7 Best Fly Fishing Combos for 2022

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Whether you are new to fly fishing or you have been doing it for a while, you know there is a lot of equipment involved. You need to invest in rods, reels, fly lines and flies. The quality of your equipment not only has an impact on your performance, but also on how enjoyable your … Read more

7 Best Backpacking Fishing Rods for 2022

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Imagine casting your rod on a remote mountain lake, far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life—or the crowds clogging up the more popular fishing spots in your area. Many of the best locations for fishing are not accessible by automobile—they require some hiking. If you are up for an adventure, it may be … Read more

7 Best Fishing Paddle Boards for 2022

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Planning a fishing expedition? It is hard to beat a paddle board when it comes to versatility, agility and convenience. With a paddle board, you may be able to close in on fish that you would not be able to reach with a kayak, canoe, or other vessel. But to maximize the benefits of a … Read more

Fly Fishing Etiquette

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Now I have spoken before about hunting etiquette, so its worth bringing up that fishing has its own set of boundaries, rules and guidelines about being polite to others on the water. Like hunting, the rules are simple but so many seem to struggle with them. So when you are heading out to your favorite … Read more

7 Best Fishing Coolers for 2022

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If you are shopping for a cooler to keep your fish fresh on your next outing, you don’t need just any cooler. You need one with the rugged design and powerful insulation to preserve your catch for hours or even days. In fact, a high-quality fishing cooler may also include extra features just for fishers … Read more

Preparing you boat for offshore fishing

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Have you ever wandered the local docks envious of the luxury fishing yachts and the lucky owners who get to chase their prey far off shore? Do you wish you could join them? Almost every angler has. The good news is that dream is far closer than you might imagine. You do not need the best boat available, you need the right boat with a small safe to secure your documents. Even with a much smaller (and less expensive) craft you can greatly expand you range and with it your fishing adventures.

The right boat

As I said before you do not need a 6-figure luxury fishing yacht with a two-handle kitchen faucet on the desk to enjoy offshore fishing, but you do need the right boat for the job. Many new owners think only of size but that is only part of the equation, you also need to take into account your experience and what the average conditions are in the area you will be fishing. A skilled boat handler can take a small boat out in conditions that would send a novice with the Queen Mary under them back to the dock.

Far more important than size is fuel capacity. Obviously, if you run out of fuel your trip will come to an abrupt stop. The general rule of thumb is 1/3rd tank to get where you are going, 1/3rd for return and the remaining 1/3rd in reserve.

Electronics

There was a time when sailors circled the globe with a compass and hand drawn charts, that is not how things are done today. The modern boater has a wide range of navigation and safety equipment available to him and it is foolish to head out without every advantage you can. At a minimum you should have a marine vhf radio, compass with backup, electronic navigation, PLB, fish finder and weather radio. Back up radios and GPS are a good idea if you afford them. Do not rely on your cellphone for communications or GPS as the signal can be lost or interrupted as you travel even a short distance off the coast.

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Pros & Cons of Braided Line

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Braided line has revolutionized recreational fishing. The combination of increased strength and decreased size has allowed angler to increase casting distance, fish greater depths and land some enormous fish on lighter tackle. But not every angler is in love with braid and with good reason – many have found it difficult to master and too expensive to experiment with. However, if use properly braided line can be a game changer in the right situation.

When braided beats monofilament

Despite its negative perception among detractors braided line holds many advantages over traditional monofilament line. Chief among these advantages is its superior strength to size ratio. A piece of 15lb. test braided can be as small in diameter as 6lb. test monofilament. Not only does this increase the line capacity of your reel it also greatly reduces the overall weight of your outfit, factors you will appreciate when a trophy runs for freedom or you are throwing a 6 inch plug all day.

Aside from strength and size braided is also known for its limited stretching. Monofilament can stretch to almost 1/3 its original length when under pressure while braided line experiences almost no stretching under the same conditions. This makes braided a much better choice when fishing deep water where the bite is hard to detect or heavy cover when snags are expected. This same characteristic also means it will rarely develop a memory & remains flexible after having been placed under a heavy load.

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How to select you next saltwater reel

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Selecting a saltwater reel can be confusing, time consuming and even expensive if you make the wrong selection and need to replace it sooner than expected. Comparing reels in the store or online still requires you to have a basic understanding of what to look for. So, let us help you by explaining what features should be on the top of your list and how to tell if your selection is up to the task.

Your reel is more that simple a place to store extra line when it is not being used. It is also an important element in determining how well your rod will cast & retrieve that line and provides the leverage needed to battle the fish you hook. When fishing in saltwater you need a reel built to withstand the dual abuse of not only a wide range of species but also the environment. Anything less will leave your creel empty and experience lacking.

Key Features

Line Capacity is one of the features that set saltwater reels apart from their smaller freshwater versions. Even smaller saltwater species have the ability to make long runs or deep dives are break neck speeds. If your reel is not spooled with enough line you will easily find yourself staring at an empty spool and creel at the same time. It is recommended that you look for a minimum capacity of 300 yards, although slightly less can be used for inshore adventures.

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