http://www.fishingclub.com RSS feeds for North American Fishing Club 60 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3317/leave-bail-open-keep-bait-in-strike-zone#Comments 2 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3317 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3317&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3317/leave-bail-open-keep-bait-in-strike-zone Closing your bail too soon pulls bait away from cover NAFC Social Media Editor Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:30:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3317 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3308/target-grass-flat-edges-now-for-redfish--debbie-hanson-blog#Comments 4 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3308 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3308&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3308/target-grass-flat-edges-now-for-redfish--debbie-hanson-blog Oyster-bar edges are good now too NAFC Social Media Editor Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:53:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3308 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3298/tourney-wins-not-enough-to-get-sponsors#Comments 2 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3298 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3298&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3298/tourney-wins-not-enough-to-get-sponsors You’ll need a good resume and business plan to get sponsors for your fishing career NAFC Social Media Editor Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:25:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3298 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3294/bass-tournament-wins-begin-with-research--at-all-competition-levels#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3294 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3294&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3294/bass-tournament-wins-begin-with-research--at-all-competition-levels Fishing locally or nationally, success starts with work NAFC Social Media Editor Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:41:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3294 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3296/what-will-be-the-next-big-thing#Comments 1 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3296 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3296&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3296/what-will-be-the-next-big-thing Reel Keel lure earns NAFC Field Test Seal of Approval NAFC Social Media Editor Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:50:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3296 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3295/economy-and-my-elbow-on-the-mend-mark-menendez-blog#Comments 1 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3295 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3295&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3295/economy-and-my-elbow-on-the-mend-mark-menendez-blog Ignore national media negativity, economy is improving NAFC Social Media Editor Tue, 24 Jan 2012 19:04:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3295 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3288/wicked-waves-ruin-ice-fishing-trip#Comments 1 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3288 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3288&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3288/wicked-waves-ruin-ice-fishing-trip Watch sub-surface swells lift ice anglers 4 feet NAFC Social Media Editor Sun, 22 Jan 2012 07:01:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3288 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3286/how-my-big-brother-caught-a-state-record-walleye#Comments 2 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3286 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3286&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3286/how-my-big-brother-caught-a-state-record-walleye Nick and Dad went out of their way to keep the fish alive, with Nick holding it upright in the cooler until his hands went numb NAFC Social Media Editor Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:38:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3286 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3283/so-you-want-to-be-on-a-fishing-show-#Comments 2 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3283 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3283&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3283/so-you-want-to-be-on-a-fishing-show- Be careful what you wish for – you might get it! Be prepared when opportunity knocks. NAFC Social Media Editor Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:17:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3283 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3261/lipless-cranks-chunkin-and-not-windin-not-right-away-anyway#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3261 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3261&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3261/lipless-cranks-chunkin-and-not-windin-not-right-away-anyway Bait look like a crayfish? Make it act like one too NAFC Social Media Editor Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:20:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3261 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3248/catch-10-pound-bass-now-in-south-texas#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3248 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3248&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3248/catch-10-pound-bass-now-in-south-texas Find a channel ledge that tops out shallow then drops deep NAFC Social Media Editor Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:51:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3248 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3231/video-catch-smallies-now-on-the-float-n-fly#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3231 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3231&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3231/video-catch-smallies-now-on-the-float-n-fly A float puts a jig in front of suspended smallies not apt to move too far for a meal. The light line and specially designed float register even the lightest bites. NAFC Social Media Editor Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:32:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3231 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3223/video-wear-pfds-save-lives#Comments 1 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3223 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3223&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3223/video-wear-pfds-save-lives I learned the hard way NAFC Social Media Editor Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:51:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3223 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3221/catch-florida-bass-now-on-swimbaits--winter-bite-is-heating-up#Comments 2 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3221 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3221&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3221/catch-florida-bass-now-on-swimbaits--winter-bite-is-heating-up Now is also a great time to catch big bass on top! NAFC Social Media Editor Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:06:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3221 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3217/take-a-kid-at-heart-fishing-making-memories-with-grandpa-rae#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3217 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3217&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3217/take-a-kid-at-heart-fishing-making-memories-with-grandpa-rae Pass on your passion for fishing to others, no matter their age or experience NAFC Social Media Editor Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:17:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3217 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3210/video-15-below-bassin-for-bronzebacks#Comments 3 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3210 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3210&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3210/video-15-below-bassin-for-bronzebacks Ice Belt bass fanatics fish the nastiest days for open-water smallies NAFC Social Media Editor Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:17:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3210 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3190/guest-blog-extreme-angling-for-cold-water-bass#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3190 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3190&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3190/guest-blog-extreme-angling-for-cold-water-bass Fishing slowly is the first trick, because bass are lethargic in cold water. NAFC Social Media Editor Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:51:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3190 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3182/video-can-facebook-help-you-catch-fish#Comments 4 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3182 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3182&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3182/video-can-facebook-help-you-catch-fish Can Facebook help you catch fish? Yes. Watch Web Guy Greg and Steve Pennaz demonstrate.  NAFC Social Media Editor Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:38:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3182 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3169/beckstroms-blog--sometimes-its-good-to-break-tradition#Comments 2 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3169 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3169&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3169/beckstroms-blog--sometimes-its-good-to-break-tradition It’s a rare thing when I take a trip that doesn’t involve fishing, but sometimes it’s good to break tradition. NAFC Social Media Editor Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:16:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3169 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3126/huffs-post-a-lifetime-of-lifejackets#Comments 2 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3126 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3126&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3126/huffs-post-a-lifetime-of-lifejackets A grandpa goes overboad on PFDs NAFC Social Media Editor Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:19:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3126 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3025/use-lively-live-bait-for-more-summer-fish#Comments 1 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=3025 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=3025&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/3025/use-lively-live-bait-for-more-summer-fish Fish in the summertime can be a finicky bunch. Some days they want a crankbait moved quickly halfway between the surface and the bottom, other days they want a jig tipped with soft bait bounced aggressively right on the bottom. And then there are the days when they want something worked very slowly, and they want the bait right in their face. The only effort they want to expend on those days is to open their mouth and inhale a minnow or leech or nightcrawler. There are times when live bait will help you catch more fish. But, if you want to catch fish on those days when the bass, walleyes, panfish or pike are being super-selective, you need to use lively live bait. Here are some things you can do to make your live bait livelier. NAFC Social Media Editor Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:04:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:3025 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2978/nafc-facebook-fans-help-pattern-a-new-lake-for-bass#Comments 1 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=2978 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2978&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2978/nafc-facebook-fans-help-pattern-a-new-lake-for-bass I recently fished a 300-acre lake I’d been on once before more than 10 years ago. In other words, I knew virtually nothing about it. My fishing partner for the day was Greg Huff. He oversees the NAFC’s Facebook page (www.Facebook/fishingclub), so when he suggested we solicit input from NAFC's Facebook fans on how to approach this “new” water, I thought it was a brilliant idea. To help get the ball rolling, we provided the following information: -- Size of lake: 300 acres -- Water clarity: 3 to 5 feet -- Maximum depth: 80 feet -- Bottom composition: sand/gravel/muck -- Vegetation present: bulrushes, cattails, coontail and milfoil -- Target species: largemouth bass -- Weather conditions: 70 degrees, post cold front -- Time of year: spawn/post spawn I use water clarity as one of my primary factors when deciding where to start fishing -- and even when. In general, I fish shallower in waters with limited clarity (a foot or two of visibility); and fish deeper when faced with clear to ultra-clear waters. Water clarity determines depth of weedlines and in lakes with limited clarity, weedlines may max out at 7 or 8 feet, while they may go to 20 feet or deeper in clear lakes. That’s important, because species like bass usually relate closely to vegetation. Water clarity in the lake on the day we fished was about 4-5 feet. Where did we find the biggest concentrations of bass? In 7-10 feet of water, concentrated the most near the deep weed edge. Frankly, I had expected to find more fish up shallow, holding tight to cover in a couple feet of water or less. But when an hour of fishing produced only two small bass, we left the shallows and began probing deeper. Some of our Facebook fans had suggested doing that very thing -- starting shallow and then moving deeper if bites were hard to come by. I caught most of my fish on Texas-rigged Powerworms in both 7- and 10-inch sizes. Greg tried a spinnerbait early and creature baits around docls, but ultimately found success also with Texas-rigged Powerworms and, later, 4- and 5-inch Berkley Heavyweight worms rigged wacky style. Indeed, several Facebookers had suggested Texas rigs and wacky-wormed stickbaits. We landed dozens of bass to 5 pounds, a day for the ages! If you are looking to become a better angler, take the new-lake challenge. Fish as many new bodies of water as you can. Rely on your knowledge of the lake type and your targeted species, and build a game plan for the conditions. If fishing’s tough (it usually is at first), begin making big changes in location and presentation until you get things figured out. On familiar bodies of water, it’s easy to fall back on memories and favorite lures and locations, and when you get in that rut, innovation suffers NAFC Social Media Editor Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:57:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2978 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2740/pennaz-post-giant-trout-huge-bass-and-ice#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=2740 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2740&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2740/pennaz-post-giant-trout-huge-bass-and-ice I spoke to my father-in-law over the weekend. He and his bride of 50-plus years are wintering on the Texas Gulf Coast, like they have for the past several years. And he and I share fishing reports on a weekly basis, much like Hank Jr's buddy from New York in a "Country Boy Can Survive" would share.      "I had a good friend in New York City He never called me by my name, just hillbilly My grandpa taught me how to live off the land And his taught him to be a businessman He used to send me pictures of the Broadway nights And I’d send him some homemade wine."   Richard tells me about fishing reds and sheepshead and I'd whine about how cold it is back home.   But Saturday he through me for a loop. Seems that he caught a whale of a seatrout on his favorite gold spoon. "It went 29 and a half inches," he told me. "After I released it I learned it may have been a bay record," he said with a chuckle.   I'm also getting tremendous reports on the bass spawn from across the South. And hear there's an incredible tarpon bite shaping up in the Keys (call Capt. Jim Willcox in Islamorada for more details--305-393-1128).   Meanwhile I look out my back door to see trucks still scampering across the lake I call home. A note to local fish---I'm sharpen hooks and rigging gear; fishing will soon be here.  -- North American Fishing Club Executive Director Steve Pennaz hosts the Club's TV show, "North American Fisherman," which airs Saturdays at 6 a.m. on Versus.   NAFC Social Media Editor Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:35:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2740 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2717/pennaz-post-fishings-hottest-secret#Comments 3 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=2717 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2717&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2717/pennaz-post-fishings-hottest-secret Know up front that the headline above was stolen from an article by Byron Scott with the same title that appeared in the February 1956 edition of Outdoor Life. Despite its age, I am fascinated by the piece. Did you know that media around Possum Kingdom Lake in Texas (roughly 70 miles west of Forth Worth) used to provide regular reports on the lake’s thermocline? In fact, the following is an edited radio report from August 1954:   “Here is the thermocline report from Possum Kingdom Lake . The minor temperature break is at nine feet and the major temperature break is at 36 feet. This information is supplied by the Possum Kingdom Association’s Thermocline Station. Anglers are advised to fish from the surface down to 8 feet for largemouth bass and at 17 feet for crappie.” I find it interesting that 57 years after this radio report was broadcast, anglers still struggle to understand the thermocline’s impact on fish position after it forms during the warmer months of the year. This video from bass pro Stacy King does a superb job explaining the thermocline http://www.versus.com/fishing/videos/the-thermo-what so I encourage you to invest a few minutes to watch it. This information simple wasn’t available to anglers a couple generations ago, which is why I found this piece to be so ground breaking for the era in which it ran. The thermocline report was developed as a means to improve fishing success of Possum Kingdom Lake anglers whose success rates dropped as the water warmed. In February 1954, Texas Game & Fish Commission (now Texas Parks & Wildlife Department) biologist Robert Hambric told members of the Possum Kingdom Association of a new $225 thermometer developed to accurately measure water temps at any depth. He theorized that both temperature and water chemical make-up would provide clues to fish position once the thermocline formed each spring.   So the lake association ponied up the money for the new thermometer and the Hambric began to gather data all hoped would help improve both knowledge of fish behavior and fishing success. The media reports were a byproduct of the resulting research. The author credits the thermocline information with helping him and other area anglers catch more fish, and when you think about it, the information provided would be nearly as valuable today as it was in grandpa’s time (sonar wasn’t around then). Knowing the position of the thermocline allows you eliminate vast amounts of water quickly (no fish can live in the oxygen-free water below the thermocline).  Like I said, fascinating stuff!   -- Steve Pennaz NAFC Social Media Editor Fri, 11 Mar 2011 20:55:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2717 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2718/pennaz-post-background-on-national-saltwater-anglers-registry#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=2718 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2718&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2718/pennaz-post-background-on-national-saltwater-anglers-registry The 2006 Reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) included a provision establishing a federal registry of saltwater anglers in order to improve recreational saltwater fishing data collection. The registry’s predecessor, the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey, randomly sampled coastal residents about their saltwater fishing efforts. The new national angler registry is intended to target only those people that have identified themselves as saltwater anglers. This should result in more accurate harvest data which will help improve management of our marine resources. You are exempt from having to register if you, 1. Hold a saltwater from a state with a qualified registry program (all but Hawaii and U.S. Virgin Islands are included); 2. Fish for or are likely to catch fish that live in the ocean but spawn in fresh water; 3. Fish federal waters more than three miles from the ocean shore; 4. Only fish on licensed charter or guide boats; 5. Hold a Highly Migratory Species Angling Permit or 6. Fish under a subsistence fishing license or permit. To register go to www.countMyFish.noaa.gov or call 888-674-7411 between the hours of 4:00 am to midnight EST. Operators are standing by seven days a week for your convenience. You’ll be required to provide your name, date of birth, address and telephone number, after which you will receive a registration number that will allow you to begin fishing immediately.  Residents will pay as little as $0 for a qualified (New Jersey) to at least as high $43.46 (California), while nonresidents can get by with about as low $15 (Connecticut) to as high $116.90 (California) for an annual permit. The National Saltwater Angler Registry is one part of an overall program to better capture the total picture of U.S. recreational fishing. For that reason, I find it hard not to support. --Steve Pennaz, NAFC Executive Director NAFC Social Media Editor Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:58:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2718 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2719/pennaz-post-color-doesnt-matter#Comments 2 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=2719 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2719&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2719/pennaz-post-color-doesnt-matter I stopped Kurt Beckstrom in the hallway the other day and uttered a single word as a question: “Color?.” Kurt looked me in the eye before answering: “There are other things to get right first.” Then the editor of North American Fisherman magazine disappeared into his office. His comment caught me as curious, especially since I knew his lead story for the March issue was a how to select the best color for crappie. Did he not believe what he was printing? Selecting bait color is an interesting exercise if only because color, at times, makes absolutely no difference in success rates … OR it can make all the difference in the world. So you can buy your favorite lure in a few colors and risk not having what’s needed for best success on any given day. Or you can get a second mortgage on your house and order three of every available color combination. Which leads me to a pop quiz. How many different color combinations are offered for the venerable Bomber Long A? Answer in a moment. The problem is there is no billboard on the way to the lake that says “Run a Rapala Clackin Crank in Clown over weed flats in 12-15 feet of water for bass today.” So the second you launch your boat you are immediately faced with three questions: 1. Where to start fishing?; 2. What lure to throw?, and; 3. What color should I use? Notice the order of the questions as they are sequenced in order of descending importance. Finding active fish is always the toughest challenge and must be your first priority, but once you do things typically get much easier. You base your lure selection on where the fish are. A crank that runs to 15 feet would be a poor choice is fish are holding tight to the bank in a foot of water. Finally, there is the selection of bait color. Black may be 20 times as good as chartreuse on the day you fish, and gold may out-fish blue three to one, but none of it matters if  you are not on fish or using the wrong bait to trigger strike anyway. So why does Bomber make no less than 55 color combinations on Long As? Because color can make all the difference! -- Steve Pennaz, NAFC Executive Director NAFC Social Media Editor Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:22:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2719 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2721/pennaz-post-what-you-need-to-know-about-ultraviolet-tackle#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=2721 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2721&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2721/pennaz-post-what-you-need-to-know-about-ultraviolet-tackle Can something you can’t see help you catch more fish? An emerging trend in the fishing market is the growing popularity of lures that reflect ultraviolet light. And you thought color selection was tough before! UV light is outside the visible range for humans; however, there is evidence that fish see it. More importantly, fish seem to react positively to lures coated with UV reflecting colors and coatings. For now, the biggest buzz is coming from the trout and salmon folks. Companies like Blue Fox, Storm, Worden’s and Luhr Jensen, all manufacturers with big footprints in the in the trout and salmon market, are offering models in UV finishes. And other companies like Do-It Molds, Pro-Cure and Fish Vision offer products that allow anglers to add UV to any lure or terminal tackle items. According to guide Rick Kennedy of Tight Line Guide Service in Grass Valley, California, who is quoted in the February 2011 issue of North American Fisherman magazine, there is something to this UV trend. “I ignored the UV stuff for quite a while, “he told author Mark Hicks. “I finally tried some stuff last season and must admit there’s something to it.” Kennedy targets kokanee salmon (landlocked sockeyes) on Stampede Reservoir and finds when the fish turn off only his UV setups continue to produce. But that doesn’t mean anglers who target other species are ignoring the UV option. Bass pro Byron Velvick of Texas fishes UV baits offered by Tightlines UV, a manufacturer of UV soft plastic bass baits. Also experimenting with UV baits is walleye pro Eric Olson of Minnesota who fishes a number of Storm Baits with UV finishes (like the Hot’ N Tot and Wiggle Wart), especially when targeting walleyes in silt-laden rivers.   The fact that UV is visible to much greater depths than colors like red and orange, may give anglers increased odds of attracting fish. I know this is something that deserves great research…preferably on the water!  -- Steve Pennaz, NAFC Executive Director NAFC Social Media Editor Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:22:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2721 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2722/pennaz-post-growing-monster-pike-a-case-study#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=2722 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2722&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2722/pennaz-post-growing-monster-pike-a-case-study For the past 15 years the state of Minnesota has been conducting a study on 23 lakes in the state to see if special regulations designed to protect some northern pike from harvest would help maintain or even increase the number of large northern pike in those waters. Due to their aggressive nature, pike are vulnerable to overharvest. Very few fish in state waters survive the 10 years or so it takes for them to reach 35 inches and trophy size fish measuring 40 inches or more are extremely rare. Test net results show the vast majority of pike now found in the state are less than 20 inches in length and very abundant—as many as 800 pike per 100 acres of water.  And pike 24 inches and larger? Only 60 fish per 100 acres of water! A long-running big fish contest run by Fuller’s Hardware Store in Park Rapids, Minnesota, documented the decline of big pike in the state. Back in the 1930s, the average fish entering in the contest weighed 10.1 pounds; by the 1980s the average size had dropped to just 6.8 pounds. Amazingly, 29,541 big pike were entered in the contest during over a period of almost 60 years that ended in 1987. Harvesting smaller pike, in most cases, would benefit fisheries overrun with runts, yet few anglers are willing to keep them, so the big pike take the brunt of the angling pressure. Te state estimates that 20 percent of the large pike available are harvested each year. As a fan of giant pike (a 40-incher makes my knees wobble!), I support the state’s mission to increase the number of large pike. For one, a healthy population of large predator pike helps keep populations of small pike and stunted panfish in check, improving age and size structures in those waters. Also, the more big fish there are in a system, the better the odds of me catching a couple! Minnesota used two slot limits, one requiring all pike from 20 to 30 inches to be released and the other targeting fish from 22 to 30 inches. Of the five test lakes, three showed increased numbers of larger pike during the 1989 to 2003 study. In one study lake, the percent of pike more than 20 inches increased from 7 percent of the population to 39 percent during the study period. Results in other study lakes helped the state to determine that special regulations that reduce pike harvest do help grow more big pike. That’s exciting to know because it gives fisheries managers and anglers a powerful tool---knowledge---to help us better manage our fisheries. Minnesota is still a great destination for trophy pike. A few years back on famed Red Lake, two of us short-line trolling Black Bomber Long-As landed 12 measuring 35 inches or longer (the biggest a strapping 44 inchers) in just three hours. With top end potential like that releasing big fish is easy. -- Steve Pennaz, NAFC Executive Director NAFC Social Media Editor Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:33:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2722 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2723/pennaz-post-what-the-x-is-a-tiger-bass#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=2723 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2723&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2723/pennaz-post-what-the-x-is-a-tiger-bass In my blog last week I highlighted a study conducted by the Illinois Natural History Survey that found some bass are genetically predisposed to biting while others are impossible to catch. In the study, which lasted nearly two decades, biologists found after three generations of selective breeding they could create two types of bass: high-vulnerability fish and low-vulnerability fish, with vulnerability defined by a bass’ propensity to take a lure. The fact that catchability is a heritable trait, at least in largemouth bass, is astounding. And what’s even more astounding is that at least one hatchery company, American Sport Fish (www.americansportfish.com) is offering bass that were bred not only for improve catchability, but also for their potential to grow to large sizes. Of the two main subspecies of largemouth bass, the northern strain is known to be easier to catch than the Florida strain. However, as most anglers now know, the Florida strain can grow to much larger sizes. The two subspecies have been known to interbreed. In fact, the current, 22-pound, 4 ounce co--world record caught by George Perry in southern Georgia more than 75 years ago was thought to be a northern/Florida hybrid. For years American Sport Fish, who supply fish for private pond owners throughout the South, bred Florida-strain bass for their clients, and even though they grew to large sizes, pond owners weren’t always thrilled because the fish were so tough (at times, seemingly impossible) to catch. So owners Barry Smith and Don Keller began a selective breeding program designed to improve catchability of fish. For 12 years they selectively bred two strains of bass, one a super-aggressive strain of northern bass that they now call the Gorilla bass. The other was a cross between the Gorilla bass and pure Florida Strain bass from females that grew to 13 pounds or more. They call this F! hybrid a Tiger bass. Per the company, the Tiger bass has incredible growth potential (15 as young as 8 years old have reached 15 pounds), and tend to be highly catchable. Interesting stuff! -- Steve Pennaz, NAFC Executive Director NAFC Social Media Editor Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:36:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2723 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2724/pennaz-post-fish-catchability-genetically-determined#Comments 0 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=94&ModuleID=464&ArticleID=2724 http://www.fishingclub.com/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2724&PortalID=0&TabID=94 http://www.fishingclub.com/features/blogs/articletype/articleview/articleid/2724/pennaz-post-fish-catchability-genetically-determined When you fish with a biologist like Dr. Hal Schramm, terms like “heritable” and “fecundity” tend to creep into the conversation. And that’s okay because he usually follows it up with an explanation using language I understand. Fecundity is a fancy term used to describe fertility…the quality or power to produce abundantly. No further explanation needed… Heritable is a bit tougher to explain, unless you listened in science class years back. Certain traits like eye color, height, hair, etc., are genetically pre-determined, and therefore are considered heritable. Old news? Yes, but the fact that fisheries scientists like Schramm are finding a fish’s catchability might be genetically predisposed is new!  The idea there may be distinct populations of fish, some easy to catch, others hard, is amazing. In his Research Update column for the February 2011 edition of North American Fisherman magazine, Dr. Schramm highlights a Missouri study that found catch rates of largemouth bass in pond declined with continued fishing. The same thing was found on remote rivers in New Zealand. Even limiting anglers to one day of fishing every two weeks “caused a significant decrease in the catch rates of brown trout and a significant increase in the wariness of brown trout to the presence of anglers,” write Schramm. The fact that fishing pressure shuts down a bite is not news to most anglers. You’ve seen it as have I, even in remote waters when the target is pike. But that’s when Dr. Schramm dropped the bomb. He highlighted the results of a long-term study (almost two decades in length) conducted by the Illinois Natural History Survey that showed catchability of a fish is an inherited trait! Adult bass in a small impoundment were fished for a summer. Each time a fish was caught it would be marked so it could be identified later. When the lake was drained, those bass that were marked (caught) multiple times were then stocked in a separate pond to spawn. The bass that were not caught at all (or caught infrequently) were stocked in a different pond, also to spawn. This process was repeated for three generations, after which the scientists found that the catch rate of “high vulnerability” fish remained consistently high while the catch rate of the “low vulnerability” fish declined with each generation! Does this apply to species other than largemouth bass? Science will need to confirm this, but an educated guess would be yes. A bigger question is this: has catch-&-release come back to bite us? The answer is a resounding NO! Catch & release actually helps keep more catchable fish in a population and the helps keep catch rates high than they otherwise would be. Cool stuff. -- Steve Pennaz, NAFC Executive Director NAFC Social Media Editor Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:41:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2724