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Carp fishing videos
Video 1
The first video is more instructional in nature, but also shows some great close quarters carp fishing action. It is presented by semi famous fisherman Matt Hayes who I have always enjoyed watching. In this video he is fishing less than 3 yards from his rod tip and looks to be an exhilarating form of fishing.
Video 2
The second video is fly fishing for carp and has been very well done for an armature video.
Video 3
This video shows the most popular technique for carping by placing your rod in a holder and using a bite alarm.
I hope you enjoyed this post.
Fishing Knots: Albright Knot
The albright knot
This knot is used to attach two lines of different diameters together. Often used in fly fishing for attaching the thin backing line to thicker fly line. In recent times it is being used successfully to attach modern braided lines to monofilament or fluorocarbon. It provides a very strong connection and is relatively easy to tie with practice.
Instructions

2. Make approximately 10 wraps with the lighter line wrapping from left to right. Hold these wraps in place. On the 10th wrap, come around and then through the remaining loop. Taking the standing line in your right hand pull gently as you push the wraps with your left hand towards the closed loop, keeping the wraps together. Pull the tag tight then pull on the standing part of both lines until the knot is secure.
3. Trim the tag ends of the knot.
Instructional Video
Like I always try to do I have found a video that also shows the process very clearly.
Fly fishing England
Target species
There are two main fly fishing targets in England, trout and grayling, but there are many other available fly fishing targets that are less popular. There are some traditional non fly targets too that are waiting for someone to catch on a fly.
Fishing techniques
Many fishing locations in England consist of small streams and lakes and while these are idyllic locations they can be a little bit tricky to fish. Remember that on small streams you wont need to make very long casts and you may need to use a shorter back cast on very narrow rivers. Another important factor to consider is that the water is very clear, which will require a stealth approach of quiet observation and stalking the fish. Fly fishing techniques like upstream dry fly and upstream nymph are the most popular and "matching the hatch" is an essential skill.
Things to consider
Remember that in England most fishing locations require a permit or a landowners permission. There are actually many complex rules for fishing in the UK, which you should research first. You will be surprised by the lack of free fishing areas, but you will still be able to find these areas with a bit of research. Like in any new locations hiring a quality guide can make all the difference to your fishing success. A fishing guide will also be able to advise you of required permits or may even include the permits in their fee.
Fly fishing knot tying
When tying knots for fly fishing you will find that it requires approximately 5 knots. First you need to attach the backing line to the reel, then the backing line to the fly line, the fly line to the leader and the leader to the tippet. The final knot is used to attach the fly to the tippet.
Backing line to reel - Arbor knot
Most fly anglers use the arbor knot for this application as it is easy to tie and strong enough for this application.
An instructional video of this knot can be found at my earlier post how to tie an arbor knot.
Backing line to fly line - Albright Knot
This knot is often used to attach two lines of different diameters and is perfect for attaching fly line to the backing material.

2. Make approximately 10 wraps with the lighter line wrapping from left to right. Hold these wraps in place. On the 10th wrap, come around and then through the remaining loop. Taking the standing line in your right hand pull gently as you push the wraps with your left hand towards the closed loop, keeping the wraps together. Pull the tag tight then pull on the standing part of both lines until the knot is secure.
3. Trim the tag ends of the knot.
Fly Line to leader - Nail Knot
Some fly anglers continue to use the albright knot for this situation, but I find the nail knot to have a smoother finish - try both and see what works best for you.
An instructional video of this knot can be found at my earlier post how to tie a nail knot.
Leader to tippet - Surgeons Knot
This knot is very easy and quick to tie, but is also sufficiently strong in this situation.
Instructions (with diagrams) for the surgeons knot can be found at my earlier post how to tie a surgeons knot.
Tippet to fly - Improved clinch knot (locked blood knot)
The last knot you will tie and arguably the most important. Most anglers use an improved clinch knot in this situation and it is a great knot for this situation. Remember that you will be using this knot the most and it is the most important to learn properly.
You will find instructions for the improved clinch knot at my earlier post how to tie an improved clinch knot.
I hope this little post helps you with your fly fishing knot tying and your fly fishing in general! Good luck!
Canned tuna recipes
I have tried to gather some of the easier recipes. These recipes are great for unexpected guests or a quick meal. I am no chef, but even I can make these!
Tuna Balls
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained and flaked
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
DIRECTIONS
- In a medium bowl, blend tuna, cream cheese, 1/2 the pecans and onion. Shape into a ball or loaf. coat with remaining pecans. Refrigerate until serving.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (7 ounce) can solid white tuna packed in water, drained
- 1/4 cup creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip™)
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish, or to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Mash tuna together with salad dressing and relish in a small bowl with a fork. Serve.
Finally I found this video of an old favorite Tuna Noodle Casserole - enjoy.
Thanks to allrecipes.com for the yummy tuna dishes.
Tuna fish and mercury
- Shark
- Swordfish
- King Mackerel
- Tilefish
- Some tunas (bigeye, ahi, yellowfin and canned albacore) other tunas are safe in moderate amounts.
- Marlin
- Orange Roughy
What about tuna?
Tuna can be classified as a medium to high risk fish and consumption should be monitored. Eating light canned tuna seems to be the lowest risk option at the moment and is listed under the "eat moderately" banner of the FDA.
Why is mercury bad
Mercury is a natural substance, but high levels can have adverse side effects. It is a poison for the nervous system. Exposure during pregnancy is of most concern, because it may harm the development of the unborn baby’s brain. Some studies suggest that small increases in exposure may affect the heart and circulatory system.
What to do?
Remember that eating fish is part of a healthy diet. If you are pregnant eat fish from the low risk category and monitor your intake.
Low risk fish (FDA list)
Enjoy these fish:
Anchovies
Butterfish
Catfish
Clam
Crab (Domestic)
Crawfish/Crayfish
Croaker (Atlantic)
Flounder
Haddock (Atlantic)
Hake
Herring
Mackerel (N. Atlantic, Chub)
Mullet
Oyster
Perch (Ocean)
Plaice
Pollock
Salmon (Canned)
Salmon (Fresh)
Sardine
Scallop
Shad (American)
Shrimp
Sole (Pacific)
Squid (Calamari)
Tilapia
Trout (Freshwater)
Whitefish
Whiting
If you have any further questions feel free to leave a comment
Fishing tips - Fishing with floats
I have found a really great article about float fishing that is worth reading if you want some float fishing tips and instead of reinventing the wheel I thought I would post the link. It explains the types of floats, how they work, how to set up your float and a few other useful float fishing tips. You can Read the article here.
Alternatively you can always watch this little video which demonstrates the effectiveness of floats perfectly.
Kayak and great white shark

Is the great white and kayak picture a photoshop fake?
This is the proper definition photo (not the compressed image going around via email which looks fake) and it looks genuine enough so lets look at the facts.
This photo is indeed genuine and was taken from the magazine National Geographic. It was part of an article by Michael C. Scholl and Thomas P. Peschak who were studying sharks without the use of engine noise. This is what the authors had to say about the incident:
Although we had extensively tested the sharks' reactions to an empty kayak and had observed no signs of aggression, this gave us little comfort as we eyed a great white heading straight for us, albeit slowly. Just a metre or so from the craft it veered off, circled and slowly approached from behind. It did this several times, occasionally lifting its head out of the water to get a better look. Then it lost interest, and as it continued on its way we were able to follow a short distance behind. Once we'd come to terms with having nothing between ourselves and a four-metre shark except a thin layer of plastic, our kayak made an ideal research platform for observing great white behaviour in shallow water.If you are still a little skeptical then I have another great picture that will hopefully dispel all doubts.

Amazing as it is even as a fisherman you would not catch me dead in that kayak no matter what the researchers say! Great whites are scary enough in a full sized boat and a plastic kayak just wouldn't cut it!
Want to tell me what you think - Please leave a comment.
Fly fishing rod weights
1 - 3 weight
- small flies
- short casts
- small to medium trout
- small to medium flies
- short to medium casts
- excellent all around trout rod.
- Handles small to larger flies
- short to longer casts
- long casts and windy conditions.
- 7 weight is a great compromise sized rod for trout and light saltwater
- large freshwater fish
- salt water fishing
- large flies
- long casts in open areas.
Choosing a fly fishing rod
Choosing a fly rod to match your required fishing situation/s can be difficult at times, but there are some questions you can answer to make the decision easier.
What type of fly fishing will you be doing?
No one is going to argue with me when I tell them that a trout doesn't quite match the fight of a marlin or even a tuna. Before purchasing a fly rod think about what kind of fishing you will be doing with it the majority of the time. Whether it is saltwater, freshwater, maybe even a bit of both you will be able to find the rod that suits you for most situations. If you want to catch trout, but would also like to do some light saltwater sports fishing you can make a compromise by choosing an all-rounder rod instead of a specialist rod. If you plan on doing some very different fishing (eg. trout then marlin) you will need two different fly fishing rods.
What type of action do I need?
I will try to keep this simple
Slow action fly rod (full flex)
- Great for smaller fish and smaller rivers
- Enhances the fight of even the smallest trout
- Designed for short casts
- Good all round rod type for many different situations
- Make longer casts
- Additional strength in the rod for fighting the fish
- Stiff - lots of fighting power
- Allows really long casts in any conditions
- Easier to cast (due to the stiffness)
- Generally not used for trout, but for saltwater fly fishing
Fiberglass - has some fans
- cheap
- heavier
- strong
- light
- strong
- easy to cast
- more expensive
- heaviest
- expensive
- handling and feeling is amazing
Carp night fishing
There are two ways to fish at night for carp:
1. Stay awake and use audible and visual bite indication.
- Visual bite indication can be as simple as a glow stick attached to the tip of your rod or you can purchase specially made illuminated floats.
- For this method you need bite alarms. These come in a variety of form with increasing prices, but they all do a similar job - alerting you to a hookup!
This is the biggest problem with night fishing anywhere (I was cold when I went night fishing the first time and that was in the tropics!). You need a good shelter (read tent), and something to sleep in like a heavy duty sleeping bag. It is probably also a good idea to use a camping bed (stretcher bed) to raise yourself off the ground to be a little more comfortable and warm.
Tackle for night carp fishing
This remains basically the same as day time fishing with the addition of light in the form of glow sticks, and illuminated floats. Attach a glow stick to the tip of your rod and you have a cheap bit detection system - you can even buy specially made ones for this job. Always take a torch and lantern to see what you are doing!
Methods for fishing at night
You know I could tell you some fancy secret, but it would be a lie. Catching carp at night is really not that much different from catching carp in the day time. However, they feel safer at night and will come much closer to the margins to feed. Some experts recommend throwing a bait in only 3 feet from the bank!
Bait for night carp fishing
There is one rule here - make it as smelly as possible so the carp can find it. Oily fish is great for this!
One last night carp fishing tip
Like the scouts motto always be prepared. Rig your lines up before it gets dark and always have a spare rod or two rigged and ready to go just in case something goes wrong.
I hope this little post will help you with your night carp fishing - Good luck
Lures for Walleye

Also known as walleyed pike, yellow pike or pickerel, the Walleye is a popular freshwater fish that is a native of Canada and the northern US states. The Walleye has been a popular target for artificial breeding and stocking into waters where they are not naturally found.
Walleye feed extensively at dawn and dusk and on cloudy and overcast days. In silty or muddy water the Walleye will happily feed all throughout the day.
The peak fishing seasons for Walleye are in spring and fall, but they are also caught through the ice in winter on spoons and jigs.
Choosing lures for Walleye
Spinners - cast or trolled
Minnow imitating plugs - cast or trolled
Jigs, bucktails or plastics, are walleye angling favorites.
Also consider these:
- Maribou Jigs
- Mister Twisters
- Crawler Harnesses
- Lindy Rigs
- Small Rapalas
- Hot'n Tot
Gold, silver, green, orange, yellow
Walleyes have a general preference for yellow or chartreuse lures
Catfish Noodling Video
You start out by finding a catfish hole and then you place your hand in the catfish hole and wait for the catfish to latch onto your hand. Then you must get a really good grip and pull it out of the hole sometimes with the help of a "spotter." Big catfish can weight in at 50-60 pounds and apparently it is common for the noodler to receive cuts if they do not use a protective glove! I have heard that some noodlers put some kind of smelly bait mix on their hands, but I have been unable to find out if this is very common.
Enough of me talking about catfish noodling though here are the noodling videos.
If you know anything about this sport feel free to enlighten me with a comment.
How to tie a spinnerbait - Fishing tips

2. Tie a simple Overhand Knot in the doubled line letting the spinnerbait hang loose.

4. Lubricate and pull both ends of the line to tighten the knot.
Photos from www.secretweaponlures.com
Cold Water Bass Fishing Guide
- I have never caught (or fished for) an American bass.
- I don't like the cold.
- There are hundreds of available cold water bass fishing articles around!
Article 1 - Cold water bass lures
If you've had trouble scoring strikes when the water temp drops below 50 degrees, study these tips from fishing's top pros and guides to heat up your next bass outing...
Read this fishing article here
Article 2 - Cold water bass fishing
Is cabin fever getting the best of you? If so, why not go bass fishing this winter? Let’s see what top competitors have to say about where and how to catch a few.
Read this fishing article here
I hope these articles help you with your cold water bass fishing - good luck!
Massive Goliath Grouper Video
This is one amazing video of one of the biggest groupers I have ever seen. It was estimated at 500 pounds! This is a great video that is a must watch (it does contain some self promotion, but nothing over the top.)
1. Wikipedia
Fishing Etiquette
Here are some really good fishing etiquette tips to follow I have collected from all over the Internet:
- Treat other anglers, boaters and other people we might meet in the field with courtesy and respect.
- Obtain permission from landowners and never trespass on private lands or waters.
- Respect the space of other anglers when fishing from the shore or in a boat and give room to all anglers playing a fish.
- Keep no more fish than needed for consumption and legally allowed and never waste or discard fish that are retained.
- Practice conservation and use proper release methods for fish not retained.
- When fishing never leave trash behind, including worn or discarded line, old hooks and bait.
- Never use as live bait fish that do not normally reside in the waters we are fishing, and never introduce exotic species that may survive and reproduce into fishing waters.
- Do not spill gasoline, oil or other pollutants on land or into the water.
- Observe your speed, wake and wash, while keeping a safe distance from jetties, water/shore-based anglers and other watercrafts.
- Take the time to educate fellow anglers, especially new participants about fishing ethics and be patient with beginners.
I would also like to hear any fishing etiquette horror stories!
Tackle Test: Fins Braid Review (Product Review)
Fins Braid Review

Knots and line strength
My initial impressions of this line were that it was much more limp and smooth than fireline. This makes Fins braid is easy to tie and it knots very easily and smoothly. Like most braids the actual breaking strain is much higher than the manufacturers breaking strain, but even when this is taken into consideration the knot strength is very impressive. Knots are generally the weakest part of the braid, but because of the smoothness of Fins I didn't have any problems in this area.
On the water
The high vis yellow is very easy to see even on the brightest of days. In my initial tests the limpness of the line seems to reduce air knots slightly although it is still not recommended to use this line if others on the boat are using monofilament. The abrasion resistance was fairly low, but this seems to be a problem with every braid, my suggestion to overcome this problem is to use a slightly longer leader than usual. I was fishing over a rusty, coral infested wreck and only had one major snag and resulting bust off the entire day.
Fighting a fish
This is where this braid comes into its own. It is very smooth through the rod guides when a fish is taking line and even with the drag on tight it doesn't seem to cut into itself on the reel like many other braids.
Overall
This is one great braid, but for the price I expected it to be. The line smoothness makes knot tying a pleasure and the knot strength is probably the strongest of any braid you will try. On the water it is great to use and I look forward to using it in the future.
If you have used Fins braid or have a different opinion to mine feel free to leave a comment
*This product was paid for by myself and I received no money for this post.*
Fishing Knots: Palomar Knot (video)
The palomar knot is a high strength fishing knot that is suggested for use with braided fishing line. However in a recent fishing magazine tests this knot proved far from adequate when tied with braid failing at anywhere between 40-70% if the stated breaking strain. However this knot is still very effective when tied with monofilament and is quick and easy to tie. This knot is also useful when tying a drop shot rig with soft plastics.
Ways to throw a cast net (with videos)
1. Make sure you are feeling really calm
2. Watch one video noting the key points of the instruction and write them down!
3. Find a grassy space with plenty of room for swinging and throwing
4. Practice following the technique you have chosen remembering all the key points.
5. Don't give up on one technique too quickly - it takes some time. If you really cant get it try another technique
6. Write down every revelation you have when your casts are getting better so you don't forget what you did differently.
7. When you get it right make sure you can replicate the results over and over.
Good luck with your cast net throwing and I hope you have an easier experience learning than I did!
How to reverse a trailer - launching a boat.
Firstly position your vehicle and trailer as straight as you can and roughly a trailer's length from the place you want to reverse. Keep your eyes on the trailer out of the driver's window while slowly reversing, and start turning the steering wheel towards the right. Grasp the wheel at the bottom and steer gently and progressively - it is fat easier to add more steering than to correct it after turning too much. Grasping the wheel at the bottom should prevent you from over-turning the wheel and if your steering wheel starts straight, you will know throughout the turn, without looking, that at the lowest point your wheels are straight again.
When the trailer starts to turn, start straightening up while still reversing. Leave straightening up too late and moving the wheel to quickly will cause the trailer to jack-knife.
Eventually you will be steering in the opposite direction whilst still reversing. Bring the vehicle's front around to follow the trailer and watch where the trailer is in case it needs to be corrected.
Continue reversing in a straight line looking in both mirrors. Reverse carefully and slowly. When you can see more of the trailer in one mirror, steer towards that side to start moving the trailer the other way. Corrections only require a small steering movement.
Moving forward to straighten the trailer is a simple option before continuing to reverse.
With practice you will be confident in your ability to back up several hundred feet without jack-knifing your trailer or rear-ending anything you are ready to launch your boat at a boat ramp. Try and select a quiet weekday morning for your first launch and have experienced help at hand...
This information is from the American boating association and I would recommend reading their complete article on boating
Fish Recipe: Brown Stew Fish (video)
Difficulty: Easy - Medium
Preparation Time: 1 Hour (Marination time)
Cooking Time: 10 Minutes
This fish recipe is a traditional Jamaican recipe called brown stew fish. The ingredients should be available to most people around the world and if you can't find a certain ingredient then I am sure it can be substituted. This recipe could be used with any fish, but I would certainly recommend using something that stays together when fried. It is certainly not the hardest dish I have ever made and the results were very delicious.
Jack Crevalle fishing video (Giant Trevally)
They are generally caught on lures around structure and they just adore big surface lures (poppers). They can grow up to the size of a small car and the ones from Fiji and Midway Island are some of the biggest I have ever seen. Enjoy the video.
Fishing Knots: Joe Miller Knot (video)
The catfish that swallowed a basketball - Crazy fishing story #2
It must be the week for crazy fishing stories. After being sent the sharks love story my Dad sent me the story of a catfish out of Lake Macquarie (in NSW Australia) that ate a basketball. Once again I am pretty sure that the photos are real, but I am sure that the southern Australian catfish doesn't grow very big or look like the one in the photos. So I think the story I received with the pictures is fabricated. If you know about the true story behind the pictures I would love to hear it (please leave a comment). Here is the story I received:
True Fish Story
A guy who lives at
The fish was totally exhausted from trying to dive, but unable to because the ball would always bring him back up to the surface.
The bloke tried numerous times to get the ball out, but was unsuccessful. He finally had his wife cut the ball in order to deflate it and release the hungry catfish. You probably wouldn't have believed this, if you hadn't seen the following pictures...




A Sharks Love (100th post)
Sharks Love
"Arnold Pointer a professional fisherman from south of Australia set free from a certain death a big female White Shark that was caught in his fishing nets. Now the fisherman has a problem: He says: "It's been 2 years and she doesn't leave me alone. She follows me everywhere I go and her presence scares all the fishes. I don't know what to do anymore."
It is hard to get rid of an almost 17 feet long shark since the White Sharks are protected by the wildlife conservation, but a mutual affection established between Arnold and "Cindy".
Arnold Says: "Once I stop the boat she comes to me, she turns on her back and let me pet her belly and neck, she grunts, turn her eyes, and move her fins up and down hitting the water happilly..."
However, even more interesting than the story is the powerpoint presentation to go with it (you can also find the video on youtube.
If you want to have a look the powerpoint can be found here (spyware and virus free):
Download sharks love powerpoint
Or you can watch the video of the same thing right here:
While this story has been proven as a hoax it still has some amazing pictures.
Fishing during the Superbowl
Congratulations to the Giants (I promise I will get back to fishing tomorrow!)
Funny Fishing Advertisments
Please leave a comment and tell me which one you find the funniest
Oh and by the way - Go giants!