It’s obvious that technology has had an enormous impact on how we function these days and the same holds true in the world of fishing; more specifically I’m referring to the use of sonar and how it applies to the fishermen. When I started fishing in my high-school years, sonar was something that had military
READ MOREI know a lot of people aren’t excited about the cold temperatures, but the “walk on water” gang has welcomed the arrival of winter and the ice-covered lakes. Judging from the 75 plus ice-fishermen prying the depths with jigging rods and tip-ups where I was located; this past weekend was the grand opening of the
READ MOREMy wife and I spent the better part of a day at Cabela’s the week before Christmas, and trust me, I was never overtaken by boredom. Needless to say, I spent a good bit of my time wandering the seemingly endless aisles of fishing lures and fishing equipment. I probably don’t have to tell you
READ MOREI recently came across an interesting story in an outdoor publication; a guy at hunting camp killed a deer in the morning and then when out and caught some trout later in the day. Certainly not an impossible task but it surely is a fairly rare occurrence. I suspect it’s rare because trout fishing is
READ MOREI know, there are a lot of people who don’t want to hear about the lakes freezing over because that means bitter cold days, snow that needs to be shoveled, windshields that need to be cleaned, and a whole lot more that comes with winter. To the “walk-on-water crowd” however, the freezing temperatures mean it
READ MOREI must admit that I do not pursue walleyes with the same dedication that I have for trout, bass or even panfish but I do enjoy some dedicated walleye fishing on occasion. In previous years I would often travel to various locations in Canada just for the opportunity to catch walleyes and many of those
READ MOREWe fishermen talk a lot about catching all kinds of fish including trout, bass, walleyes, crappies, bluegills and even catfish but we don’t often hear of anyone going out to specifically target yellow perch. Like a lot of other lake fishermen who pursue panfish, we will catch our share of perch while chasing after other
READ MOREYou can obviously take the title of this story a couple of different ways, but the first thought is probably the temperatures hovering around the 90-degree mark — that definitely makes for some hot fishing. Hats, sunglasses, sunscreen and cold drinks help make the heat more tolerable. Admittedly these recent hot, sunny summer days have
READ MOREI’d be the first to admit, and I don’t have all the answers when it comes to bass fishing. I’ve had my share of great days on the water, but I have also had some less than stellar days. I tend to approach river bass fishing a bit different than my approach to bass fishing
READ MOREWe seem to be hearing that phrase a lot these days, “It’s not fair.” I even hear that same suggestion in the world of hunting and fishing. Let me explain. I recently read something in an outdoor publication that I find kind of annoying. In a letter to the editor, the writer said it wasn’t
READ MOREMy reference to “heavy metal” here is not about that so-called “music” that I occasionally come across as I’m searching for something worth listening to on the radio. No, I’m actually referring to metal fishing lures, which at one time was a mainstay of the fishing lure business. While metal is still used in many
READ MOREBelieve me; I’m not suggesting that anyone have a bad or crappy time but rather now is the time to begin your search for some good crappie fishing. I know it’s the beginning of trout season, and I have been putting my share of time on the trout streams as well, but I’ve also been
READ MOREOver the past couple of weeks, I’ve been writing about how one might go about increasing their fish catching opportunities. Being willing to target a variety of fish species is one way to increase your catch rate, and using a variety of equipment will also add to your numbers. Another possibility I would like to
READ MOREI’ve mentioned before that I am one of North Central PA’s biggest fans. It’s true. Seriously folks. What’s not to love about the 570? This place is just splendid, and our beautiful area is the perfect backdrop for an outdoor enthusiast like me. Yes. I absolutely dig everything about her, and I am still patiently
READ MOREIn last week’s piece, I mentioned that versatility was a key to catching more fish. In fact, the whole point was that the more different species of fish you were willing to pursue the better your chances of hooking up — literally. I would like to continue that theme of versatility but with a different
READ MORETo be honest, I haven’t fished the opening day of trout season for many years. It wasn’t always that way though; when I was a young fellow in the 60s, I wouldn’t have missed the first day for anything. Most of my first days were spent on Sinnemahoning Creek using Mike’s Lucky Seven salmon eggs.
READ MOREThe opening day of trout season is still a month away — April 14th here in our part of the state — and a couple of weeks until the trout opener in the southern part of the state on March 31st. With the openers still that far out, why would I be ready to give
READ MORENo, this is not going to be a story about one of my favorite socks, but it is a piece about one of my favorite trout streams — the Loyalsock Creek. My wife and I left DuBois, PA following our wedding and our next stop that evening was just beyond Williamsport. I remember telling her
READ MOREIt’s probably no secret that I am not on the cutting edge of today’s technology; after all, I still think “tweeting” is something a bird does when it’s happy. I have graduated from a flip phone to a “smartphone” although I get the impression that my phone is not as smart as some of the
READ MOREAs a hard water angler, one of the questions I am most often asked is, “Do you ever actually catch any fish?” The answer is a resounding, “Yes! Lots of fish.” The second question is usually, “What kind of fish do you catch?” My answer is, “All kinds of fish, but I most often target
READ MOREI guess the first question that many of my friends and acquaintances ask me is, “Why would anybody want to become one of the Frozen Chosen?” Believe it or not, the number of people who opt to walk the hard water in search of fish is actually increasing. Over the past couple of weeks, my
READ MOREWith the hunting seasons winding down, it’s time to start concentrating on fishing again. A lot of people are probably saying fishing season is a long way off and fish don’t eat during those long, cold days when lakes are covered in a layer of ice, but nothing could be further from the truth. In
READ MOREIt is doubtful you’ve ever fished for or eaten butterfish. Butterfish are a thin, deep-bodied ocean fish that travel in large schools, typically offshore. These small, silvery species are a favorite food source for large game fish and are favorite bait for anglers in pursuit of tuna. I have also known anglers who were fishing
READ MOREFor the majority of area residents, fishing means hiking the mountains for native brook trout, spending time on nearby farm ponds trying to catch bass, or sunfish or matching wits with the various species of fish in the Susquehanna River. A trip to the shore to fish for the numerous kinds of saltwater fish is
READ MOREBarracuda, great, Sphyraena barracuda, occur in all tropical seas, except the East Pacific, and are known by the common names of cuda, sea pike, and giant sea pike. They are quite common from Florida to Brazil. There are also Guinean, Mexican, and Pacific barracuda. Great barracuda are one of the largest of the barracudas and
READ MOREFish long enough and you’ll experience nature in a variety of ways — unfamiliar, unexpected, and unbelievable. The osprey we found in the Chesapeake Bay couldn’t get out of the water; its sodden feathers restricted flight. It was desperate. I’m not sure to what extent an osprey’s brain functions, but that bird had to be
READ MOREAll of the schools are now out for summer, please drive with extra caution. There are a lot of young folks on bikes, skateboards and yes, driving the roads all hours of the day. Watch out for that child darting out from between two parked vehicles. If you see a ball come into your line
READ MORE