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Basic Fishing
Fishing can be fun and a good way to help provide additional fresh sources of food for the family. From coast to coast, everyone lives near bodies of water, from the ocean, to landlocked bays, to ponds, rivers, lakes, streams etc. I have used for all different types of fishing, the same types of fishing line, hooks, and sinkers. In this article, I wish to let the reader know that only a few items of tackle are actually necessary to successfully catch most any type of fish. The importance of this article is focused on being prepared. Now, get to your local Wal-Mart, K-Mart, or where ever fishing tackle is sold. You need not spend over $10 to $20 dollars, to get everything you will need for basic fishing. Please bear in mind that fishing and supplies can be very specialized to the point of even being scientific in application and specialty. I am only going to cover bare bones fishing needs here, and general types of fish that are abundant everywhere. Hooks If at all possible, buy a cheap multi-pack of any brand of hooks as long as the pack contains sizes ranging from #2 to #14. This pack should cost no more than $5. Most multi-packs contain about 25 to 30 different hooks, in various sizes, and cover most every need for both the saltwater or freshwater fisherman. Barbed hooks are recommended. Line I use the clear, cheap monofilament ($2 a spool) in 4lb test, 8lb test, 12lb test, and 15 or 20lb test (heavier line for heavy fish, like saltwater, or freshwater stripers, and catfish). Four cheap spools will cover most fishing needs where ever you fish. For bobbers or bait flotation, I simply purchase a cheap pack of small party balloons, and tie them onto the line for fishing depth. (They take up no room in the tackle box, and are easy to slip up or down on the line, and if I lose one, I have 3 dozen more). Sinkers Sinkers are used to introduce bait to the bottom of a body of water, to hold a bait stable, or in a single area. I have found that I prefer egg sinkers (shaped like an egg, with a hole in the middle) threaded through my line, with a swivel, and 24-inch leader line with a hook attached. Surf fishing may require triangular weights to act more as anchors. For lighter pond or lake fishing, split shot weights are the best. This may sound strange to some; I simply go to the local hardware store, and purchase light to heavy steel washers. They are cheaper and you get much more by the pound, and are simple to attach to line using either the hole in the washer or a snap clip or swivel. I have seen fellow angler's use just about anything small and heavy, including used spark plugs! Small Fishing Kit The kit I use consists of a plastic 35 mm. film bottle with a snap-on cap. The film bottle is my container of choice for most small items because it is unbreakable, tough and has a watertight seal. In it I place an assortment of long-shank hooks (they seem to be most effective), about a dozen split-shot sinkers at least 30 feet of 20 pound test mono-filament line held in a small coil with a rubber band or a wire tie, a scented rubber worm, and a spinner for jigging. And even with all this, there is still room for swivels, a steel leader, extra hooks or a number of other small items. The film bottle itself will also work efficiently as a fishing float or "bobber". As an alternative, making a bobber from a twig is simple. The Fish Catfish The all around lake, pond, or river source of fresh food is the Catfish. Channel Cat's, Flathead's, Yellow Cat's, whatever you call them, they are abundant just about every where freshwater bodies exist. Catfish are easily caught in the spring and summer months. In the winter or colder months catfish can be found in the deeper holes at the bottom of a body of water. Catfish eat everything from worms, other chunks of cut fish, crawdads, small perch, pieces of hotdogs, and chunks of cheese or dough seasoned with garlic, or whatever. I do not believe I have seen a catfish turn down anything that resembles something than can be swallowed. The favorite baits are blood baits, cheeses, night crawlers, chicken livers, and various flavored dough baits. When fishing for catfish, use heavier line (12lb test or more), and at least a #2 to #4 hook, with at least a one ounce weight. A medium action rod is the lightest rod I would suggest. Finally, be careful in handling catfish as they have sharp spines on the two forward lower fins, and the single top fin. These fins in smaller catfish can produce painful wounds! Bass, Bluegill or Sun Perch, Crappie, Panfish The most common of freshwater sportfish is the Bass. Largemouth, or smallmouth, bass can be found in all inland waters that will support fish. Bass are readily caught in the summer months using just a hook, with a worm, or artificial baits. For perch, crappie, and panfish in general, a light tackle outfight is best, using a 4lb test line and a #10 or #12 hook. For panfish, small insects such as crickets, small red or mealworms, work well. The most successful fishermen fish areas where there is plenty of cover, like submerged bushes, or trees, or even underwater shelves, or submerged cover, obstacles, or "reefs". Fish seek suitable "habitat" and cover, just as we do, and for the fisherman without a boat, this is important to remember. Carp Freshwater carp are abundant in most all lakes and rivers, and can grow very large. Most fisherman throw carp away, or back into the water, simply because for years carp has been considered a "junk fish" in American waters. Carp can easily be caught using a small treble hook, and garlic flavored "dough" type baits. Some people use corn (canned yellow corn). In the east, carp are the staple of the diet, and is delicious steamed, broiled, or boiled with spices and seasonings added. If preparing carp, keep in mind that carp have many bones, so carp is best steamed, until the bones become soft. Carp, like Catfish, can grow very large, so be prepared. I once caught a 15 pound carp.
Expedient Fishing
FISHING ON A STRING AND A PRAYER: My Great Uncle who owned a ranch had a natural pond on the property, I loved to visit this pond, and sit under a big oak tree that grew close to the waters edge. I saw turtles, snakes, large fish chasing minnows, frogs, and all types of life thrived in that small pond. I recall I wanted to fish that pond so badly, and when I asked my Aunt if there was a fishing pole, or hooks or tackle, she told me there was none, and I would just have to use whatever I could find. THE METHOD: I knew I had to have some way to hold a fish once it bit, and a safety pin seemed to be just the thing! My Aunt had hundreds of these, and I picked out a shiny steel safety pin half the length of my thumb. I knew I needed some kind of line to fish with, and it occurred to me my Aunt had tons of string, (Like kite string), so I borrowed a ball of string. Armed with my new fishing tackle, I headed for the pond. All excited with visions of monstrous fish in my mind, I quickly spied a caterpillar on a leaf at the pond, and I tied the string around the head of the safety pin (double knot), then stuck the sharp end of the safety pin through the caterpillar. I unwound about 15 feet of string, and cut and tied the end of it on a large stick so I could hold it, and I gently tossed that caterpillar on a safety pin into the water under the shade of that big old oak tree. Not two seconds passed when the water exploded under the worm, and I watched in tremendous excitement as the caterpillar disappeared, and the side view of a huge (in the eyes of a ten year old) greenish scaly fish rolled over in the water. and dived under. I counted to five (as my Aunt had suggested to give the fish time to swallow the safety pin) and then a gave a sharp pull on the string. 5 minutes later I was holding a largemouth bass! (looking back now, I believe the fish was perhaps a pound to maybe a pound and a half). I caught two other bass that afternoon, with just kite string, and a safety pin. OTHER AQUATIC FOOD SOURCES: Bass, catfish, perch and carp are not the only survival food sources. Most bodies of water also contain turtles, and crawdads. In shallow brackish streams and shallow ponds, crawfish can be collected by the bucketful, by hand, in a short period of time. A popular method of catching many crawfish at one time is to build a small wire mesh cage (2ft x 2ft x 1ft) or a box with a hinged, closeable lid, cutting a 2" round hole in one side, near the bottom of the box or small cage. Next, tie a raw chicken leg, or wing, or dead perch, or chunk of fish on the inside, on the bottom in the center of the box, or cage, and submerge where ever crawfish are present, wait 30 min. to an hour, and pull the box or cage out of the water. Crawdads (crayfish) are best boiled in salted, or seasoned water. after cooking, just separate the tail from the body, peel the shell off the tail, and enjoy. OTHER METHODS: During spawning times, carp, and catfish can be found close to the waters edge in lakes and ponds. Some may be caught by hand, if you are quick and agile, otherwise, fish in shallow water can be speared with a simple long knife tied to a pole, or scooped up in hand held fishing nets (if you own one). If you find yourself in a populated area, and can do nothing else, hang out at shores edge by other anglers, and watch what they are doing, and watch how they are doing it. If you see someone throwing fish back because they are "junk fish" ask the angler for the fish, chances are, He/She will be happy to let you have them. If you are fortunate enough to live in isolated areas, or have access to such, remember that bodies of water draw an abundance of game, both in early morning, noon and early evening hours. Isolated ponds offer an excellent chance of bagging game to bring home to the dinner table as well as offering alternate food sources of the freshwater variety.

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Introduction

The first impression many anglers have when fishing a large body of water is: "where do I start?" Unlike a small pond or little lake, the shoreline gives away very little of what is underneath the water, and with so much water, the fish can move at will. You will wonder how to find these roving fish without blindly trolling or randomly casting into the depths. With a couple of tools and a little fish knowledge, however, an angler can unlock many of the secrets of the water, and as a result, avoid wasting time trying to stumble on the fish.

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Doing your Homework.

First, an angler should research the reservoir heavily! You need to find out some basic data including: How old is the reservoir, what kinds of fish where in the river before the reservoir was formed, and what has been stocked since, what type of dam was used to contain the water, and what does the bottom look like. An easy way to find out alot of this data for federally, state, or corporately constructed lakes is to hit the web site of the organization that owns the dam. Many lakes in the US fall into four categories: Hydroelectric, water storage, recreational, and shipping. Hydroelectric lakes were build to provide power, and therefore the dams are controlled by a power company (the Tennessee Valley Authority and American Electric Power are a couple of examples). The best source of information on hydroelectric lakes is the web site for the company that operates the dam, and the visitors center for the dam itself. The remaining three categories are usually built in the US by the Army Corps of Engineers or by an equivalent state agency. Information on these lakes is also available at the lake or dam visitor center, and on the web by a visit to the Army COE web site (which will direct you to the appropriate district web site). If the dam was built by a state agency, a simple trip to the states department of natural resources (or equiv.) will work.

Now that you know the history of the dam, and have an idea of how the lake looks and what facilities are available, how do you find out about the fish? The best place to find out what fish are in a public lake is to call or link to the states or provinces department of fish&game (or freshwater fish commission). They will have detailed stocking information available for the lake, and with any luck, will give you access to CREEL SURVEY DATA. Creel survey data is data taken from a sample of anglers on a body of water including what they caught, what methods were used, how long did they fish for, and what species were they after. The creel survey data is a gold mine! Use the data to find out what fish are most often caught, and what species are most pursued, and note particularly the dates for each set of data. While the data on what is stocked in the lake will tell you what fish are in the lake, the creel data will tell you how many of these fish end up on the dinner table, or if they survive to adulthood. Another good piece of data to ask about is if any scientific fisheries studies have been done on the lake. These technical reports are hard to read, but what they can tell you is where each species is found, how big it gets in the lake, and how healthy the population is. IN ALL THESE DATA SOURCES LOOK FOR UNDEREXPLOITED SPECIES (fish that no one pursues but that you think might be fun to catch) and HOW YOUR TARGET SPECIES IS DOING IN THE LAKE AND WHAT IT IS EATING.

The final piece of homework is: look for a topographical (or contour) map of the lake. A good, detailed contour map is even more valuable than the fisheries data, because if you know your fish (what they like to eat, and where they like to hang out), it will lead you to spots where you can look for them. These maps vary in appearance and are available from a wide variety of sources (USGS, NIMA, Army COE, the State or Province, and several companies). Here is a very simplified example for an imaginary lake (similar to several Army COE lakes-click on it for an enlargement), which I will refer to in the rest of this article, and to help explain general concepts for fishing lakes.

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The General Rules of Big Water Fishing

1) Fish will seek comfort zones when not really hungry or not amorous (i.e. spawning).
Know the preferred temperature preferences for the species you want to pursue. SInce a large body of water can have a variety of temperatures (temperature layering or stratification) at various depths, a fish will seek out the temperature it is most comfortable at and the depth associated with that temperature. Also, if the species is structure seeking (black bass, crappie, brown trout are a few examples in freshwater) it will seek structure at these corresponding depths. This rule applies to saltwater as well as freshwater, as any party boat captain can tell you. In order to find these fish use a thermometer (see tools below) on a metered line to obtain the temperatures at various depths, then fish at the appropriate depth for your fish. In the spring and fall a phenomena called 'turnover' will make it very difficult to predict fish depth, and just sampling water temps at various depths will not work. In these cases, however, the fish will be very hungry or amorous anyhow (See #5 below)!

2) Fish seek gradients (areas of sharp changes in depth, temperature, pH, light, weed lines, or clarity).
Remember that contour chart we discussed above, take another look at it. Areas where the depth contour lines of different colors (depths) come close together indicate a drop-off. Predatory fish often sit on the deep side of the drop-off waiting for shallow water swimming baitfish to swim over the edge. If the drop off has structure on the shallow side (see the submerged tree areas), predators will also sit on the deep edge and shallow edges of the cover so that they can jump out and snatch up a hapless baitfish. Areas with sharp changes in temperature will also attract fish. Where a river enters a lake, there is often a zone where the river water merges with the lake water (sometimes easily visible by the change in water clarity or whirlpools). In summer and winter the lake water will form layers. In the summer the water near the surface will be warmer than the water near the bottom. The depth at which the water temperate sharply changes from warm to cold is called the 'thermocline'. This thermocline is sometimes visible on sonar as a line. Fish sit near the thermocline to be both comfortable, and able to pop into the less comfortable water to get prey. The thermocline also hides some vibration from above or below it, so it will appear as a line on a sonar screen, and like an attack submarine, predatory fish will use this characteristic to hit prey.

3) Hungry fish in big water are either schoolers, cruisers, or ambushers.
Every predatory fish (this includes nearly all sportfishes) are 'built' to catch their prey in one of three ways: ambush (hide until prey comes by and then jump out to catch it), cruise (swim alone or in groups of 2 ot 3 in a likely prey holding area until it finds something to eat), and school (swim in large groups to encircle prey or use other predators to help find prey-'two eyes are better than one, four are better yet', and to help evade even bigger predators). Know which of these three types your fish is. Some species will assume all three roles, depending on age and the type of prey pursued. As an example, smaller striped bass will school together to ambush schools of small minnows, large stripers will cruise near schools of larger prey when prey is plentiful, and then will ambush when seeking structure prone prey. Largemouth bass are largely ambush predators (big mouth, sprint muscles, upturned eyes& mouth), but will cruise in the spring and fall, and small-midsized largemouth will school in the fall to encircle shad schools in larger lakes. Bottom line-know what your fish is for the conditions and lake and customize your lures/baits accordingly. For ambush predators-find structure in there comfort zone, or gradients the fish can use (see rule #2) and you will find the fish. For cruisers, use noisy/smelly/colorful baits/lures to attract their attention over large distances, and move lots over likely water. ALSO-note that one of the best ways to seek out schooling or cruising predators is to troll (at the right depth, see rules #1&2) until you find them, or if they are schooling near the surface look for diving seagulls and water birds (see rule#4).

4) Watch the birds, look for anything out of the ordinary, watch the weather.
Birds are an excellent source of reconnaissance for large water. They have a good viewpoint, and better eyes, and can spot schools of bait (which is where the predators will be) better than most anglers. Look for fish-eating birds diving into the water, and look for flocks of birds circling a section of water surface. Also, look for 'nervous' water (water that looks like something is moving underneath it). Look for shadows in the water and 'boils' on the water. Also, look for groups of other fishers (remember courtesy and don't crowd them).
A weather change can cause fish to feed or stop feeding. Dropping pressure will usually trigger bites, while rising pressure will turn the fish away from feeding. Lots of rain will make some fish harder to catch (sight feeders like bass) and some easier to catch (scent, vibration dependent fish like catfish). Watch the weather forecast (see rule #6).

5) Remember to be aware of turnover in Fall and Spring.
In spring and fall, the surface water goes to the bottom and the bottom water comes to the surface, which will excite the fish and make them hungry. Unfortunately, it may also make the fish harder to find, since their is no correlation of depth to temperature during turnover. Use rules #2,3,4 to find the fish. Also, if your species is spawning seek its spawning areas (before and after, preferably not during-let the fish do their thing and pick another species).

6) Be Safe!
Always respect a large body of water, and never underestimate it.

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More Tools to find & Catch fish in big water

1) A Boat.
It is easier to find and move to productive spots in a large body of water with a boat. BUT-if you don't have access to a boat don't worry-use the map just the same and hike or drive around the shoreline to get to the fish. 90% of the time I am also boatless and I still do pretty well on even the biggest lakes since most species hang out near the shoreline.

2) Navigation Equipment (Loran, GPS, Compass).
It will make it easier to find promising areas in the lake (from a map) or to return to areas productive in previous fishing trips.

3) A Fishtank Thermometer rigged on knotted/marked string (see image-click image to enlarge).
An easy way to get temperature measurements is to use a thermometer rigged as shown, tied to a string marked at even lengths (every meter or couple of feet will do). Lower the thermometer to a depth, wait three minutes, and pull it up and record the depth and temp. Do this until you find the thermocline (a shift of 3-5 degrees or more in 6 inches in the thermocline is common), and the temps that your favorite fish and its prey like.

4) A Depth/Fish Finder (Sonar).
Makes it very easy to find fish, structure, the thermocline, and depth changes.

Fishing a small clear stream or brook exemplifies classic fishing. Fish in streams exist in a balance with the water flow and food supply), which effect how often these fish feed. Streams that are rarely fished, and are healthy, will have aggressive fish that will hit anything that looks like food (and these tactics will not be that necessary). On the other hand, if the stream has even a moderate amount of fishing pressure, or the conditions are less than ideal, than tactics are a must to figure out were to drop that fly, bait, or spinner.
The General Rules of stream fishing are:
1) Fish are inherently lazy, unless really hungry or really amorous. They will seek areas were they can wait in ambush, without having to fight the current, and will move only slightly from this ambush spot to pursue food. The stronger the current, the less distance they will move to chase food. Look for areas of reverse flow, whirlpools, areas under waterfalls, pools, and behind logs or rocks. There are also still areas very near the bottom of a rocky stream that fish will hug.
2) The smaller and clearer the stream, the more cautious the fish. Fish in small streams not only have to avoid being eaten by aquatic predators, but they also have to evade birds, snakes, and bears. Therefore use the lightest lines and tippets possible, wear camouflaged clothing, walk softly, and excercise stealth. This may mean standing a rod length or so away from the stream, keeping your shadow off the water, and maybe even hiding behind a boulder or tree when casting.
3) The closer it looks like and acts like a fishes normal diet, the more likely the fish will eat it. (Feeding impulse not Strike impulse here - the strike impulse relies on shear aggression and is much harder to predict.) Try to match offerings (bait, lures, flies) to animals that are already present in the stream. Turn over a rock in the stream and see what is crawling around under it. Catch some of the insects flying over the stream. Dig a little in the mud or gravel near the water and see what crawls out. If you see crawfish, then use a crawfish imitating lure, if you see lots of mosquitos dimpling the surface, than use a mosquito fly. Once you match the lure or bait to the food, then you need to present it to the fish in the way the fish is used to seeing it. A nymph should hug the bottom, a drowned insect should drift at the same speed as the current (this is a hard one to do!), a minnow imitator or crawfish imitator should swim the same as the "real McCoy".

This diagram should help a little.

FISH HOLDING AREAS IN A STREAM = hungry feeding fish, where fish feed during major feeding periods (sunrise/sunset generally) = less hungry fish, where fish sit during the majority of the day/night.