Online Fishing Forums Change the Way Anglers Fish For Information and Photos
March 31, 2008
As the landscape of the World Wide Web changes at lightning speed, so do many online trends. Communication and the exchange of information have become instantaneous and the rate at which we can find and receive information is incredible. A recent trend that has caught on with online anglers "fishing" for more information is online fishing forums.
There are many websites that offer online fishing forums where anglers can talk and discuss in an organized environment about the topics that appeal to them most. In general, online fishing forums have a main posting board where anglers can talk about general fishing subjects. Then usually there are more specific subjects sub- topics where specific popular topics can be addressed.
Online fishing photo galleries have become probably one of the most popular topics on online fishing forums. Now anglers can share a photo of their catch with thousands of other anglers and it has become a virtual bragging board.
However, the really useful part is that you can see who’s catching what species, when and where. Before the Internet, finding out that type of information was nearly impossible. You either had to be physically at the particular location and happen to know the person or you would have to wait to get to the location to see how the bite was.
You Might Be An Ultralight Backpacker If…
March 30, 2008
If you you find yourself saying “Hey, that’s a good idea,” to more than one of the following, you might be an ultralight backpacker. They are collected from various lightweight backpacking forums. For those of you that don’t share our passion for ultralight backpacking, let me explain that these are funny, but also mostly true stories.
You Just Might Be An Ultralight Backpacker If…
- Your wife’s purse holds more stuff than your backpack.
- You pack light for a family trip to Grandma’s house.
- You use the fruit scales in Walmart to determine the weight of a possible new piece of gear.
- At home you use just 4 toilet paper squares, to “practice”.
- You read that last one and say, “toilet paper?”
- You have no idea what the title, scale or contour interval of your map is because…. you cut away all of the margins to save weight.
- You sleep at home with the temps turned down while in the buff just to get used to the cold so you can take an even lighter sleeping bag.
- The thought of 1000 fill-power down gives you a little shiver down your spine.
Introducing The Two Guys With Flys
March 30, 2008
Just when you thought you had seen it all. Just when you thought what in the world can I get for a unique and different Christmas present,Fathers Day gift,or executive gift– along comes a fun and unique gift just in time for this years’ Christmas season. FLY TACKS, a new product from TWO GUYS WITH FLYS, INK, previously the makers of nothing!! FLY TACKS are handsomely, hand-tied flies from Oregon, that are PUSHPINS. That’s right, no more boring bulletin boards around the office. Who wouldn’t like to have the latest company memo held in place by the ever present ? GREEN BUTTED SKUNK? Everyone will notice the latest pay scale increases when they are posted by the always popular ? EGG SUCKING LEECH. Got a co-worker that always claims he couldn’t find your message? Stick it to his pile with a MUDDLER MINNOW, and he is sure to get the point!!!!
All kidding aside, fishermen and non-fishermen alike, will enjoy these conversation pieces,and the gold plated pushpins are a handsome addition to any bulletin board.
Dont Forget that Camping Gear Checklist Before You Leave on that Family Camping Adventure
March 29, 2008
A camping gear checklist is an important tool to help you prepare and pack for that annual family camping trip. The last thing you want to remember about that camping trip is how you forgot that one piece of important gear and made the whole family unhappy. Remember to check and double check that list before you leave.
When you are going RV camping or just a simple weekend hiking trip bring along that camp gear checklist and just make sure you have plenty of room for food and camping supplies for the days your there.
Don’t over pack, just make sure you are packing the right stuff on that gear list that you would actually use, necessities are a must like your backpacks, tents, cooking equipment, sleeping bags, camping furniture for the kids so they can unwind and relax.
The easiest method of making up a quick camping check list is dividing your list into categories starting at food you will pack, camping supply needed or gear and equipment. Checklists should be made up at home, once you know your camping destination you can then figure what you need to bring.
Bass Fishing? Watch Out For the Gators!
March 28, 2008
Lakes in certain parts of the country contain more than something you want in your livewell. Alligators. They can be no more obvious than a rock or a log, so be careful. You want to get a bite, not get bit. Let me share one of my bass fishing experiences with you. This is bayou country. When I go to the lakes south of Houston, I have to watch for gators. So I’m always keeping an eyeball peeled for ‘em. But sometimes … So last night I look and everything is clear so I walk down to the water and start bass fishing. After a few minutes, while I’m looking around I see this big log. This big log that gets oddly thinner at the end up on the shore and thicker in the water, and has odd bumps on it. Hold on .. that doesn’t look right. I look further up the log to see how far it extends into the water and… It has 2 big ol’ eyes … lookin’ at me!! And it’s only 10 feet away (just a quick couple of steps for a gator). Ooookay! I slowly and calmly reel in my line (on the outside - on the inside, I’m in total panic) pick up my gear and move on. So I go over to this other part of the lake, and now it’s dark so I get up on a pier. I’m sitting in the woods in the dark and I hear something walking down the pier towards me. Not heavy enough to be human footsteps. With what little bit of starlight there is, I can see something about the size of a medium dog coming at me. What do I do now? Well, I can’t see what it is, but I can tell it’s not a dog. So I get aggressive towards it to see if I can scare it away. Fortunately, it worked. I pointed the tip of my fishing pole towards it and it scampered away. As it left I thought it looked like a large raccoon. Probably nothing to worry much about after all, but they can be aggressive and rabid. But it’s creepy in the woods in the complete dark not being sure what’s around you. Then, in the water, I see the outline of this huge catfish swim right up underneath me below the pier I’m on. Wow! That’s a big one! I’ve got to move bait up and fish under the pier and catch him! So, I decide to put a light on it and see if I can get a better look at this monster. I aim the spotlight straight down into the water and… Hey, look at that weed … there were no weeds along this pier earlier. Hmmm. So I lean further over the pier to get a better look at this mystery weed …. YIKES! THAT’S NO WEED - IT’S A CLAW - A BIG CLAW! There is a gator right underneath me!! Apparently (and I was able to confirm this on follow up visits) the gator is savvy to the fact that people catch fish and put them on stringers around the dock; making a great free and easy meal for the gator. That’s enough. I’m goin’ home. Forget all about that macho stuff and learn how to play guitar.
Camping For Fun
March 27, 2008
Camping for fun is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and relax. But before going camping you will need to purchase camping equipment one of the better places to get the gear you need is at camping world.
To go camping does not have to cost a arm and a leg. With the basics found in your home you could go today. Lets see first you will need some type of shelter a plastic trap 8 by 10 will make a good tent some rope 50 ft will be lots the ¼ inch nylon rope will work. Tie the rope between two trees and place the tarp over the rope. Stake down each side of the tarp with screw driver numbers need 6 to 8 I buy them at flea markets and garage sales. If you have a second tarp place it on the ground under the tarp tent be sure not to place the ground tarp outside the tent if you do any rain water may flow in on the ground tarp and you may get wet.
Find a Camping Gear Outlet Near You
March 26, 2008
When you search online for a camping gear outlet you will find camping gear at great discounts like tents, sleeping materials like sleeping bags, navigation and survival items, camping furniture and lanterns, tools, knives and optics, personal care equipment, backpacks, camping cookware, and other camping stuff.
If the camp gear outlet you find is an established one, you will find some of the best sales and discounts on clearance items as well as discontinued ones. Some outlets also offer mailing lists with information on camping tips and information on the newest camping gear and equipment just out on the market.
Read up on camping resources, news and articles from consumers and experts who know everything about family camping. Find information on the best camping outlets that sell equipment and gear at almost wholesale prices or who’s having blowout sales.
Some of the most important items to bring along on your camping trip include backpacks, sleeping bags, tents and camping furniture like a table and chairs. Most camping equipment outlets will sell some of the best camping name brands like Hillary, Coleman, Ozark Trail, Brunton, Eureka, Jansport, Swiss Army, Boy Scout, Quest, Kelty, North Face, Gregory, Closeout and Motorcycle to name a few.
Bass Fishing - Recreation or Obsession?
March 25, 2008
First of all, we need to look at the word … recreation. When I break it down, it comes out re-creation. What this means to me is a re-creating of myself; a way to get away from it all and do some soul searching and some thinking and … re-create my ideas, inspirations and motivations; a break in the pattern that allows me to reconsider things in my life and make adjustments. But the term is large. Typically, recreation means activity. What do you do for recreation? Watch TV? Garden? Go out to restaurants or bars? What? It implies relaxation. It implies a way to get away from the normal grind and have an element of divergence; have some fun and forget it all. Not so for the bass fisherman. I know I have mentioned to people that I went fishing and they said, “Oh, that sounds relaxing.” What is relaxing about bass fishing? Probably nothing. There are times I go to be outdoors, and there are times I go to catch bass. Catching bass is not relaxing. In fact, bass fishing is hard work. If you want to throw in a live bait and hang by the shade tree, so be it. Granted, that is fishing … but not the style of bass fishing I’m talking about. What I am talking about is active bass fishing where you are in hot pursuit of the prey. Walking the banks … fishing from the boat … whatever your style may be, it is hard work. Why hard work? Every time I come home from a fishing trip I am worn out for a few days. That’s because I work hard while at play. I am up and down the banks hiking around the lake looking for my target: largemouth bass. I cast and I cast and I cast; always keeping the bait in motion and trying to find the fish. So, do I go to get away from it all? Or, do I go because I love the thrill of the hunt; the catch. If you think that serious bass fishing is a ‘vacation,” it’s not. Again, it’s hard work. Even if you’re not hiking up and down the banks, even if you are in a boat, it’s hard work. You are constantly casting, reeling and landing fish (hopefully). This will wear you out if you only fish occasionally. So, to me, bass fishing must be an obsession. I mean, certainly, I don’t do it to get occasionally, though it is that. And I don’t do it to forget the world and all it’s cares, though it does help with that. And I don’t do it because I am looking for a way to relax, though I do find it to be relaxing as well as tiring. What’s in it for me? I must do it. I am obsessed, maybe better described as addicted to the adrenaline charge I get when I catch a bass. I need the satisfaction of feeling powerful because I have fooled the fish in it’s own domain and I am now the king. I have to have that. By the way, I will have to write more later, because now I must recreate. Maybe I will see you there.
Stay Warm - A Backpacking Skill
March 25, 2008
Stay warm or die. That’s what it comes down to at the extremes. More people die in the wilderness of exposure than from any other cause. Staying warm, of course, also means more comfort, and for backpackers, it can mean going even lighter, without more risk.
Staying warm in the wilderness is about proper gear and good skills. Proper gear means clothing and equipment suited to the enviroment you’re in. This is a subject in itself, worth studying if you spend much time backpacking. With better materials and designs, the newest clothing and equipment saves lives. It is skills, however, that make the biggest difference.
How To Stay Warm - Tips and Skills
- Set up camp in the right places. Hilltops are windy and cold, and cold air also fills valleys at night. Level ground somewhere in between, out of the wind, is best.
- Wear clothes to bed. Shake and fluff them up to make them insulate better. Some recommend against sleeping in clothes, but I’ve tried it both ways many times, and it’s always warmer with clothes on.
- Wear a hat. This may be equal to a pound of insulation in your sleeping bag. A lot of heat is lost through an uncovered head.
No Boat? Join Your Local Bass Club
March 24, 2008
Having been an avid basser for years, and not having the wherewithal to purchase a boat, I’ve often felt cheated and frustrated about not being able to get out to deeper waters (where I was certain the real bass were). Having succumbed to this delimma for some 40 years or more, I finally had something come my way that I never knew existed: my local bass fishing club. I mean, I knew bass clubs existed, but I didn’t know they were for me. For one thing, how can you join a bass fishing club if you don’t have a boat. Additionally, isn’t it just the best bass fishermen that are in these clubs? These guys do tournaments and such. Not sure if I could measure up. Low and behold, the old saying “you won’t know if you don’t go” proved itself once again. Thanks to an Internet buddy, I was enlightened. I got the address and went to my first bass club meeting. It was simple, friendly, fun and I was fishing with them that weekend. First off, let’s address the notion that you have to be a great bass fisherman to belong to one of these clubs. This is not true. In fact, most of these anglers are people just like me, only with a little more experience (remember, I didn’t have a boat - I was bank fishing). Most of these people are happy to share that experience with you. Secondly, you do not have to have a boat. In fact, most clubs are looking for non-boaters to help share the expense of the trip with someone who owns a boat. Brilliant! That really surprised me. Why didn’t I know this years ago? It makes perfect sense, yet somehow this information escaped me. Owning your own boat can be expensive. A decent boat purchased new can easily run you around $15,000. Ouch. Then there is the issue of storage, insurance, fuel, the trailer, something to pull it with, maintenance and a whole slew of other expenses that come with the package. But not for the non-boater. I paid my bass club dues (very affordable) and within 2 days I was out with the gang on my first local bass club fishing tournament - in a boat. My share of the costs was extremely reasonable compared to those in the last paragraph. It was a 3 day trip and we even shared the cost of a room. Don’t ask how the fishing was; that’s a whole other article. In this club, we go out once a month to a different lake and have our own little bass tournament. Each time we go out, the non-boaters are matched up with a boater (also a different one each time). This way, you get to learn a little something from everyone. So, if you are bank bound like I was, and want to head out for more exciting fishing, go online or open up the phone book and contact you local bass fishing club. You could be out on the boat in no time. Whether or not you catch any fish remains to be seen.
