless it’s very calm and little current, this will be hard to do. In some areas, Fishing for Blueline Tilefish can take place just 2-3 miles from shore and in very calm conditions is fun and very easy. In a short while you will be able to figure out the bites from the bottom and multiple fish per drop is not uncommon. This is a very simple method of fishing and the sight of a fish common up from the depths is quite exciting, especially when you don’t always know what strange creature might be on the end of the line. Cleaning the Grey Tilefish may require a bit of practice as there are quite a few bony areas to avoid when filleting them, but the wonderful mean it will turn into is definitely worth the effort!

Typical Soth Florida Sailfish

Greetings to all my friends throughout North America! I want to thank all of you for consistently sending me fishing and hunting reports which help me tremendously decide on what trips to take. I am going to start posting some of them on my blog for others to enjoy and assist them in planning their trips and a selection of outfitters as well. Eventually I will have a sectionof this blog just for these reports but for now, they will come in the form of posts.

What better place to start than in my own backyard of Miami Beach and the fishing report for the past week as reported by Jackie G from West Marine and the charter boat Blue Waters II, (this was one of the first charter boats I fished from when I moved to Miami so many years ago!)

Jackie says that the fishing was excellent this weekend and on Saturday they enjoyed two Sailfish releases along with two good sized Blackfin Tuna, (check my blog for a great Blackfin Tuna Recipe). The Blue Waters II also had lots of action with Large Kingfish (King Mackeral) while on the troll.

Blue Waters II Bayside Marketplace, Pier 5, Slip 14 Miami, FL 33132

On Sunday they the action was all Kingfish, Barracuda and some very large Bonita taken while fishing live bait between 90 and 150 feet of water. There are still Cobia to found following big Rays and on some of the inshore wrecks.

It seems that the warmer summer weather periods have arrived and you can bet I will be out there fishing and diving a lot this summer, provided these old bones hold up a bit longer!

If you would like to offer some fishing or hunting reports (and shamelessly plug your website as well) for your area please just email me via the contact link on this site and I would love to pass along the information and your link to a preferred outfitter, guide or Charter Captain.

Bayside Marketplace, Pier 5, Slip 14  Miami, FL  33132
Phone 305 373 5016 | Fax 305 899 8567
Email: Jackie@FishingMiami.net

My early attempts with a spinner

This is time of year that I love! Turkey Season is in full swing, the weather is amazing in most parts of the country, and with the warmer temperatures, lots of little critters are beginning to hatch and provide food for the elusive trout. This is also the time of year I travel up to Southwestern Wisconsin, from my home in Miami, and visit my good friends and enjoy a combination trip of hunting Wild Turkey and wading Tainter Creek for Trout. Lets not forget to mention great company and home cooked meals. I am so fortunate to have a good friend who not only has a fair amount of Wild Turkey on his land, but a gold medal Trout stream, Tainter Creek, meandering right through his property as well.

Many of the streams I fish are located in what is known as the Driftless area and although this area extends into certain regions of the states adjoining Wisconsin, it is primarily located in the Southwestern region of Wisconsin. It is known for the river valleys incredible prairies and just about every other type of vista you could imagine, a glimpse of what this area was like before the glacial period. This area is what has incorrectly become known as Coulee Country, generally meaning high hilled valleys with many streams running through them. I love coming to this area, as even if I go home empty handed, (which I’ve never done!) it is just such a beautiful area to visit and accessible to so many hunters and anglers throughout the Midwest. This area gets a lot of weekend fly fisherman from the Chicago area, as well as Minnesota and Iowa. Although there are a great many very accomplished guides and outfitters for trout fishing the Driftless area, it is also a place you can explore on your own.

The Driftless area

I enjoy exploring Tainter Creek for trout, it is a considerable long stream located in Crawford County near the city of Vernon. It’s important to know the regulations in this area as parts of many of these creeks and streams traverse public land and others go through private land. The Wisconsin DNR has done a fantastic job of improving the habitat and has worked well with land owners to put into place various features such as specific plant growth and soil management techniques along with what is known as “Lunker Structures,” which are simply long boards similar to a pallet which create shade and are an excellent habitat for trout.

The Brown Trout reigns supreme in this area and is actually an imported species brought to the United States from Germany as this species was most adaptable to the warmer waters and reduced oxygen levels. This fish averages about 12 to 18 inches but on occasion can reach up to 26 inches! The other abundant species is the Brook Trout which need more oxygenated waters and colder streams to live. On ultra-light tackle both these fish are amazing fighters. Look for Brook trout more towards the headwaters of the streams where conditions might provide a colder more oxygen rich habitat.

Brook Trout

Now that you have arrived at a stream with potential, don’t hesitate to scout the area, but do so stealthfully, remember that these fish will be found primarily in shaded areas such and the deep pockets found where the moving shallower water drops into deeper pockets. It is vitally important that you use a good pair of polarized sunglasses, not only for protection from the sun but to better be able to see your quarry as well.

The tactics for success when fishing this area are relatively simple and similar to many other fine trout streams in the Driftless area, but we can go over some basics anyway. If fishing with dry flies for trout, cast upstream just above those pockets we have previously mentioned, or where you have seen fish rising and allow the fly to be carried downstream. Keep the slack out of the line to be able to strike if your fly is picked up. Remember that dry flies are imitating the grown up version of the insect, if you choose to fish nymphs you are imitating the underwater life stage, the larval stage of the insect to be more precise. This is the basic difference between fishing dry flies and nymphs. If fishing nymphs, fish downstream, let it sink and allow the moving nature of the stream to carry the fly downstream. If you are proficient casting with your fly rod, try to work the areas where fish is likely to lay in wait, such as Lunker structures and the areas carved out under the banks by the moving water. If you are a spin casting kind or person, then light line and spinners will work well, and to be honest, before I was taught to fly fish this was how I caught many Brown trout in the Driftless area of Wisconsin on Tainter Creek.

Brown Trout

The bottom line here is that the Driftless area of Wisconsin not only holds a healthy population of Trout, but is an incredible trip filled with scenic vistas, a variety of wildlife and some of the nicest folks you could ever meet. If you’re coming up for some trout fishing from Chicago or other parts that this region draws, it might be advisable for your first trip to hire a guide when Trout fishing the Driftless area, as these outfitters and guides can save you a lot of time and energy and make this tip one you will remember for years.

Here is the skinny on how to teach your child the ins and outs of fishing; this is called fishing 101 or the sunfish academy. This is basically the easiest methods to catch small fish such as pumpkinseeds, bream other sunfish type fish. Go to your local sporting goods store such as Dick’s, Bass Pro Shops or the local bait shop, here you will see an assortment of fishing rods and tackle that you can buy all for probably under 40-50 dollars. Look for a light spinning rod and reel combo that can handle 6-10 lbs test line, it will say something like this right on the rod itself. I suggest a spinning reel because you will invariably be taking out tangles, snags and other inherent problems due to the line and reel not playing well together, and a spinning reel will probable be the easiest to deal with. The reel should be filled with 6 lb test line, 8lb test or 10 will work as well. This refers to the breaking strength of the line. This should cost in the vicinity of $30 for something that will last a season or two.

Tpical Slip Bobber rig

Next let’s deal with the tackle. I have seen many singles moms placing rubber worms on hooks that could catch world record Muskies or the biggest baddest Bass in the lake, forget it, if you are merely going out to have a good time match the tackle to the target species. Buy a small box of hooks, anywhere from size 6 to 10 should work fine. Remember 6 to 10, not 0/6 or 0/10 as these are probably as big as the fish you are trying to catch. Now that we have the hooks, let’s get a few floats or bobbers to attach about 2-3 feet above the hook. When you are fishing you can adjust this to the proper depth to keep the hook and bait off the bottom or to dangle at a depth a few feet below the surface. You can adjust this from time to time to see what depth the fish prefer, but for the Sunfish, keep it off the bottom or just a foot or two under the surface. Pick up a package of very light split shot as well, these are little lead pellets about 1/16th of an ounce in weight that will help keep the bait down, especially on a windy day. The hooks, bobbers and split shot should be about another 5-6 dollars.

Its now time for the bait, for sunfish and other small species, you can’t go wrong with worms, available at almost any bait and tackle shop. This is probable the easiest for a single mom with no experience to deal with, if you are hesitant to touch the worm, just lay it on a board cut it in half and find a way to thread it onto the hook. Other baits such as leeches, waxies and a host of others may be a bit much for the single mom to deal with without any experience. You can also try a small bit of corn meal dough the size of a pea if there is no way you will get close to live baits. But I think worms are the way to go to get enough action to keep the youngster occupied.

You are now ready to fish! Just find a likely area, you can find plenty of places via the internet or just by driving around a lake and seeing where others are fishing, but don’t forget to give other fisherman plenty of room. Now with a bit of practice you will be able to cast the line complete with bobber, hook, and bait, (split shot optional) a few yards from the bank and begin the fine art of fishing. If you see the bobber or float begin to do a little dance on the surface it could mean something is investigating your bait. If the bobber submerges or starts heading off across the lake, then gently lift your rod and twitch it back to set the hook. Your youngster will now be giddy with excitement anticipating his first catch. If you were the kind of mom who wouldn’t bait the hook you may also shy away from unhooking your child’s fish. It must be done and a great way to teach catch and release. Just lay the fish in a wet rag and wrap it up so you can get a grip and immobilize the fish, then merely pull the hook in the opposite direction that it went in. A cheap pair of pliers is especially handy at this point.

I hope this little introduction will help get you and you kids out by the lake and give you the enjoyment that I had fishing with my dad when I was a small boy. If you are a single mom with no fishing experience this article is really all you need to get started, and I’m sure you and the kids around you will begin to build some incredible memories. Please feel free to send us pictures of your adventures and any other information that will assist others in teaching their kids to fish.

Dave Sumner, Creator of the Flirty Girty, Hard at work!

The Creator of the Flirty Girty panfish jigs, Dave Sumner, has graciously allowed us to use some of his own favorite tricks of the trade to help all those who love the sport of ice fishing. He has taught me well and I have even used the Flirty Girty in the Everglades of Florida and for Bonefish in the Bahamas.

Here are few great TIPS for catching fish….

Comfort Zones
Fish have what I call a “comfort zone,” or a certain depth range that they prefer to hold.
When you identify this zone on your locator, work the upper edge, barley dropping your jig in and raising it out as the fish nears it. Fish are more likely to hit a lure when it appears as if it is leaving their comfort zone.

The Second Hole Tactic
If a current is pulling your lure out of your locator’s viewing cone, drill another hole a short distance downstream. With any luck, you will be able to see your bait…as well as any fish about to bite! I also use the second hole tactic when I begin to lose fish at a hole. Wrapping line around your locator’s transducer sometimes gives Crappies the little slack they need to come off at the hole. Some days, I drill a few 4 inch holes; as placing your transducer in a separate hole will reduce the risk of your line catching on it-and in turn losing a fish.

The Amazing Flirty Girty!

Muddin’
When I’m fishing Perch and they are not cooperating (especially around midday), I rap my bait on the lake bottom in order to stir it up. I have caught many Perch with mud caked on their lower jaws; I believe they stir up the bottom in search of blood worms and other food.
Jumping
Over the years, I have seen slow fishing turn into madness just as soon as a vehicle passes near a hole being fished. I believe that fish begin to move when something travels over them; thus a vehicle passing overhead may cause some fish to move…in my direction! If action is slow I try jumping on the ice in a big circle around my hole; often times I am able to stir some up by doing this. Am I crazy? Maybe so…

Here are some TRICKS that I’ve used over the years….

*First ice and last ice are the two most productive times for ice fishing. Fish shallow early and late ice. Look to deeper edges in mid-winter. Crappies will stage near spawning areas near last ice.
*Keep moving, looking for active fish. Drill several holes and use a good flasher to find fish. REMEMBER: locators don’t lie, …no fish? …MOVE!! If fish are suspended, fish just above or at the level they are suspending at.

*When fish are biting light… go to 1 pound line, …try smaller jigs, …bend barbs in, …use a spring bobber and watch for slight lifts, those are BITES!
*If fish are fussy… try going to smaller grubs or minnows. Sometimes, small plastics work with fussy fish.

*Change colors often. Bluegills and perch seem to like fluorescent colors more so than crappies. Chartreuse is a great all-around color.

*Flip your knots UP after tying on your jig.
*Moving the knot to the side makes a FLIRTY GIRTY swim in a circle. This can be effective.
*Black FLIRTY GIRTYS can be deadly on crappies early and late in the day.
*Ripping the jig up violently and letting it fall back down, has worked for me to trigger fish.
*Experiment with live bait and scents. I knew of a fisherman who used grape jelly smeared on his jig. I knew of another who used cooked barley when he ran out of waxies. I tried it, and it worked!

The Outdoors guy learning the mean of cold in Wisconsin!

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