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THE BASICS OF CAMPING COOKWARE

2010-08-24T08:06:00.000-07:00

By: Issac Christian

Posted: 18th August 2010

To prepare campsite meals and feed yourself or family during your camping trip, at least some camping cook ware will be needed. Camping cook ware that is small in size and portable will make your camp cooking and packing for your trip less complicated. Backpackers who are camping will especially appreciate compact, portable camping cook ware. Camping cook ware can range from a simple single pot to a number of skillets and pots in different sizes that nest into each other for easy storage and transportation.

A main choice you will have when shopping for camping cook ware is the type of cook ware material. Aluminum, cast iron, titanium, and stainless steel are all available and each has their own merits. Aluminum, titanium and stainless steel cook ware sets will be lighter and easier to tote around. Aluminum camping cook ware sets may come in non-stick varieties, which will be slightly more expensive. Metal cook ware sets will all be prone to rusting, so be careful that your cooking pans are dry before you store them. Cast iron cook ware sets are especially durable, and can last you a lifetime with proper care. Because they are so sturdy, cast iron cook ware sets will be much heavier and harder to transport than cook ware sets made out of other materials.

Besides pots and pans, utensils and cutlery are other essential pieces of camping cook ware. Depending on what type of campfire foods you want to prepare, you may be able to get away with just a simple knife and spoon, or you may need a more elaborate utensil set including a spatula, measuring cups, tongs and forks. Folding utensil sets are available that allow for easy storage. If you are worried about storage space, a simple and cost effective solution is to purchase an all-purpose wooden spoon and saw off most of its handle, being careful of splinters from the sawed off end. Also, look for plastic cutlery sets including forks, spoons, and knives, for another cost saving way to find camping cook ware.

To minimize the need for lots of camping cook ware, there are a few camp cooking strategies you can follow. For example, much cooking preparation can be done ahead of time in your own kitchen. Vegetables can be chopped up and sauces can be prepared and stored in small containers or plastic bags. This allows you to leave behind the knives, cutting boards, stirring spoons, and other equipment that will take up room and need to be cleaned. Also, sticking to simple camp cooking recipes will allow you to reduce the number of camping cook ware pieces needed for your meal preparation. Aluminum foil cooking is a simple and easy method that creates hot, delicious dishes and the only cook ware needed is a roll of foil.

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Trout Fishing Made Simple and Easy

2010-08-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

You want to go trout fishing, but you do not have the simplest idea what to do. First of all, here's some good news: Anyone can do this sport, me, you, your next-door neighbor, and even your mother-in-law! But in order to obtain knowledge before you go find a body of water to fish in, you need a trout fishing guide.

Here's even more good news: this IS a trout fishing guide made especially for you, so there will be no need to look further. I'll try to tell you a few things I know about trout fishing, and I do my best to keep things as simple as possible, so here goes.

Before you go on your planned fishing trip, make sure you have all the proper documents and permits that will allow you to fish for trout. Carry them with you at all times! Don't forget them at home, or worse, lose them. Every place has its own rules that you have to be aware of. Know them by heart, if you must. You don't want to be sent home because you forgot to bring your fishing permit or didn't follow a rule. That would be such a bummer.

Once you're gotten hold of the proper permits and documents, make sure you have all the equipment you need. Prepare them a day before (or even days before, which I would personally suggest). Imagine driving all the way to the fishing spot you've chosen, getting ready to catch some trout, and then you realize you forgot to bring bait or that your fishing rod is broken. That would be such a complete waste of time, energy, and not to mention gasoline.

Another important point to keep in mind is that the location will greatly affect your chances of trout fishing successfully. Remember that trout thrive in cold waters, and that they like to hide under cover habitats such as logs, rocks and even plants.

Wear the appropriate clothing. Wear camouflage, even. This will help you blend in you your environment, making you less noticeable. If the climate is hot, wear light clothing. If it's cold, have more layers of clothes on. Here's another tip: wear green or blue. Trout are cannot recognize these two colors.

Most importantly, remember to be patient. Patience is a virtue, and as clich'd as it may sound, this holds true to trout fishing. Learn how to wait and you will definitely be rewarded. Also, and I always make it a point to tell this to all trout fishing beginners, avoid making unnecessary sounds and movement. We don't want to scare the trout away, do we?

I hope this trout fishing guide has helped you attain knowledge, which will in turn help you gain the appropriate skills and right attitude towards trout fishing. Keep in mind the things I just said and you'll be on your way to catching trout after trout after trout.

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Understanding Habits of Fish Article 2

2010-02-22T19:00:00.000-08:00

Reading Stream Basics For Trout & Salmon
Understanding how moving water shapes a stream channel and learning to recognize the resulting habitat types can improve your chances of finding trout. In good trout streams, the current creates a riffle-run-pool sequence that repeats along the course of the stream. A deep pool may hold big brown trout, but rainbows and smaller browns are more likely to be found in runs. Riffles hold only small trout during midday, but are important morning and evening feeding areas for bigger trout.
Most stream anglers know that water plunging over a falls will dig out a pool at the base. But many do not realize that the turbulence caused by the plunging water undercuts the base of the falls, forming a cave that makes one of the best feeding and resting stations in the stream.

An experienced stream angler can learn a great deal about a stream by walking its banks and “reading” the water. He observes current patterns, surface disturbances, coloration, changes in bottom type, as well as other clues that reveal trout and salmon hiding spots.

Current patterns pinpoint the location of rocks, logs or other underwater objects that shelter the fish from the moving water. Current pushing against a bank may indicate an undercut that offers cover. The seam between fast and slow current makes a good feeding station; trout hold in slower water waiting for food to drift by in faster water.

Novice anglers pass up any water where the surface is broken and ripply, mistakenly assuming it is too fast and shallow for trout. If you look carefully, this water may have slack-water pockets. A small pocket behind a rock might be home to a good sized trout, even though the water is a foot deep or less.

Bottom makeup also dictates where trout will be found. A section of stream with a sandy bottom generally supports fewer trout than a section with a rocky or gravelly bottom. Important trout foods, especially larval aquatic insects, thrive among rocks and gravel, but may be completely absent in the sand.

If possible, examine the stream from a high angle to get an idea of streambed contour and location of boulders, submerged logs, weed patches and other underwater objects. You can see most on a bright day when the sun is at its highest. Polarized sunglasses will remove the glare so you can see into the water.

Weather

When stream fishing, nothing is more important as the weather. It affects water clarity, temperature and water level of a stream, which largely determine where fish will be found and how they will bite.

One important factor is the rain. Trout often start to feed when the sky darkens before a storm. A light to moderate rain slightly clouds the water, washes terrestrial foods into the stream, and increases the flow, causing more immature aquatic insects to drift downstream. These changes make for great feeding conditions and good for fishing. A heavy rain, on the other hand, seems to turn fish off. If the downpour is prolonged, it will muddy the water so much that fish cannot see, and with rising water, they abandon their normal locations. As soon as the rain subsides and the muddy water begins to clear, the fishing action picks up.

Air temperature also has a dramatic effect on feeding. Trout and salmon feed heaviest at water temperatures from 55 deg. To 60 deg. F. On a typical stream, warm, sunny weather early or late in the season will drive the water temperature to that range by mid afternoon, triggering an insect hatch and starting a feeding spree. But in summer, the same type of weather warms the water too much by mid afternoon, so fishing is poor. Trout bite better in the morning or evening when the water turns cooler during the hot summer months.

In sunny weather, trout are extra-wary, seeking cover of boulders, logs or undercut banks. Cloudy weather makes trout become more aggressive and more willing to leave cover for food. Anadromous fish will migrate more under cloudy skies. Windy weather makes trout more aggressive. The wind blows insects into the stream and trout start feeding.

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Understanding Habits of Fish Part 1

2010-02-15T18:31:00.000-08:00

Ever hear that old saying “10 percent of fisherman end up catching 90 percent of the fish.” I don’t know of anyone who has ever proven this to be fact, but the assumption is that it could be close to the truth. Many anglers head home with nothing in their creel, and many of these fisherman have one thing in common: little knowledge if fish habits. The reason I’ll be covering this topic in the next few weeks is to help readers of my articles who love fishing but have trouble catching fish, join the 10 percent who end up catching most of the fish, most of the time.
To start catching fish, you must know where to find them. So the first two subjects in this article will cover location, and reading the water. Electronics will be the only subject not covered in the following articles. We want inexperienced anglers to start using their god given senses.

Location - Location - Location

Anglers who fish in one area often learn the best locations, such as under a fallen tree, undercut banks, tangle of submerged roots, or behind a certain big rock. These places often remain good hotspots because once a fish moves on or is caught and not returned to the water, another fish soon takes up residence in that same spot. Many of these fisherman have one disadvantage. When fishing in a new area they have no idea where to locate fish in the new location they’ve never been before.

Part of the battle to finding and catching fish for anglers in a new area is that obvious spots or honeyholes are not producing fish. There first thought is that the area has no fish in it. If the water is well oxygenated , decent cover, hatches, causations, or bait fish, most likely the quarry is there or close by. If a certain spot in the new area is not producing then move to a new spot. Keep looking for deep holes, heavy weeds, overhanging limbs, big rocks. Plan your casts and your angles to certain spots. Never give up on a new pond, lake, or stream. Think about where fish are located in that certain body of water. Where are the obvious food sources, and think like a fish, if you had predators all around where would you hide.

Locating fish by their habits is also important. Many anglers have no idea about a certain fish species requirements. After learning about fish requirements and taking that practice to the water, often you will find them by understanding their habits. Each species varies in its requirements, there’s five basic ones to consider, the urge to travel ( usually once a year ) to a suitable place to spawn. Fish need sufficient oxygen in the water they live in. Fish want water to be a comfortable temperature range. They want a place to rest or hide which gives the protection. For fish who live in streams they will seek areas in the stream where the flow is moderate without always fighting with the currents. Fish want abundant food nearby, or at least convenient enough so they can get to it with a minimum amout of effort.
When you consider these five basic location requirements, you can eliminate certain areas or water levels, and work on the areas where these five basic requirements are met.

Reading The Water

This method is the ability to read water. It is most important and one of the best because it can be applied anywhere. Reading the water is the instinctive ability to select good locations from the poor.

The average person likes temperatures between the 65 to 75 degree range. When it’s too hot we seek cooler temps. When too cold we look for warmer places to be. Even more than us fish are particular about water temperature, being sensitive to changes as small as a degree. Every fish species seeks its ideal temperature, but will tolerate somewhat of a wider range. Magazines such as Field & Stream and books about fishing have water temperature tables for individual fish species. Here we will show you the optimum temperatures for a few of the most popular fresh water fish.

Largemouth Bass                65 to 80 deg.
Smallmouth Bass               60 to 75 deg.
Muskellunge                     60 to 75 deg.
Shad                                    55 to 70 deg.
Yellow Perch                      60 to 75 deg.
Walleyed Pike                    55 to 70 deg.
Striped Bass                     56 to 73 deg.
Lake Trout                        40 to 50 deg.
Coho Salmon                   45 to 61 deg.

Chinook Salmon             50 to 66 deg.
Brook Trout                     48 to 68 deg.
Rainbow Trout                48 to 68 deg.
Brown Trout                   48 to 70 deg.
Crappies                        60 to 75 deg.
Northern Pike               60 to 75 deg.
Cutthroat Trout            48 to 68 deg.
Landlocked Salmon      40 to 55 deg.
Cutthroat Trout            48 to 68 deg.

People do not like strong winds, so they try to walk or stand where they are protected. Fish like people dislike strong currents, so they will rest in areas in moderate or broken flow. So what is moderate flow? An easy way to determine the difference from fast to moderate flow is to stand facing downstream in the fast water of a stream. Put your hand in the water on either side of your boot and you’ll notice the flow of water will be equal in strength to the current. Put your hand in front or behind your boot, you will find a more moderate current. Any obstruction in a stream such as a dead fallen tree, rock, jutting ledge, will produce the same results but at a much larger degree. Fish like to hang in these areas of moderate flow where they do not have to constantly battle the current. Fish in the current are usually on the move or feeding at certain times of the day. Trout leave their havens at certain times such as dawn or dusk for food, often in tail water or riffles.

Lakes and ponds are much different than streams and present different methods in locating fish by reading the water. Fish in lakes and ponds spend most of their time at levels where water temperatures suit them. Usually the temperature level near sides of lakes, islands, or submerged ridges or reefs. From these places, they travel to feeding areas in shallower water or rocky shorelines. Lily pad areas or similar places of abundant grasses or vegetation. Fish travel to feeding areas can be predicted. The routes they take, and the depths. When the five requirements mentioned above are met it can be predictable as to where to find the fish.

When the long summer days heat up the water, you can bet you’ll find fish at greater depths. Fish congregate along food lanes in a pond or lake, so do the birds such as gulls, they tell anglers that baitfish are below and if baitfish are there most likely the gamefish are there or not far behind. Also look for dimples in the water or rings. Fish are rising to feed and it’s a good chance some good size fish are lurking below.

As we cover more about angling in following articles, more will be discussed in reading water as well as other subjects that go hand in hand.

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Relax Spring Is Coming Soon!

2010-02-14T00:30:00.000-08:00

Yes spring is just around the corner. Time to get out that fishing, camping, golf, paddling gear, or what ever it is you do come the warmer weather. The winter has as always been a real drag and you don't have to tell the folks in the Mid Atlantic States. So make yourself feel better before ole man winter releases his grip. Get out those fishing lures, tents, paddles, bats, gloves, or tennis rackets. Might make you feel better.

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Contractors You Can Generate Your Own Leads Free.

2010-02-12T07:40:00.000-08:00

Contractor Leads

Being a professional home improvement contractor since the late 1980’s I’ve been pretty successful over the years in my chosen field. I have had new business clients and repeat customers and have a great reputation in my area.

Five years ago a was browsing on the internet when I came across a company claiming that they could sell me qualified home improvement leads in my area. As I read on it sounded so promising, less time in the office, and finding new work. They supplied the leads and all I had to do was sell myself which I was always good at, and what every good businessman should be able to do. So I figured I’d expand the business and in time add on another skilled carpenter and a laborer. I signed on with the lead company, submitted my insurance and license documents and was ready to roll. Well the so called leads came by email, and I might of well just took a match and burned my own money to ashes.

Convinced I got mixed up with one bad apple out of the bunch I tried two more internet contractor lead companies and they were just as bad if not worst than the first. If you are a pro contractor such as a plumber, electrician, carpenter, flooring specialist, handyman, or whatever you probably know what I am talking about and have had some involvement with such online contractor lead companies. If not beware!

You may of heard about such online contractor lead companies such as Contractor Deal, Bid Clerk, Service Magic, 1-800 Contractor, and so many more. In the past few years so many of these companies have infested the internet that it boggles the mind. Their MO is all the same. Outdated leads, leads where the address does not even exist, and the phone numbers are disconnected or wrong number. Calling on a lead to arrange a meeting and that person telling you they never called for contractor estimates or even heard of the company that referred you to them. Oh and here is a good one… You just receive a lead and instructed to meet the potential client at a certain day and time, no phone # is listed, only name and address. You call the lead company and they say the lead prefers not to receive calls, that’s why there is a set date and time to meet. You set out to meet on the scheduled time only to be told by the potential client that they had already hired someone or decided to scrap the project. They also may tell you they never scheduled such a meeting. Should I go on? You get what I am driving at.

Depending on the size of the project these leads can be from $25 up to $250 or more. To make matters worse these lead companies will sell the same lead to 10 different contractors or more! Though they claim no more than 3. I found that to be a total falsehood. After handing out thousands of dollars to these companies with scant results I decided to scrap the whole idea of lead companies altogether. On average for every 16 leads I received, only 2 that are any good. To break it down in round numbers we’ll say $50 a lead times 16 leads that’s $800. 2 good leads and then competing with up to 6 to 10 other contractors for the job. On average a $50 lead (if you win the bid) job cost including materials is around $1,500. Such a deal! So in essence it’s costing you $800 to compete with several contractors for two jobs.

If you are thinking about going on with a contractor lead company or already with one, then here you can learn about a better way to get all the newest and qualified leads you’ll ever need and the leads are FREE. Since I learned of this and put it into effect my business has been as good as ever, even in these tough economic times. My phone is always ringing and I am picking up new customers almost everyday and closing on 1 of every 3 jobs I look at. Why play the game with these lead companies and waste your money on worthless leads they supply for too much money. You have the power to generate your own at no cost. Click on the link and learn how to get the free qualified leads for your service business today.

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Lets Teach Our Young Ones To Hunt Not Poach

2010-02-10T10:15:00.000-08:00

A father and son team are facing charges in Vermont after being involved in deer hunting poaching in the state of New York, according to he Vermont Fish & Game Wildlife Department.
Nicholas Baker, Sr, and his son Nicholas Baker Jr., were arrested by officials in December of 2009 after they illegally killed two deer in New York and brought them back into Vermont.
After game wardens on an anonymous tip heard of the activities, they went to the Baker residence where they discovered blood on the vehicle parked outside the residence. During the investigation the wardens discovered two partially butchered deer in the basement.
Both father and son were arrested for illegal possession of big game in Vermont, and they will also face additional charges for illegal importation of wildlife in the state of Vermont. For free tips, stratagies, and info. Go to: http://wldtky44.com/

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A Troubled Little Blue Planet

2010-01-09T15:17:00.000-08:00

Our little blue planet called Earth is dying. Its atmosphere has more toxins in it today than in its whole history combined. (Disregard natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, and flying objects from space.) The mighty oceans have as much junk in them as the atmosphere, and our fresh water supplies are dwindling and dirty. Real trouble is within sight for little blue.
What is to blame for the poisoning of this unique little blue planet? Human beings are the culprit that’s who. Everyone of us is to blame for the wonton destruction of our only home in the cosmos and I see very few really care enough to demand change. Some say or think that it matters nothing to them because they’ll be long gone by the time earth is so messed up. Such ignorant foolishness you sometimes can’t believe what you are hearing. May the almighty have mercy on them.

Earth is estimated to be over 4.5 billions years old. “Halfway through its existence according to many scientist” Modern humans have lived on earth 100,000 years, (give or take) If you think about that for a moment figure time length of earths age as a clock with the minute hand going around once, “60 minutes” and call that 4.5 billion years. Human time on the clock would turn out to be a one second tick or less. That’s it! We have not been on this planet all that long when you compare our time here to earths long history.

As a species we have caused more damage than could be imagined in such little amount of time. The majority of damage we have caused started in the beginning of the industrial revolution right to today. What the future holds at the present rate looks something like this. By 2020, or sooner, long gas lines will appear at the pump. Remember the fuel crises back in the 1970’s? You either waited in a line for hours and later had to fuel up on odd - even days determined by the last digit on your license plate. At today’s rate of consumption there will be lines unimaginable. Violence will certainly erupt and fingers will be pointed. Soon greed will take place, riots will begin, and many will certainly die. There will be no end to it until the gasoline eventually runs out or can’t be reached without spending billions for a few barrels.

All the easy to get oil has been tapped, and now it’s harder to produce because the deeper into the earths crust we must go and that’s becoming way too expensive. It’s happening right now as we speak. Water that is now cheap and taken for granted will become expensive and very little of it. People will not have enough clean water to drink. There is not enough to drink now so what’s down the road. Plants to remove salt from sea water are a good idea but costly. Still it would be a worthwhile investment and a reasonable option.

Greenhouse gases are warming the planet and in the next 100 years oceans will rise 4 to 6 feet inundating major coastal cities around the world. Say adios to New York, London, Tokyo, Miami, and hundreds more. It would cost in the trillions to build massive sea walls to save these cities. Hundreds of times more than it would cost to do what must be done today. All this because the glaziers and polar ice caps have melted away thanks to the tons of emissions pumped in our atmosphere everyday from fossil fuels. Drought, famine, and disease, as well as the collapse of governments around the world including the United States Government. We could go on and on with what can happen but you should get the picture.

Not in our neighborhood! That’s the cry you hear from many people when they find out that there’s an idea to build a solar power plant or wind farm in their area. The main excuses are that they are unsightly and take up too much space. Well so to do junkyards, landfills, abandoned neighborhoods in such cities like Detroit but you hear little whining about all that. Attitudes must change and renewable energy must be embraced for the good of us all and our planet. We and all living things on this world are close to going over the edge, and the edge is in sight. We have not given ourselves much of a choice.

We have to put aside our petty differences and get this right and we must move fast. Without a doubt time has nearly run out. Join the cause to help save our planet. Sacrifices must be made but they won’t hurt. Instead of buying the latest fashionable shoes, another bottle of booze, or that long shot lottery ticket, how about donating that few extra bucks once in a while to research and development of renewable energy such as geothermal energy, solar energy, wind power, or biomass fuels.

The human population on Earth today is well over 6 billion people. At the present growth rate by 2050 that figure will reach close to 10 billion. We can not even properly feed the people in the world today so how in gods name are we ever going to feed a near 10 billion in thirty to forty years from now. Population must be checked and it’s growth must be slowed considerably. This little blue planet can not support so many of one species. Incentives must be made throughout the world by governments and churches to encourage families to have fewer children. Programs must be enacted and carried out. Gone should be the days of prosper and multiply. Prosper YES multiply NO.
If the world population is allowed to grow uncontrollably then no matter how much we try to stabilize our environment sickness and starvation will be a fact. There is just not enough room and colonization on another planet like ours is in the long distant future if at all. These are the scenarios seen if we all don’t commit to change. Being an optimist in the faith of human ingenuity, common sense, and gods will, we will clean up this planet, check our population rate, and live healthy, happy, prosperous lives. The sands in the hour glass have nearly run out and we must turn it back over. It all depends on us to save our little blue planet.

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Ice Fishing Contests

2010-01-08T10:34:00.000-08:00

Ice fishing contests offer prizes for the largest fish caught within a limited time period, many offer a prize for the biggest fish caught as well. In Michigan, USA, "Tip-Up Town, USA" can bring 40,000 people out onto Houghton Lake for festivities which include ice fishing, snowmobiling, snow sculpting and fireworks. In Wisconsin the Bass Lake Ice Fishing Contest is an annual ice fishing contest held each February with a prize payout of over $50,000 and 100% of the proceeds are donated to charity.
Forest Lake, MN is host to a contest which was once regarded as the largest ice fishing contest in the world. In its heyday, 12,000 anglers would compete for trucks, boats and at one point even $100,000 cash prize. In 2008 Forest Lake's newest contest called Fishapalooza, paid out over $185,000 in cash and prizes and raised over $30,000 for local charities.
The current world's largest contest is held on Gull Lake, north of Brainerd, MN, in January of each year. The contest has over 15,000 anglers and drills over 20,000 holes for the contest.
In Finland, ice fishing contests have been marred by repeated scandals, where both contestants and organizers have been caught cheating. Contestants have smuggled previously caught and frozen fish with them. Organizers have awarded the prizes to shills, not really participating in the competition, to avoid paying prizes.

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The Beginnings of Skiing

2010-01-07T08:05:00.000-08:00

Pre-historic Nordic people and Samis invented skiing to assist hunting, military maneuvers, and as transportation for themselves. The oldest and most accurately documented evidence of skiing origins is found in modern day Norway and Sweden. The earliest primitive carvings circa 5000 B.C. depict a skier with one pole, located in the Nordland region of Norway.
The first anceint ski was found in a peat bog in Hoting, Sweden which dates back to 2500 or 4500 B.C. Joel Berglund reported in 2004 the discovery of a primitive ski, or "85cm long piece of wood", carbon tested by researchers in 1997 while excavating a Norse settlement near Nanortalik, Greenland. The primitive ski dated back to 1010, and is thought to be Greenland's oldest ski brought by Norsemen circa 980 A.D.
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Ice Fishing Dangers

2010-01-06T07:02:00.000-08:00

Many fishermen will go out with 2.5 inches of good ice for walking, but the recommended is 4 inches, 5–6 inches for Sleds (Snow Machines, Snowmobiles) 7–12 for light cars and 14–16 inches for full sized trucks. Care must be taken, because sometimes ice will not form in areas with swift currents, leaving open areas which freeze with much thinner ice. On the Great Lakes, off-shore winds can break off miles-wide pans of ice stranding large numbers of fishermen. Just such a circumstance occurred in Lake Erie in February '09, with 100 fisherman having to be rescued by helicopters, local authorities and the Coast Guard, and one man who'd fallen into the water dying on the rescue flight.

Late-winter warm spells can destroy the texture of the ice, which, while still of the required thickness, will not adequately support weight. It is called "rotten ice" or soft ice and is exceedingly dangerous. Some ice-fishermen will continue to fish, since even with the bad ice normally 8 inches is more than enough. Fisherman may carry a self-rescue device made of two spiked handles connected by a string to pull themselves out of the water and onto the ice.
Many cars, trucks, SUVs, snowmobiles, and fish houses fall through the ice each year. Current environmental regulations require the speedy recovery of the vehicle or structure in this situation. Divers must be hired, and when the trouble occurs far from shore, helicopters may be employed for hoisting.
Other risks associated with ice fishing include carbon monoxide poisoning from fish house heaters and frostbite due to prolonged exposure to wind and low temperatures, although most new houses are fitted with air exchange systems that allow air flow preventing poisoning. http://wldtky44.com
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Modern Ice Fishing Today

2010-01-05T14:13:00.000-08:00

Ice fishing methods have changed very much over the past 20 years. The name of the game today is mobility, for today’s ice fishermen. The days of drilling one hole and hoping a fish will swim by, are starting to fade.
With sonar and fast augers the majority fisherman will drill upwards of 100 holes in a single day, in the search for fish. When the fish stop biting, fishermen will move to the next hole check it with their sonar, and if there are no fish they keep moving till more fish are found.
Mobility increases the catch of any ice fishermen because you move to where the fish are. This is the same concept practiced by summer fishermen.

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Madison River Recovered From Whirling Disease

2010-01-04T13:07:00.000-08:00

Madison River Recovered From Whirling Disease Montana

Rainbow trout are on the comeback on the Madison River the world-class fishing stream where Montana's first known outbreak of whirling disease happened about 16 years ago, nearly destroying the rainbow trout living in the river.

In the 1990s, whirling disease cut the rainbow trout population by 90 percent compared to levels taken in the 1960's and 1970's. After a series of rebounding years rainbows under 10 inches have pretty well recovered to levels before the outbreak and the population of larger trout is about 60 percent of what it was before the disease, said Dick Vincent former whirling disease coordinator for the Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks.
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Skiers Did You Know

2010-01-03T14:17:00.000-08:00

Most skiers know, scratches and gouges impair maneuverability of skies. You can easily repair a small gouge in the plastic base of a downhill ski by using a polyethylene repair candle and a soldering iron or propane torch. However, if your skies have deep gouges that penetrate the core, have them fixed ar a ski repair shop.

Using a knife or old screw driver, remove all traces of wax and dirt. Then carefully heat the area around the gouge by passing a soft torch flame over it or by holding a soldering iron close to the area.

Once the plastic around the gouge is soft, use a torch or soldering iron to melt a polyethylene repair candle. Fill the gouge with candle drippings while keeping the whole area warm. Slightly overfill the gouge. Let the material cool and harden; use a flexible putty knife to scrape the patch flush with the base.
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Careful on the ice

2010-01-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

The ponds are freezing up. Ice fisherman, hockey players, and casual ice skaters are all heading out to enjoy the ice. Before heading out be sure the ice is safe. It is not worth taking chances so if you have the slightest doubt then trust your instincts. Make 2010 a safe year.
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Lost & Hungry? Fish with Junk

2009-09-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

A little flash, a little wiggle, or a shape that somewhat resembles bait is often all you need to catch fish. Emergency fishing lures can be made from just about anything you have on you. Yarn wrapped around the shank of a hook makes a pretty decent nymph. Wrap a wad of tinfoil around your hook, then mold it so it will resemble a minnow. Cut a piece of cloth or leather into a shape of a leech, frog, or crayfish. Thread a wine cork onto a long-shank hook for a popper. Need a few sinkers? Use nuts and bolts, and washers. Need a hook? How about bending a safety pin.
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Take Down Those Dams

2009-09-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

It is my opinion that deserted dams once used to generate power and no longer in use should be demolished to let the stream run it's natural coarse. This will help water quality and allow normal fish migration.
The trout streams throughout North America especially in the east are struggling enough with pollutants and mans infringement. Opening up the natural flows on these waterways would not only help wildlife but us ourselves. Heck I know there is so much to be done and allot of dams have been taken down in the last several years but there are so many more to go.
In these hard economic times where most folks are struggling along money for these projects are scarce today.
I have discussed this with many fisherman and kayakers and many agree we have dropped the ball on this subject and other environmental issues. Perhaps if we can get out of these rough times and have the money to fix this problem with abandoned dams and other issues we will have the fortitude and smarts to start saving our planet. It is the only place we have.

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