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Angling Fish - by James Rickard

Sould I use live bait or go artificial?

November 16th 2008 01:11
fisherman
A question I'm often asked (possibly the question I'm most asked) is if it's better to use live bait or artificial lures.

That's a simple question but the answer is like a lot of things in fishing--lots of if, ands, or buts!

The easiest way to answer the question is to consider they type of angler you are. If you're just starting out or don't fish very much live bait is probably the way to go.


Now it's time for the double-talk!

Live bait may be the most productive for most people. HOWEVER if you're really into the sport you'll probably give artificial lures a try sooner or later. It takes skill to make fish bite on inanimate objects because you have to pick the right size and then work the bait so it attracts fish. Some people will also say you have to pick the right color. If you read this blog very much you know I stick with basic colors most of the time. Light for bright clear days, reflective if the sun is out, and dark lures at night. Also, in most major tournaments, you're limited to using artificial lures.

On the other hand, if I was stranded on a deserted island, I'd try and scare up some fish with live bait.

To make things a little murkier--I like to fish with two rods--one for live bait and the other for lures. Whatever works best is what I settle on!




Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
image from morguefile.com







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Have you ever fished a jig?

October 23rd 2008 00:20
a fishing jig
Some jigs are a little fancier than others.
Maybe you've danced a jig but, have you ever fished a jig? If someone sent you to the sporting goods store to buy a jig, would you know where to go?

round head jigs
Jigs come in a wide variety of styles.
A jig for fishing is another kind of lure which is basically a lead sinker with a hook molded into it. Manufacturers are realizing "green is in" and jigs may be made from other materials but lead still seems to rule the roost.
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How to rig a soft plastic lure

October 17th 2008 00:32
Here's a nice video from YouTube that shows how to rig a soft plastic shad or just about any other kind of soft bait for that matter.

It's always a little dicey to say exactly how far to insert your hook. Provideing you're using offset hooks, what a guy told me works well. Insert the hook as much as the length of the offset. It seems to make things really easy!

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Using plastic worms

September 28th 2008 01:12
It seems like a hot lure comes out every year. Amid all the hoopla surrounding "great new fish getters" there are other lures that keep plugging along, never gaining the attention of these "hot" lures but, do their duty time after time and should be part of every angler's arsenal. The humble plastic worm easily falls into this category.

worm rigs
From the top: Carolina rig, weightless, the Texas rig.
The versatility of the plastic worm can be exploited by varying the way you rig it. Carolina rig, Texas rig, weightless or off-shoots of these make each plastic worm like several different lures.
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Thoughts on Yum's Baby Eel

September 16th 2008 00:17
A while back I commented on the Yum Dancin' Eel. All in all, I wasn't that knocked out.

Several people suggested I try the Baby Dancin' Eel. I thought I'd give it a shot before the summer ended and I must say I'm glad I did!

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Toss me a lure

September 6th 2008 01:53
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Making a Chatterbait

August 19th 2008 00:49
home made Chatterbait
Here’s a Chatterbait knock off I made. I had a little time to kill and this is what I came up with. I don’t think anyone at Rad Lures is going to get too upset if they see this. I’ll share this with you and if you get a slow Saturday afternoon you can give it a try.

Aberdeen hook
Good, strong wire provides a place to tie your line.
I started out with a size 1/0 Matzuo Aberdeen hook. I don’t have any reason for the brand. They were on sale so…The biggest thing I looked for was an Aberdeen hook. I wanted something that has a long shank.

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Musings on skirt trimming

August 17th 2008 05:56
I've heard it said that to get the most from a lure, you have to doctor and tweak it until it's a custom design for the waters you're fishing.

I guess that's all well and good if you're a touring pro but, for most of us average guys, we can't afford to go messing around with a 5 or 10 dollar lure until it's only usable at one particular fishing hole! (See? Just when you thought I was getting full of myself, I admit to be an average guy!)

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Musings on Heddon Lures

August 7th 2008 00:24
James Heddon was a beekeeper, politician, and newspaper publisher in the late 1800s who launched what became one of the leading lure companies in American history.
Zara Spook
I wonder how many anglers have this Heddon lure!
Legend has it that Heddon was waiting for a fishing partner one afternoon and tossed a whittled "plug" of wood into the water and was startled when a fish struck. The Heddon Company was founded in 1902 with wooden lures that were produced in Heddon's own kitchen and by the end of the decade the company had distributors all over the United States and even Canada.

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Bring new life to old lures

July 31st 2008 00:15
I usually say something like, “Never get too attached to your lures,” because you end up losing them to snags. On the other hand, there are always a few lures that simply wear out because you have them so long. In my case, those are usually top water lures. Why top waters? Since they’re skimming across the top of the water, you can see any possible snags that are in the way and avoid them.

The trouble is, if you have a lure season after season, it’s going to start to show its age. With lures costing between 5 and 15 bucks a pop, it makes sense to try and get as much life out of them as you can.

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A few thoughts on lure collecting

July 10th 2008 00:10
I was discussing antiques with a friend last weekend and the conversation, naturally, turned to antique lures.

When it comes to old lures, it’s safe to follow the guidelines you’d follow in any antiquity pursuit. Just because something looks old, doesn’t mean that it is old! Also, as any collector knows, be careful when cleaning any treasure. You’ll be ahead to leave some dirt or corrosion behind rather than ruin the finish!

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What kind of hooks do YOU use?

June 23rd 2008 00:52
treble hooks
Good hooks lead to good fishing. It's that simple. It doesn't matter what kind of fish you seek and it doesn't matter if you've spent hundreds of dollars on equipment. If your hooks are dull or bend easily, you'll be ahead to try something besides fishing!

It never ceases to amaze me when I see guys buying plain hooks every spring but these same guys have lures with hooks that are two or three years old. The same principles apply so, why not change your lure hooks also?

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Learn to tie flies

June 20th 2008 00:32
There's some interesting videos on YouTube these days for anyone who likes to tie their own flies.

You can find a lot from all the information floating around the Web in general and YouTube in particular but this guy seems to know what he's talking about and gives some real world suggestions as he goes along.

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Learn how to walk the dog

June 6th 2008 00:31
This is a technique that I've wanted to discuss for a LONG time but it's hard to put into words.

A picture, or video in this case, is truly worth a thousand words.

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