Carp fishing videos

There has been lots of interest in the few carp stories I have posted on this site so far and this post is another for all you carp lovers out there. I have tried to find the best 3 carp fishing videos I could find that are not only great to watch, but might help new anglers learn a little something too.

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.

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Fishing Knots: Albright Knot

When I was writing my fly fishing knot tying post the other day it dawned on me that I have never posted the famous albright knot on this blog in 123 posts, which is a pretty big oversight really.

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

1. Loop the heavier line. Pass the lighter line around the formed loop.

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.

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Fly fishing England

There is no doubt that England has some great fly fishing opportunities. The lakes and rivers are some of the most pristine environments you can imagine and are often specially manicured for fishing access.

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.

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Fly fishing knot tying

Knots for fly fishing
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.

1. Loop the heavier line. Pass the lighter line around the formed loop.

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!

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Canned tuna recipes

After my post yesterday I thought I would add some tuna recipes to my blog and if you use the light canned tuna like the post suggests you will most likely not have any problems. Remember that fish is still part of a balanced diet.

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

1. 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.

Quick tuna salad

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

1. 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.

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Tuna fish and mercury

In recent times there has been some controversy about fish and mercury and the often confusing news reports do not help to clear up matters. Currently there are warnings that have been released for the bigger predatory pelagic fish that seem to have a mercury accumulation problem. This happens because these bigger fish eat many smaller fish with trace amounts of mercury and the mercury level accumulates in the bigger fish. The fish that carry some level of risk include (but are not limited to):

• Shark
• Swordfish
• King Mackerel
• Tilefish
• Some tunas (bigeye, ahi, yellowfin and canned albacore) other tunas are safe in moderate amounts.
• Marlin
• Orange Roughy

It is important to remember that all fish contains levels of mercury and fish consumption (particularly when pregnant should be monitored). Low levels of fish consumption should not be a problem.

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

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Fishing tips - Fishing with floats

Fishing with floats is a great form of visual fishing and is a very popular method for teaching children to fish. It is as simple as telling them to keep their eye on the float. However, float fishing is not only for beginning fisher people, it remains a very effective way of fishing for certain species. Many species are actually much easier to target with a float and it is important to consider this when targeting surface feeding fish.

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.

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