Featured Reviews

One component of fishing that can make a huge difference in everything from angler fatigue to hook up ratio, having the ability to present a bait properly, casting distance and accuracy as well as myriad other concerns is a good, balanced rod. Yes, the stick you’re using can, depending on which one you’re throwing, either… [Continue Reading]

Daiwa Kage Rod Review

Daiwa introduced their Tatula series of reels several years ago beginning with the original Tatula 100 and 100 Type R. We’ve had every major version update since then including the CT Type R and the SV. We obtained the new Tatula 100 some time last year and have been fishing with it ever since.

There are times when big topwater walking baits are key to getting bites while other situations may call for something a little less boisterous. One bait that you can use that still has a decent length to it but presents itself with more subtlety is the Berkley Drift Walker. This bait comes in ten colors… [Continue Reading]

Cold Weather Gear Every Fisherman Needs This Winter

December 9, 2011 by ·

I went out to the river the other day, and one thing was clear—it was cold! Since we are only in early December, things are only going to get colder.

For me, staying warm is a critical part of having a good fishing trip in the winter time. I can’t tell you just how bad I can’t stand being cold. The right gear makes all the difference, and this is the gear I use.

Columbia Air-Beware Omni-Heat Jacket

Great outerwear is crucial.

Columbia has been around forever, and has always delivered some of the best in quality outerwear. Not only is their gear functional, but it looks nice too, and there’s nothing wrong with getting a few good style points.

[cjwizard],,,,,,,,,10213917-1822548,,,[/cjwizard]

Under Armour Cold Gear Shirt And Leggings

Think of these two products as super advanced long john’s.

They take the idea of long underwear to the next level. On top of offering a layer of warmth, they are also constructed of moisture wicking fabric to help keep you dry.

The main reason you will always find me wearing Under Armour underneath my waders when I’m out fly fishing is because they are not bulky, and they won’t restrict your movement. I want to be warm and cozy, but I also need to be able to move so I can wade to the best spots, and cast naturally.

Under Armour let’s me do all of that.

[cjwizard],,,,,,,,,102574-1374693,,,[/cjwizard]

[cjwizard],,,,,,,,,102587-1374699,,,[/cjwizard]

Columbia Ear Flap Cap

There is nothing worse than when the cold starts biting at your ears. You have to keep those guys cozy.

While you’re at it, you might as well spread the warmth to the rest of your dome as well! That’s why I have fallen in love with this Chunky Ear Flap Cap from Columbia. It keeps me warm, protects the ears from the wind, and looks nice too.

If you only had one thing to keep your head warm, this would be the best choice.

[cjwizard],,,,,,,,,10221795-1622803,,,[/cjwizard]

Redhead Cascade Convertible Gloves

Keeping the hands warm can be a puzzle, because you need mobility in your fingers to cast, retrieve, and grab your fish.

These gloves from Redhead solve the problem. Really, they are fingerless gloves, but they have a mitten type attachment that you can move over your fingers when you need them.

These are a must have if you are out on a boat!

[cjwizard],,,,,,,,,10208711-1619630,,,[/cjwizard]

Stay Warm And Stay On The Fish

Those are my top picks for keeping you toasty and comfortable while you are out on the water this winter. Don’t let a little frost or a cold front keep you from some killer fishing.

Bundle up right, and you will find you are probably the only one out on the water—and it doesn’t get better than that!

See ya on the water…

 

Filed Under: Tackle Reviews · Tagged: ,

Strike King Red Eye Shad

December 5, 2011 by ·

We’ve talked about lipless crankbaits in the past but haven’t done a complete review of today’s subject, the Strike King Red Eye Shad in the 1/4 ounce size. I know that there are plenty of folks out there who are used to using the 1/2 ounce but this is something that you might want to give a go. It is smaller than the original but not by as much as you would think. The 1/2 is 2.5 inches in length while the 1/4 is 2.25. Only a 1/4 inch difference but in profile, especially when the bass are keying on smaller bait, this is a substantial difference. However, not as important to its action as the fact that it weighs half what its larger sibling does!

You can put this bait out there easily for distance with casting gear and due to its relatively light weight, control its position in the water column by either adjusting your retrieve or your choice of line size. In my opinion, this is the single most important factor in our success with this bait as it is what influences the other attributes the most. The baits that we obtained have all run true out of the package as well as all of them having a very consistent action.

While some of the other baits in this class tend to dig down on you, the Red Eye Shad is easier to control horizontally. Another quality of this lure is that the action does not stop when you pause your retrieve. Even on the fall, this bait displays a nice tight wiggle so that when the angler is employing a stop and go, yo-yo type retrieve, you can rest assured that this little crank is still fluttering.

For this review, we chose the rattling version although there is a silent alternative. We did this to see how it performed against other baits in this class which almost all have rattles. The Strike King’s pitch would be considered a mid-range tone. I know that this varies from one manufacturer to the next and can, when the going gets tough, make the difference between getting bit or not. In our time with this lure, we didn’t have any outings where this proved to be a noticeable negative when going head to head with its competitors nor did it necessarily pan out as a shining positive. Really, it didn’t seem to have much of an impact at all.

In my opinion, the attributes that most influenced the bass to hit this bait are its action and ability to remain in the strike zone as well as the proven colors that are available. While the running angle of some other offerings are considerably more nose down, the Red Eye Shad has a slight nose down angle on the retrieve. This may also account for the fact that keeping it running horizontally in the water column isn’t as difficult as when using either heavier lipless cranks or some of its competitors. Either way, Strike King has struck a good balance between size, weight and ease of use for this lure.

One of the things that we noticed is that the paint on the Red Eye is not the most durable out there. Our test baits sustained damage after having caught several fish on them. Of course with this type of lure, the bass tend to mouth the entire package when they hit it. None the less, we would like to see a more robust clear coat in the future. Not that this has made much of a difference in terms of fish being willing to hit the lure. As tends to be the case with reaction type baits, the fish are not really scrutinizing them closely when they hit!

All in all, we’ve been very pleased with this smaller Red Eye Shad. This is a bait that both the novice and experienced angler can use effectively for a good part of the season. Its size lends itself very well to a lot of different situations and it is fairly versatile in terms of where in the water column it can be fished. The angler can employ several different retrieves based on what the fish are wanting and there are color patterns that will mimic most prevalent forage where ever you chose to fish. Add to that a reasonable retail price of about $5 each and you have a lure design that is a good all around value.

If you’ve been thinking about adding smaller lipless cranks to your arsenal or if you’re just getting started fishing this style of bait, this is one that deserves a thorough inspection.

Strike King Red Eye Shad
Overall Ratingwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
Reasonable price for a solid bait

See ya’ on the water …

[cjwizard],,,,,,,,,90485-1739270,,,[/cjwizard][cjwizard],,,,,,,,,102877-1531412,,,[/cjwizard][cjwizard],,,,,,,,,10203165-1531486,,,[/cjwizard]

Filed Under: Tackle Reviews · Tagged: ,

How To Get Ready For Trout Season

November 28, 2011 by ·

It seems as though 2011 has gone by in a blink here at MVF. With all the scheduling that we do as far as testing new gear and getting everything else ready, sometimes things just slip up on you without any forewarning. Such is the case right now. We have been so focused on the changing seasons and getting those lures out that we are testing for cold water bassin’  that it didn’t even occur to me that here in So-Cal, trout season has already begun. What made me aware of it was simply the fact that on my last couple of trips, I managed, on accident, to catch a couple on bass lures!

Yes, this has happened in the past but I can’t remember a time where I was so utterly oblivious to the fact that our local lakes were in the process of stocking. So with that in mind, and my young daughters pleading with me to take them, we got the trout rigs ready to go for the season. Yes, they both chipped in and gave me a hand getting the gear ready.

We have gone over the process we like to use to get our panfish rigs ready for trout season but some of you may not have gone that far back in the archives. So I figured I might as well go over it again since it really is a fairly simple thing to do and if you have children that will be joining you on your fishing trips, in my opinion, they should learn how to maintain your gear so that they have a greater appreciation for the sport in general.

We started the day by stripping the line off of all the spinning reels. I like to use 4 pound P-Line CXX in moss green for the majority of my panfish outings. But, before I re-spool, there are a few things that need to be taken care of.

Once I get the old line off the spool, I remove the reel from the rod and clean both with a mild, all-purpose cleanser like Windex. No, I’m not looking to put a streak free shine on everything but I do want to remove dust, dirt, grease and any other leftovers from the surfaces of my rods and reels. I get out the pipe-cleaners to clean the inside of the guides as well as those hard to reach tight places on my reels. Once that is done, on to the next step.

I clean my cork handles with Simple Green to remove all the oils from my hands as well as anything that has been transferred to the grips by way of handling fish. A simple terry cloth wash towel does a great job of being abrasive enough to scrub them clean without compromising the cork. Then I apply a fresh coat of Armor-All to the grip. I’ve been doing this for years and do believe that it extends the life of the cork. Now that I’m done with the rods and they are back to looking like new, it’s time to dig into the reels.

Spinning reels are fairly easy to clean and lube, so don’t be shy about trying it yourself.

Remove the spool and give those bearings a couple of drops of oil to get ‘em spinning like new. Then, remove the handle and side cover of your reel. You can easily apply a little grease to the gears and a drop or two to the interior bearings without having to disassemble the entire reel. You should, prior to lubrication, take a few minutes and clean the inside of your reel. Put things back together and all you need now is to re-spool with new line, tie on your favorite lure and get out to the water.

I guess that some might consider it overkill but I also like to hit the new line the night before the trip with some KVD Line Conditioner. 4 pound line doesn’t usually present any handling problems but I figure it can’t hurt and, as we said in our review, it does seem to increase casting distance. One thing that I’ve learned over the years is that no matter the target species, the longer you can keep your lure in the strike zone, the more apt you are to get bit! And after all, isn’t that one of the main reasons we all do this?

See ya’ on the water …

Filed Under: Fly Fishing ·

Czech Nymphing

November 23, 2011 by ·

Competitive fly fishing is somewhat of an anomaly to fisherman in the US.

We see huge bass fishing tournaments on TV all the time, but rarely do we hear of the fly fishing versions. Indeed, there are not a ton of competitive fly fishing tournaments to be found here.

However in Europe, this is not the case at all. In fact, the technique that you will learn shortly comes directly from a fly fishing competition in 1984.

The Curious Origins Of Czech Nymphing

So, one would automatically think that, given the name, this fly fishing technique was born in Czechoslovakia, right? Well, that would be incorrect.

In 1984, the Czech team was introduced to this method of fishing by the Polish team. By introduced, I mean the Poles kicked their fly fishing butts!

The technique was born out of necessity as the Polish team had limited resources and gear available to them in their native Poland. Instead of complaining about it, they developed a short casting technique that still allowed them to put fish on shore.

The following year, the World Championship was held in Poland, and the Czechs, using the method they learned from the Poles, took home the silver medal—the gold went to the Polish team.

In 1986, the Czech team again used this technique in competition, this time walking away with a gold medal for their methods.

The Long And “Short” Of Czech Nymphing

So, by now you are probably saying, “Alright, let’s get to it! Tell me how to do it!”

Absolutely, I thought you’d never ask!

Czech nymphing uses two or three nymphs. I like to use three in deeper water, two in shallower water (no brainer there, right?). You don’t really “cast” the flies so much as you flip, or roll them out. When performing this technique, your fly line will probably not ever have to touch the water at all.

Once you have your nymphs tied on, and you are ready to hit the water, you will flip your flies upstream, just as in a normal fly cast. However, instead of a long cast, you will be flipping only a preset amount of leader. I like to let my top fly get no more than 6 inches under the surface in most situations.

Once you’ve flipped, you are going to start your drift. Since there is not an abundance of line out in the water, there really isn’t a need to mend. You will want to keep your line below your rod tip. As the flies drift, follow the flies with the tip, keeping the same speed.

Important Note: Maintaining the same speed as the flies during the drift, and keeping the line taught. If you do not, you will have a very hard time setting the hook and catching the fish. When fish bite on this technique, they don’t usually blow up on it, and the strike is very subtle.

When the flies get fully down stream of you, go ahead and make another flip. Yes, that really is the whole technique.

Czech Nymphing Equipment

The great part about this technique, is that it doesn’t require any special equipment. You can use your favorite fly rod, in whichever weight you like and is appropriate for the species of fish.

You can also use your favorite fly line, and fly reel. Really, despite what you may read elsewhere, you do NOT need to make any significant changes to your fly fishing equipment to utilize Czech nymphing. Use whatever you are comfortable with using.

Here is a quick tip about choosing a leader for Czech nymphing. Make sure your leader is not longer than your rod. For example, if you have an eight foot rod, your leader should not be longer than 8 feet. This will make controlling your flies, and setting your hook much easier.

A Quick Czech Nymphing Video

Here is a great video to give you some live action and get you started Czech nymphing.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzCOBYzAF6U]

I hope you will give this technique a try on your next trip to the river. It really is very simple, and a lot of fun to do.

Filed Under: Fly Fishing · Tagged:

How To Use Solunar Tables To Catch More Fish

November 17, 2011 by ·

We got a question from one of our readers about solunar tables and whether or not they really work. Furthermore, they were wondering if they should plan their trips according to some of the tables that they have seen published. So we’re going to try to answer this question based not only on our experience but also some empirical data.

Let’s start with the actual published data available to you and me. Oh, there doesn’t seem to be any from any source that would be considered authoritative. Well, that part was easy! But if this is the case, why are these tables published everywhere and is there anything to them?

Let’s look at this from a skeptical angle to see what we can find. To begin with, these tables are based on sun and moon influences that we all know do indeed have some validity. However, for them to work perfectly would require a few things that just don’t happen in the real world. The first being that the weather is always 100% predicable, day after day, week after week, month after month, and so on ad infinitum. Unfortunately, we all know that this just isn’t the case. Inclement weather can roll in at a moment’s notice and completely mess up a pattern that was well established days earlier.

Another problem is that these tables all assume that your local water is completely static. There is no fluctuation in current, the water level and temperature never rises or falls and there are no other more local variations that will affect the tables’ predictions. Man, I sure wish I could find such a place! Then all you would have to do is read the table for day and time and every day you went fishing would be your best day. Once again, reality bites.

But what about the times when I have gone fishing that coincided with the tables and it did work out? Okay, let’s look at those times and other factors that may have been in your favor besides the solunar tables.

I’m sure that most of you are aware that the spawn for bass will usually coincide with water temps reaching a certain point as well as the first full moon after the proper water condition is met. This is one of those keys that the tables can guesstimate but can’t nail down in your area. You have to keep checking the water temp and take advantage of the situation when it presents itself. One of the best times of the year can be the pre-spawn as bass are moving up.

Another well-known factor in catching both numbers and quality of bass is fishing the 3 hour period surrounding the rise and fall of the sun as well as the rise and fall of the moon. Even on days that are considered lower potential by the tables, fishing at these times can yield great days no matter the specie you’re targeting.

All of us have probably had great days on the water when the solunar tables say we shouldn’t. There are a number of reasons for this that mostly involve more immediate environmental conditions.

Have you ever fished a lake that publishes dam release times? This sudden increase in current will often trigger the most aggressive bite of the day. This is again a matter of knowing the body of water that you intend to fish and finding that information.

Have you ever fished a body of water that, for some unknown reason, is suddenly the recipient of a phenomenal hatch of shad or mudbugs or some other food source? This can be a huge boom for anglers who are in the right place at the right time. Here again, local knowledge is the key to taking advantage of an otherwise unpredictable opportunity.

There are so many factors that go into making a great day fishing that are not and cannot be accounted for by using just the solunar tables. Does this mean that they are completely bogus and not worth taking a look at? No, like every other tool in the anglers’ arsenal they have their place. In my opinion however, the more immediate environmental factors such as current, local weather, available forage, water conditions and local knowledge of any body of water have a greater impact on your day fishing than the tables.

That’s why doing a little homework on a particular fishery prior to making your first cast is always time well spent. Couple this with using the time period surrounding the rising and setting of both the sun and moon will really increase your odds of having a truly epic day on the water.

See ya’ on the water …

Filed Under: Bass Fishing, Fly Fishing ·

Project Healing Waters Chosen As Winner Of Toyota Halftime Handoff

November 14, 2011 by ·

As you know, we here at MVF love Project Healing Waters.

What they do for injured veterans is of the utmost importance, and it shows the power of something as simple as fly fishing to help make someone’s life better.

Yesterday, it was announced that PHWFF would be the recipient of the Toyota Halftime Handoff, and with that, a $10,000 award to continue doing what they are doing.

Congrats to PHWFF, and be sure to check out their site for more, and to find out how you can help.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIsKdF2-Mqs]

Filed Under: Fly Fishing ·

Understanding Shad Behavior So You Can Catch More Bass

November 14, 2011 by ·

Typical Gizzard Shad

A lot of talk at this time of year is about shad behavior and how that translates into catching more bass. We’re going to keep it fairly simple so that we don’t overload you with information that isn’t necessary.

To begin with, you have to determine what type of shad you’re dealing with at your favorite fishing hole. Is it threadfin shad, gizzard shad, blue-back herring or some other of the many species found in North America? Once you get this one figured out, there are several things that you can be looking for that should help you isolate where the bass are in relation to the shad. Furthermore, this will help you in the selection of color for whatever bait you decide to throw at ‘em.

The first thing that we look for at this time of year is whether or not the shad are moving into the shallows to feed. During fall, this is the typical pattern and you will more readily find them in the major tributaries and bays in your local fishing hole. This is a great time to be on the water as the bass are feeding more aggressively to stockpile their fat supplies for the winter. We talked about using faster moving baits this time of year as they are better shad imitators than slower lures. This is often the key to having a great day on the water this time of year.

Once you find these bass morsels, start by throwing a fast moving bait, like a lipless crankbait just under the school. Why not run it right through? For a few reasons. One, the larger bass in a system will often suspend under the shad and allow the smaller fish to do all the work for them in terms of attacking the school. They just sit under there, moving with the school, and pick off the injured shad as they float down. This allows them to not only stock up but to avoid expending any more energy than is necessary to do so. Remember, the biggest fish in your local waters didn’t get that way by being completely stupid or easily fooled!

Secondly, you do want to differentiate your bait from the school so that the bass can find it. I look at it this way. If I’m under there, pigging out on shad, I’m looking for those that are weak and easy to pick off. I mentioned in my post on the 5 inch BK swimbait that I like to use this bait this time of year because it represents not only a larger meal but also one that is EASY to eat. I believe that is why it’s been so successful for me during the fall season.

And finally, in my opinion, catching these bass that are following the schools of shad requires that you keep moving. Much like a concentric circle, fishing the outer edges of the school which includes underneath it, provides the best opportunity for catching the most fish with the least amount of effort. This way I can pick off not only the fish that are johnny on the spot but also the party crashers who are a little late to the festivities.

Some of you may be thinking to yourselves that the only thing that you’ve ever caught by following these roaming schools of shad are white bass. Yes, they too key on the same forage as black bass but you shouldn’t get discouraged when you start catching them. Often, they are the early birds as well as being the more aggressive fish in the area. The thing to do is to adjust your presentation so that you get deeper than where you’re catching the white bass. It isn’t unheard of by any stretch for large mouth to just hang out under the feeding whites and gorge themselves on their leftovers. White bass tend to be indiscriminate in their attacks. They really are the epitome of a bull in a china shop. They will go through and blast a school of shad, injuring several without eating them. This is where the large mouth takes advantage.

A good rule of thumb that I like to use is to identify the parameters of the school. From there I will cast to the back end of it, well beyond the shad. I allow my lure to sink to the depth that I believe will stay below the school and then begin my retrieve. If I get no takers, I will move up a foot or so in the water column every cast until I find where the fish are holding. Generally speaking, once you have found this, it will be fairly consistent for the period of time you are targeting a particular school.

When you either stop getting bit or the school moves on, you will need to do the same for the next school.

Yes, you will probably end up covering a lot of water and taking a lot of casts but the reward at this time of year is that you very well could wind up with your personal best in numbers as well as weight!

See ya’ on the water …

Filed Under: Bass Fishing ·

The Effect Of Barometric Pressure On Fishing

November 12, 2011 by ·

No matter what type of fishing you do, the environment is going to have a say on how well you do during your next trip.

All sorts of factors will come into play every time you get out on the water. From cloud cover, cold and warm fronts, sunshine, and water temperature—all of that will matter at the end of the day.

One of the more overlooked environmental factors is barometric pressure. Hopefully, you’ve already read how cows can predict your fishing success (if not, why not now?), today we will take a much more in depth look at what barometric pressure can do to the fishing.

Before we really dive into it though, keep in mind that keeping an eye on the barometer will not ensure, or rule out, a great fishing trip. I’ve had great days when all of the environmental factors pointed to a terrible day, and vice versa.

Don’t let a barometer, or anything else for that matter, keep you off the water.

Barometric Pressure And Fishing

So what exactly is barometric pressure?

A barometer measures the weight of the atmosphere above us. The measurement is best taken at sea level, so if you are significantly above or below, a correction factor is used. Obviously, the higher you are, the lighter the atmosphere is.

The effect of this atmospheric pressure on fishing is more readily seen in shallower water. This makes sense if you keep in mind that deeper water will exert a huge amount of pressure on the fish, thus making the air pressure much less significant.

Now that you have a general overview of what barometric pressure is, let’s get down to some brass tacks and look at pressure trends and fish activity.

Fishing In High Barometric Pressure Situations

High pressure tends to result in sunny and clear skies.

Fish will typically look for cover in these situations. To take advantage, fish shallow baits close to cover.

Be warned: If it starts getting really hot, this can often turn the bite completely off.

Fishing In Rising Barometric Pressure Situations

It isn’t a high pressure day, but the trend says it is rising. This will typically result in skies that are starting to clear up, and the sun is starting to get through a lot more.

Typically, fish will be moving in from the deeper water to the shallower water to feed. It is still a good idea to attack cover, and fish in the shallow to medium range.

If you are struggling with this tactic, cover lots of water to find the fish. Plan your retrieves and tactics to move from deeper to shallower water.

Fishing In Normal Barometric Pressure Situations

The fish won’t really be reacting to this type of pressure all that much.

This is a great time to experiment with baits, retrieves, colors, and new patterns. You never know what might garner a strike when things go “normal.”

Fishing In Falling Barometric Pressure Situations

If there is a sweet spot on the barometer for catching a lot of fish, this is it.

When the pressure starts to fall, the weather will start getting a little dodgy. This seems to signal the fish to feed like crazy, and you can have an absolutely killer day.

Figure out what the fish are feeding on, match it, and go to town.

Fishing In Low Barometric Pressure Situations

This is where things get really tough.

Often times, fish will really shut off in this situation. They typically move deeper, and you will have to really buckle down to get them to bite. Fish deep structure with things like jigs and swim jigs.

Make A Barometer Journal

Writing down different environmental factors while you are fishing can be very helpful. You will start to pick out patterns when things seem to be random.

Next time you go fishing, write down the air temperature, the barometric pressure, the water temperature, what baits you used, etc.

Keeping track of everything you experience on the water will make you a better fisherman, and give you more tools to use in the future.

See ya on the water…

Filed Under: Bass Fishing, Fly Fishing ·

Damiki D Hold Weighted Hooks

November 10, 2011 by ·

D Hold Weighted

We’re going to look at another piece of terminal tackle that was debuted at ICAST and is now showing up on shelves. The Damiki D Hold Hook Weighted. We already reviewed the un-weighted version of this hook and found that it simply couldn’t replace our gold standard but we figured why not give this one a shot?

This product makes use of the same keeper system as its cousin but uses an interestingly shaped weight molded onto the hook shank. We obtained this product specifically for use with swimbaits but there are secondary uses for something like this.

So off to the lake to see how they would perform. We tried a variety of baits with this hook including the Double Diamond and Netbait BK. In both cases, the D Hold keeper did indeed keep the bait on the hook and did this quite well. Unfortunately, we had the same issues with this one as we did with the un-weighted version.

Before we go into that, know that the D Hold is sharper than the average bear and is strong. You can use this hook on heavy mono or braid without worrying that you’re going to bend it by putting the wood to a good strike. It penetrates well and the barb does its job. We didn’t have a single fish shake this hook after being stuck. However, those nagging little design irritants kept cropping up.

While rigging your bait straight is a no-brainer on the Damiki, the other issues surface when you penetrate the bait with the hook point. The first of these is that the keeper makes contact with the hook shank. This throws the bait slightly out of plumb. I may be splitting hairs here but it is at least a minor annoyance in my opinion as it makes the baits that we were using run just a little bit off.

Again, like its un-weighted stable mate, the angle of the hook is such that it makes tex-posing virtually impossible. I like to make sure that when I’m fishing a swimbait, there is no exposed point of the hook. Fishing baits like the BK, you have to have the confidence to throw them into and drag them through stick-ups, lily pad stems, submerged tree branches and other forms of cover that will catch bare hook points. The Damiki does not inspire that sense of security.

We also used this hook by not penetrating the back of some of the baits that we experimented with. If you enjoy fishing weighted senko style baits for example, this isn’t a bad alternative. By not going all the way through the bait, you eliminate both the issue of the keeper making contact with the hook and the angle of the hook sticking up and out of the back. This proved to be an effective way to use this hook but still wasn’t exceptional. Again, the Damiki didn’t have enough going for it to replace what we already carry in our tackle boxes.

Damiki D Hold Weighted Hooks
Overall Ratingwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
Not enough here to replace what you have

See ya’ on the water …

Filed Under: Tackle Reviews · Tagged: ,

Can Cows Predict How Many Fish You Will Catch On Your Next Fishing Trip?

November 7, 2011 by ·

I see fish in your future!

Forget calling one of those late night psychics next time you are wondering about your next fishing trip. What you may need to do is seek out a bovine guru for the answers you need.

So what is this magical power of the pasture, or is it simply a wive’s tale?

On A Fishing Trip Long, Long Ago

Years ago, a buddy of mine where driving up to North Carolina for a fly fishing trip.

On the way, we passed one of many different cow pastures, as one tends to do in that area of the South. When we passed one of them, my buddy said, “The cows are up.”

That was the first time I had ever heard anything like that so I had to ask what it meant.

He said, “Whenever the cows in a pasture are standing, that means you are going to have a good day fishing!”

No way, really? Cows on their feet, fishing can’t be beat?

It didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me at that time, so I didn’t really pay attention to it. Our fishing trip that day was nothing short of epic. We caught a ton of fish, with some real monsters in the mix.

Every trip since that one, I started paying attention to the cows in the pasture on the way. Almost without fail, if the cows were standing, it was a great day. If the cows were lying down, it wasn’t. I was stumped.

I needed answers as to how these lumbering giants were so accurately predicting how good the fishing was.

The Barometric Crystal Ball

What the cows are tapping into isn’t some cosmic power that makes fish do their bidding, but they do have a crystal ball of sorts.

Falling pressure can have an effect on the digestion of cows. As the barometer drops, they get upset tummies, and have to lie down. They don’t want to go out to pasture, so they take a load off.

Well, that’s the theory anyway. Any while I can’t rattle off a bunch of science to back it up, I have plenty of anecdotal accounts to lend a little support.

Falling Barometric Pressure And The Effects On Fishing

Cows seem to respond to falling barometric pressure by laying down. When the barometer is falling, they tend not to want to head out to pasture and graze.

Fish respond to a falling barometer as well. Just like cows, they don’t like to be active in these times of falling pressure.

Now, of course, this doesn’t mean you will not catch anything just because cows are laying down. You could theoretically catch fish in a hurricane.

All this does is give you better chances of catching fish, and by watching the cows, you can have an easy and fun reference for getting a general idea of what the barometer is doing.

Later this week, we will do an in depth analysis of barometric pressure and how it affects fishing. Stay tuned for that, and see ya on the water…

Filed Under: Bass Fishing, Fly Fishing ·
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