Marvin Pirila is the content writing specialist/copywriter for Fishing Webmaster LLC and its sites, including www.haywardfishingguide.com. Fishing Webmaster LLC specializes in search engine optimization (SEO), web site design, and content management. They specialize in fishing/outdoor sites.

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – Tips To Trophy Walleyes

Walleye Fishing

The best walleye populations are found in Midwest lakes that are sandy, windswept, and moderately fertile. Generally, these lakes have a walleye’s favorite food, yellow perch, in healthy numbers.

These types of lakes are also likely to carry a wide variety of other gamefish. Most have largemouth bass, sunfish, crappies, northern pike and maybe smallmouth bass and muskies.

The location of walleyes depends on the oxygen content of the lake. Many fertile lakes lack oxygen in the depths in summer, forcing walleyes into the shallows often 10 feet or less in depth.

Spawning

The ideal spawning habitat for walleyes is created when constant waves expose rubble along the shoreline. This perpetual motion of water keeps eggs aerated and prevents them from silting over.

Walleyes are best suited for larger and/or rounder lakes where spawning is ideal (wind-swept shorelines). Spawning begins when the water warms to about 48°. During this time and up to 10 days afterwards, females rarely bite. The smaller males will bite during this time. Luckily for fishermen, walleyes go on a month-long feeding binge after spawning. The best places to fish at this time in usually in water 15 feet or less. The low angle of the sun’s ray allows them to stay in the shallows all day, because it has little effect on their light-sensitive eyes.

Where to find Walleyes

Walleyes are found most of the time in 30 feet of water or less. In deep lakes, walleyes are found along shorelines and shallow midlake bars. Shallow lakes, for these reasons, support many more walleyes than deeper ones.

Most walleyes are caught at night or in cloudy, breezy weather. Breezy, choppy waters help deflect the rays of the sun, allowing walleyes (who are light sensitive) to venture out of their regular hangouts. On calm, sunny days, walleyes spend most of their time in the shade or near weeds. The low angle of the sun in the spring makes cover less important. After the fishing opener in mid-May, walleyes are moving through shallow water in search of food. Look for them at this time on points, inside turns along sand shoreline breaks, and rocky midlake humps. Lakes and rivers with murky waters that screen out the sunlight should be fished during the daytime.

Night fishing with a slip-bobber and leech is an excellent way for catching walleyes in spring. Anchor on the edge of a break just before sunset and cast into four to eight feet of water. Trolling with a shallow-running minnow plug also works. There is usually a good bite for three to fours hours after dark.

Mid-Summer Fishing offers a less favorable Bite

Most walleyes hand around at depths of 12 to 18 feet along the edge of the break during the day. Slow trolling with a slip-sinker rig with a leech or casting with a jig and minnow are good methods of catching them. During summer nights, troll in eight to ten feet of water along the tops of the midlake flats, next to the drop-off.

Mid-summer is the least productive walleye-fishing season because yellow perch and other baitfish reach an attractive size. When two to three inch perch are readily available walleyes become harder to catch.

Fall offers a good Bite for Walleyes

Walleyes tend to go deeper around the middle of September, moving back into weeds at night, especially green ones. During the day, they tend to stay at depths of 25 to 35 feet, along the edge of a break. Steeper slops generally hold more walleyes than more gradual ones. The fish are feeding more aggressively when they enter deeper waters, and midday fishing improves as well. Larger baits, like a three to four inch minnow on a jib or slip-sinker rig, work well.

Ice Fishing for Walleyes

Early in the ice-fishing season, walleyes can be found in 10 to 12 feet of water on points along the midlake flats. Around the middle of January, they are more likely to be found in 18 to 30 feet, on the ends of cabbage humps or the same points along the midlake flats.

Walleyes generally move to shallower waters when snow cover is heavy, the sky is overcast, or it’s early or late in the day. They usually go deeper when it’s midday, in sunny weather, or under light snow cover.

Ice-Fishing Equipment

· Light tackle
· For tip-ups, use a six-pound mono leader, a split-shot or two and a size 4 hook.
· For jigging, use a three-foot, medium-power jigging rod, a small spinning reel and six-pound mono.

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Article Tags:
walleyes, midwest fishing for walleyes, walleye habitat, walleye trolling, ice fishing for walleyes

Mid Atlantic Saltwater Fish – Trophy Catches

September 3, 2010 by GetFishing
Filed under Deep Sea Salt Water Fishing

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Mid Atlantic Saltwater Fish – Trophy Catches

Mid Atlantic saltwater fishing is characterized by some of the nation’s most sought after species of fish. These include hard fighting fish such as red drum, black drum, striped bass, bluefish, cobia, speckled trout and others.

Black drum are heavy bodied fish with barbels or whiskers under the chin. Adults are typically 30-15 pounds although trophy fish can exceed 100 pounds. Black drum are members of the croaker family, most of which have the ability to produce croaking or drumming sounds.

Anglers fish for black drum using surf clams, hard clams, peeler crabs and other baits. Tackle is simple but stout, with most anglers using 20-30 lb line, sinkers from 3-8 oz and a single hook rig. Many anglers use circle hooks which work well with these fish. Top baits include surf clams, quahogs and peeler crabs.

Red drum are another large member of the croaker family, sometimes exceeding 50 lbs. Also known as channel bass, redfish and spot tail bass, these fish are easily recognized by their reddish-copper color and black spot or spots on the tail. In 2007, the species was designated as a protected game fish. The red drum is also the state fish of North Carolina.

Depending on the location, anglers use a variety of techniques to catch red drum. Throughout most of the Mid Atlantic region, these beautiful fish are caught while surf fishing. Anglers fish with cut spot, whole mullet, crabs or other baits, using fish finder rigs and medium tackle. A large number of anglers choose to release large red drum, taking only a photo to remember the experience by.

Spotted sea trout, also known as speckled trout are common throughout North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland. The fish are known for their beautiful pattern of black spots on an olive-green or gray back, silver-blue sides and a white belly. Spotted sea trout range from 12 -32 inches in length and weigh up to 10 pounds.

Speckled trout are caught using a variety of methods including fishing with live bait, cut bait and casting artificial lures or fly fishing. Shallow water fishing for speckled trout using artificial lures is popular in much of the region. Anglers cast small jigs, soft plastics and other lures around the edges of grass beds, stumps, points, rips and other likely areas. Fly fishermen also target these areas, fishing a variety of flies that mimic bay local baits such as bay anchovies, mullet, spot, shrimp or blue crabs.

In some areas, speckled trout can be caught by anchoring and bottom fishing with live or baits. Fish are sometimes caught in deep water along a channel edge, but most bait fishing for specks occurs around grass beds in shallow water. In areas such as the Chesapeake Bay, peeler and soft crab baits are popular while North Carolina anglers are more likely to fish with live shrimp or spot.

Striped bass are highly sought after by Mid Atlantic anglers. Also known as rockfish or stripers, these heavy bodied fish follow a predictable life cycle. The major nursery for Atlantic striped bass stocks is the Chesapeake Bay. Young fish feed and grow in shallow estuaries until they are large enough to leave the bay. Some adults remain in the bay but the majority spend their adult lives migrating seasonally along the coast from New England to the Carolinas.

During the fall and winter, the Mid Atlantic coast and Chesapeake Bay has outstanding fishing, with trophy striped bass being caught. These fish congregate in the Chesapeake and along of the Atlantic Coast to feed on migrating baitfish. Fishing can be spectacular and often is very productive, even in foul winter weather.

Light tackle jigging is an easy technique for catching striped bass. Tackle is simple for this type of fishing, with a variety of outfits from 8-30 lb used depending on the situation. Popular jigs include bucktails, metal jigs, soft plastics and other lures.

Wire line trolling works in many locations where striped bass can be found. Working with wire line is a bit difficult to get used to but the results are very consistent. Rods are spooled with #30 monel or other types of wire. Terminal tackle includes a 3 way swivel. A 24 or 28 oz. sinker is added on 3-4′ section of #30 mono. The third part of the swivel gets a 20-30′ leader with either a single lure or a pair of jigs.

Live baiting is another productive technique for catching striped bass. Baits include clams, crabs, eels, small fish, shrimp, and other baits. These vary with season and location. Fishermen choose live baits depending on availability and personal preference. Some anglers obtain live baits from local tackle shops while others catch their own.

Bluefish are an exciting Mid Atlantic gamefish. They are found from Maine to Florida. The fish are voracious feeders and are known for their sharp teeth and ability to demolish even the strongest tackle. Bluefish have been known to gather in schools that cover an area of ocean equivalent to 10,000 football fields.

Along the USA east coast, bluefish can be found along shorelines, inlets, jetties, beaches and areas where rips form such as sharp bends or channel edges. Many of these locations are ideal for shorebound fishermen. Fishing opportunities also exist for boaters, including areas where bluefish congregate in large numbers. Bluefish often work bait to the surface and their location given away by birds or when their backs or tails appear above the surface. Other anglers chum with ground menhaden or mackerel in order to bring bluefish within casting range.

Blue Catfish are the largest American catfish. They can grow to over 55 inches long and can weigh over than 100 pounds, living up to 25 years. Adult blue catfish have stout bodies with prominently humped back in front of the dorsal fin. They have deeply forked tails similar to channel catfish, but lack spots and have a large straight edged anal fin.

The Mid Atlantic has some of the best fishing for blue catfish in the country. Popular areas for catching blue catfish include the James, Rappahannock, Chickahominy, Mattoponi and Shendandoah rivers. In tidal areas such as the James River, blue catfish have adapted to saltwater tidal flows and actively move into position to feed as the tide brings baitfish into range.

Blue cat anglers fish baits such as shad around structure where big catfish lurk. Fishing for blue catfish has quickly become a trophy catch and release fishery in tidal sections of rivers and the anglers who fish for them often share skills and tips.

Cobia are among the largest and most exciting gamefish of the Mid Atlantic region. They are striking fish, with sleek, brightly striped bodies. The fish are brown above, with a very visible black stripe along the lateral line, and white below. They have a wide blunt head, large mouth and deeply forked tail. Averaging 15 to 30 pounds, they can reach more than 100 pounds and nearly 6 feet in length.

Cobia fishermen use a variety of outfits, depending on the type of fishing. Some anglers may choose light outfits, while others employ stronger gear as these fish can reach weights of 100 lbs. For sight casting baits or lures, most anglers use a spinning or baitcasting outfit in the 20-30 lb range. Other situations such as chumming require similar or slightly heavier conventional reels. Because of the cobia’s size and searing runs, a smooth drag and fresh, durable line is essential.

Live baits for cobia include spot, menhaden, mullet, minnows, perch, eels, shrimp, crabs, clams and other baits. These vary with season and location. Fishermen choose live baits depending on availability and personal preference. Some anglers will find live baits in local tackle shops while others need to catch their own.

The author is an outdoor enthusiast and writes for outdoor websites including Hampton Roads Virginia, How to Clean Fish and Virginia Saltwater Fishing.

Article from articlesbase.com

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