Home charter fishing offers year round opportunities

The thing about this part of Louisiana is that you have access to fresh water, deep sea, and all areas in between when it comes to fishing. There is always something available for good fishing. You may be going after deep sea species one day and trolling for marsh species the next. Your charter captain can take you to some of the best fishing throughout Southern Louisiana. That is why going with a charter is your best bet if you are an angler. You can bring your own equipment or rent it from the charter company. It is your choice.

You experience deep sea or inland fishing when you try home charter fishing

This part of Louisiana is ripe with all sorts of fish. You can catch everything from shark to marlin in the deep waters. You may catch a form of catfish when fishing the marshes or the swamps. Plenty of other species inhabit the rich waters surrounding Houma. Your charter captain knows the best spots for taking the boat and sitting to wait for the fish to come to the line. For dedicated anglers, this is the best way to spend a day.

You can experience tournament fishing if you want

The Houma area is so rich with fish. They regularly hold tournaments and rodeos attracting anglers from around the country. If you decide to try your hand, you can compete. You can go out on home charter fishing and come back with a trophy fish. This makes angling even more fun for the dedicated professional as well as the new time beginner. You can have it all when you come to Houma, Louisiana and try your hand at fishing the many waters surrounding it.

Citations:

• Photo by worradmu

For more information on Home Charter Fishing and to find-out what all the buzz is about, you can read more here.

1.  Black Water River State Park

Despite its name, visitors can see straight to the bottom of Black Water River.  The river flows for over 56 miles and gets pretty large at some points, but the portion near the campgrounds rarely gets above a few feet, making it perfect for tubing, kayaking, and canoeing.  The campground is only about an hour’s drive from the Pensacola Airport, and has all the amenities you would expect, like water and electrical hook-ups.  There is also excellent hiking throughout the State Park, particularly on the Juniper Creek Trail.

2.  Falling Waters State Park

Hearing the expression “Florida’s highest waterfall” might elicit snickers from the uninitiated, but at 73 feet Falling Waters is no laughing matter.  The waterfall consists of flowing water that cascades down into a hundred foot natural sinkhole.  Only a short ways away there is also a beautiful lake, which is surrounded by a quite meadow and tall pine trees.  Camping is year round, and both the falls and lake are located within ten minutes hiking time from the grounds.

3.  St. Joseph’s Peninsula State Park

Access to St. Joseph’s Peninsula is restricted to recreational users such as fishermen, hikers and campers, meaning there is very little development.  Perhaps this is one reason why the beaches at this spot are frequently rated as some of the top in the U.S.  Adjacent to the beach is a 1,900 acre wilderness preserve, and the hike from the gulf to the bay is a great activity for those who are feeling a little adventurous.

4.  Hontoon Island State Park

How would you like to have your own private island for the night?  Located in Central Florida, Hontoon Island sits in the middle of the St. Johns River, and is accessible only via a short ferry ride.  Because RV’ers cannot access the island, it is generally very sparsely populated, even during peak months.  Those who stay overnight will be amazed at the beautiful views of the stars, and may well see deer, foxes, and perhaps even wild pigs.  There is excellent fishing available from the island’s boat docks.

5.  Lake Griffin State Park

The lush waters of Lake Griffin are filled with bass, bluegill, catfish, and speckled perch, making it an angler’s paradise.  The State Park also has one of the largest oak trees in the entire state of Florida, and it’s located only a short walk away from the campground.  Birdwatchers will love this location, as will those who have never before seen a wild alligator, as the lake has a very healthy population of the latter.

Florida has one of the best park systems in the country, making it a camping destination that will be worth visiting again and again.  The five State Parks listed here are all amazing, and definitely worth the trip.  For a breakdown of even more locations, try getting a free state park guide, available at most Florida Ranger Stations.

Stefan Georgi has spent many years living and camping in Florida.  He highly recommends using Eddie Bauer coupons to save money when buying camping gear.     

Firstly, it is important to understand why the term fly fishing is used. This fishing method used artificial flies that are cast with a rod and line. These flies come in different types, sizes, weights, colors and materials. The goal of the exercise is to match the type of fly to the insects that reside in the area in which one is fishing.

The key to being successful in fly fishing is knowing how to cast. Ideally, people will cast the line as opposed to the lure. Bait and lure fishing methods rely on the weight of the lures on the line to make an effective cast. This method cannot be used in fly fishing as artificial flies are too light to be cast.

In order to properly cast a fly fishing pole, the fisherman must hold it and sway it back and forth. This unreels the line in the process. These movements are commonly described as the 10 to 2. The numbers refer to a clock. In essence, the 10 to 2 will be approximately 45 degrees in front and back. Fishermen need to keep their casting rhythmic as improper casting will lead to the line becoming tangled. The average person will need to practice for several hours before they can master casting. Of course, it is easier to explain in text than to actually learn how to cast, best way to learn is to watch other fishermen do it.

When one thinks of fishing, they imagine a man sitting on a chair with a fishing rod. The image of a person heading out into the water their road rarely comes to mind. However, in fly fishing fishermen often go into the lakes or rivers to get closer to the fish. People who do this use boots called waders. These waders reach all the way up to the chest.

At the end of the day successful fly fishing is all about practice. People who are interested in this fishing method should get their gear and head out to a good fishing spot. After several hours of fly fishing beginners will start to get the hang of it. Most people will feel more experienced by their second time out.

Before your first fishing trip, you might want to read more articles on flyfishing, which can be found on fishing-village.com

There are many ways to enjoy fishing. The styles are as varied as the number of fishermen. One of the most common styles is also one of the easiest. This involves fishing using a hook line and sinker. By taking time to learn about the freshwater fishing basics using this technique, anglers can enjoy hours of fishing with very little investment. This technique is especially well suited when fishing for catfish.

The next fishing basic in this guide is to locate an appropriate place to fish. Many beginners find that small rivers and lakes provide a great place to fish for pan fish, including crappie and bluegill. These fish are especially fun to catch, especially when using light tackle. These little fish can put up a good fight. Pan fishing is enjoyable for adults, but especially exciting when teaching the kids freshwater fishing basics.

The approach for fishing for bluegill and crappie is very simple. The angler will want a light action fishing pole, approximately 5 1/2 feet in length. Many beginners prefer a spin casting or spinning reel. In addition, you will find many rod and reel combinations that are prematched and inexpensive.

Select small hooks and bobbers for this type of fishing. For bait, choose live worms and you are ready for an afternoon of fun. Toss the line out near, but not in brush and you should start to catch fish quickly. Adjust the bobber so that the hook sinks to the level where you feel the fish will be feeding for the day. If the hook is not where you feel it should be, add a split shot to the line.

Learning these freshwater fishing basics is the first step toward a hobby that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. As you become more advanced in the sport, you may want to add more equipment to your collection. You might also benefit from fishing with a more experienced angler that can show you more tricks of freshwater fishing.

This is the end of this simple guide to freshwater fishing, you might want to read more articles before beginning your exciting fishing journey.

Using Live Bait

Mud suckers, minnows, crawdads, and grasshoppers are cheap and easy to obtain for use as bait. Some fishermen prefer to use other live fish like bluegill or perch, but certain states have laws prohibiting this practice. One can use these types of bait rigged up to almost any set up, and fly-lining and the three-way swivel are quite popular with bass anglers. Live worms may also be used to lure in several varieties of bass, and there is an inexpensive worm blower on the market that allows anglers to inflate the worms, thus allowing them to float just above the bottom of the lake’s solid surface.

Soft Plastic Lures

Soft lures are reputed to be one of the most effective styles when it comes to fishing for large mouth bass species, but is useful in catching most bass. These are available in a variety of shapes, colors, sizes, and scents that are designed to attract fish. Many people enjoy using the Texas or Carolina rig, which use a sliding sinker, but each features their own behavior properties while in the water. Wacky-rigs and finesse rigs are great for catching fish near submerged structures, as these feature little to no action without guidance from the user.

Hard Plastic Lures

Topwater lures, such as these, will draw in dramatic strikes from most varieties of bass, and these are most effective in the warmer months when the fish are most active. However, some enthusiasts use hard lures with a slow retriever motion and enjoy a high level of success. Crankbaits are specialized types of hard lures, and they can be up to 15 inches in length. Some of these will float, while others suspend. Some of these baits are highly realistic in quality, and bass seem to really go for these quite aggressively.

Spinnerbaits and Jigs

Spinnerbait is by far one of the most popular lures for bass anglers, and they feature a jig-like head, a skirt, and ultimately connect to spinner blades. The use of different sizes of spinner blades helps fishing enthusiasts have more control over the depth of their bait. Most people find that running them in shallow to mid-level water to be most effective, but experts have the skills necessary to run them effectively deep during a slow troll.

Jigs feature a hook that possesses a built-in weight, and often, soft plastic trailers are added to increase their efficacy. Jigheads are extremely versatile, and other popular styles include horizontally compressed and football jigs. Vertical jigs imitate the vertical feeding frenzy that shad do while feeding, thus attracting bass; these are best used in winter months when bass are typically inactive.

Now that aspiring anglers have the low down on several common lures for bass fishing, they are ready to get out on one of the nation’s beautiful lakes to test their skills. Make sure to bring along a good assortment of lures, which will allow you to find the right one for different occasions and fishing conditions. Practice makes perfect, and this is certainly true in the realm of becoming a successful angler.

Tracey is an avid traveler, novice fisherman and editor for the Burnet County Tourism Office which promotes tourism in The Highland Lakes of Texas.