Hello everyone hopefully the 2016 fishing is going swimmingly. (sorry for the water pun) Today we're going to talk about one of the most common fish to inhabit north america. Blue gill. I will discuss the various types and related species. Blue gill are wide spread in almost all types of water bodies. From lakes and ponds to rivers and streams blue gill and their cousins can be found almost anywhere. Blue gill tend to be most peoples first fish because of how plentiful they are and how diverse their diet is. Blue gill like to eat about anythings they can fit into their mouths. From live baits like worms, bee moths, minnows, and night crawlers to artificial lures like small crank baits, small jigs, and fly style lures. However, as i stated previously they will eat almost anything you put in front of them and i have personally caught them with bits of hot dogs, pieces of cheese, little chunks of bread and once even the top off of a dandelion. Some cousins to the blue gill are red ear, and war mouth. (There are many more. Some variations only exist in certain geographical locations.)


So now that we have discussed what they eat, where they are, and how healthy their population is lets look at what to do with them once you have caught them. While these fish are not the largest (usually ranging between 6-12 inches with 10-12 being big enough to keep) they are some of the best tasting in my opinion and with a bag limit of 25 per person, per day these fish can make a great meal.

For more intricate baits, fishing methods, fish behaviors, and tackle needed for blue gill fishing check out http://www.premier-fishing-tips.com/big-bluegill.html

Happy spring everyone. The weather is finally warming up and with that the fish will start to become more active. For this weeks fish of the week we're going to look at a fish that is particularly easier to catch during warm weather; catfish. Catfish derive their name from the cat like whiskers that they have. These whiskers actually are for sensing movement in the water and less for appearance. There  are many different species of catfish such as blue, flat head, and channel catfish. (These are the common species native to the U.S.) Catfish are opportunistic hunters who will eat anything they stumble across. While they tend to look for things that are already dead, they will go after live food as well. Some live things could be crawdads, shrimp, small fish, frogs, and mice. (Mice sometimes fall into lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams.

Catfish can be on of the best fish to catch in my opinion. When caught from clean water and cooked properly they are great fried or baked fish. However, they are even more fun to catch. Catfish can grow very large as they get older both in length and weight. The Indiana state record for a blue catfish weighed in at a whopping 104 pounds! Now I don't want to get everyone's hopes up that they are going to catch a monster sized fish. That record was set in 1999 so it has been 17 years since a fish of that size has been recorded, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try for one! I personally know plenty of people who have caught catfish in the 30-50 pound range.

So now that I have everyone interested in catfish lets talk about how to catch them. Most of the time catfish will be towards the bottom of whatever body of water you are fishing so sinking your bait down to the bottom or just above it is the best place to be. What bait to use for catfish is widely disputed. Some people swear by dough baits (conglomerated balls of flour, oats, and flavorings) while other people feel that cut bait (cut up chunks of other fish) is the best bait. What bait you use will depend on what you have available and what is legal in your area. (Using other game fish for bait is prohibited in some places) Please refer to the wildlife management documentation provided via the federal government when making decisions about certain baits and fishing practices. (These can be found online and in sporting goods stores)

If you want more information about the specifics of catfish bait check out http://www.gameandfishmag.com/fishing/catfish/12-catfish-baits/

Hey everyone.
For our fish of the week I have chosen bass. Like last weeks post with crappie they are a great game fish (they can be a food fish but are not as good as crappie). Bass are predatory fish and tend to feed on younger bluegill, crappie, and other bass. They are regarded as one of the best north american sport fish because of there weight, fighting strength, and numerous numbers. Bass tend to live in and around cover such as; fallen trees, lily pads, underwater vegetation, and man made structure. Bass can be caught with various lures but traditionally by only one method. Most bass are caught on a moving lure; meaning one that is being reeled slowly towards the boat, dock, or bank. There are a great number of lures that will work such as; spinners, crank baits, jigs, soft plastics, and buzz baits. Color and style of bait tends to depend on water clarity and water temperature. Clear water equals darker lures and murky water equals lighter, louder lures. like wise warm water equals faster lures (as the fish are more active during warm weather) and colder water warrants slows lures (due to the fact that fish are slow and sluggish in cold water).

There are a number of different kinds of bass, but the most common are large mouth and small mouth bass. They are different in body structure, mouth size (obviously), color, and habitats. Large mouth bass tend to inhabit lakes are greenish in color and have very large mouths. Small mouth bass tend to inhabits certain lakes, rivers, and streams. Small mouth bass are brown in color and have smaller mouths. Here is an example.

If you want some more in depth bass tips and tricks check out http://www.tacticalbassin.com/

Fishing quote of the week: The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.