Ice Fishing Fun For Families is nearly over

Ice Fishing Fun For Families

It’s great to fish in the summer when the air is warm and the lake is calm. There are fishermen, though, who can’t wait for winter and the lake to freeze solid. Ice fishing is a sport that many people enjoy, extending the fishing season to year-round pleasure. What’s more, ice fishing is a great family activity.
What makes ice fishing so appealing to families is that the sport isn’t just about catching fish. Getting outdoors and breathing crisp, good air while having fun sums up ice fishing well. Smiles, laughs, and playing in the snow are all pretty common occurrences while out on the ice. Those reasons are just some of the few that even people who hate fishing get hooked on this winter activity.  If you’d like to try a day of ice fishing with your family, here are some things to keep in mind.
Ice fishing is usually a whole-day activity. Get out on the ice early after breakfast to enjoy the best hours. If you plan on bringing home a bunch of perch for a meal, then being ready with your lines in the water by the time the sun starts to rise is best. Fish tend to bite in the early morning or later in the afternoon, depending on the species. The period in between usually ends up being playtime for families rather than hours spent reeling up the fish.

Pack a good lunch and some snacks, because the fresh air and activity will stir appetites. Lots of finger foods and plenty of water to drink serve the purpose nicely. It’s a good idea to avoid bringing beer with you, though, as alcohol and cold don’t mix well. Alcohol can lower your body temperature and the chill in the air makes it harder to feel the effects You may end up going overboard without realizing you’ve had one to many to make the safe drive home.
Staying warm while ice fishing is a must. The open-air location will often carry a good breeze, so windproof clothing should be your first consideration. Plenty of layers underneath warm sweaters will trap the heat and keep you feeling toasty. Good boots and mitts of solid construction are best, and even better are those that are waterproof. Ice fishing involves playing in cold water, after all!
Some other accessories you’ll need are a warm hat and sunglasses. Bright sunlight reflects on the white snow and ice, which can be brutal on your eyesight and vision. Many ice anglers who don’t wear sunglasses come home and realize they can’t see well for over half an hour! Since the sun is so strong and the reflection off the snow amplifies its effects, it’s also easy to get sunburned, so apply plenty of sun block to avoid red cheeks.

If you’re new to ice fishing, choose an outfitter that will provide you with a cabin, a stove, lines, minnows and a hole-drilling service. These outfitters want to make sure you enjoy your day as much as possible and will set you up with everything you need for hours of fun. The employees will also be more than happy to answer your questions and give you tips on how to fish.

Once you’re set up, respect other people around you. Have a good time, but don’t blast a radio to upset the peace and quiet of other anglers. Don’t throw waste on the ice either and have a care for the environment. Some fishermen pour antifreeze in their holes to prevent ice from forming but antifreeze is toxic and this practice is an irresponsible one. Use the metal spoon provided to keep your holes from freezing over.
In addition, if you aren’t going to eat the fish you catch, handle them gently and practice catch and release. The growth rate and reproduction of fish is quite slow, which means negligent or abusive behaviour can put a dent in fish populations.

Lastly, pack up and head home before you get tired. Being outside for a few hours in cold temperatures will hit you hard once you get into a warm car. By the time you get home, you’ll probably feel exhausted. After a day of ice fishing, ordering a pizza for supper can be a godsend!
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brochet

Bass Fishing

Bass fishing is one of the most common types of fishing. Many bass fish are found in bayou water and salt water. They also move through lakes, ponds, reservoirs and streams.  If you know the basics regarding conditions and places where bass are likely to be, you will have more success when you fish for them.
Many variables change the location of bass, such as water conditions, water levels, weather, and light and food availability. There are three main elements that must be present in a body of water in order for bass to survive: food, oxygen, and cover.
A bass’ favorite meal is crawfish, which they prefer over shad. Basically, crawfish are usually more plentiful and they are easy for the Bass to catch. However, a bass will typically eat anything from rats, mice, ducklings, frogs, snakes, salamanders, worms, lizards, grubs, baitfish, insects, and leeches. Their ability to rise to a wide variety of bait is one of the reasons why many people find such enjoyment from fishing bass.

Oxygen is another key component in finding bass fish. The basic rule of thumb is that the cooler the water, the more oxygen content. Therefore, if you are fishing in the spring, summer or early fall, you will find that the larger bass will drop down lower to find the cooler and more oxygen-filled water. They will also swim to find areas that are more concentrated in vegetation in order to find a better oxygen source. Trees, stumps, wind-blown banks, and power plants are all good sources of oxygen that will attract bass fish.
A bass relies on cover for a means of protection and a way of ambush. The bass is known as a lazy fish, so they will hide and wait for their prey to come to them. The other reason for cover is that bass fish do not have eyelids and the cover is a way to prevent damage to the eyes. Some common cover areas to find bass in are around fabricated wood structures such as fencerows, docks, and pilings. They have been known to hide under floating pieces of wood or decaying wood. Weeds are the second best place to hunt for bass. Finally, rocks are the third place that bass will find cover. Rocks are not as reliable as weeds or wood, but sometimes a bass will find decaying pieces of food to feast on within some rocks. Remember that rocks do not produce oxygen, so the source is not as consistent.

When it comes to fishing, everyone has a different opinion. You will often find that these opinions range in location and source. However, there are some lures and baits that are recommended for bass fishing that may be useful if you haven’t tried them. Tequila colored 7-inch worms with added scent are recommended, as well as Rebel Wee-Rs. Hellgrammites are thought to be the best live bait, and many will say that you don’t need big lures to attract big bass. Everyone will tell you to tie up to an embankment, or find a dock to get close to, but it is really an art that could take years to perfect.
Bass are notorious for slow moving and lack of distance in their movements. Logically, you could sit 30 feet from the biggest bass of your life, and he is not going to swim to your bait out of pure laziness. Finding the exact spot is difficult and a lot of fishing has to do with luck. The only part that you can control is finding the most likely places that a bass may be and exercise some patience. Weather is important to bass as well. If it is a cloudy day, you might have more luck than on a hot summer day. However, overcast is probably ideal for water temperatures, but then you have to decide what you are willing to sit through in order to catch a fish. The bottom line with bass fishing is you can only do your best with the knowledge at hand.

TRUITE GRISE

LES NYMPHES

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Bien pratique lorsque l’on pêche sur un parcours «sans tuer» ou seul les leurres artificiels sont autorisés, c’est l’occasion de découvrir la pêche au toc à la nymphe qui se révélera particulièrement adaptée à ce type de parcours et qui, n’en doutons pas, vous séduira très certainement.

Pour ce faire, un matériel classique de pêche aux appâts naturels pourra être utilisé sans aucun problème. La canne, qu’elle soit à fil intérieur ou de type anglaise, mesurera entre 3 mètres 40 et 4 mètres 40 en fonction des lieux que vous pêcherez. Il va sans dire que la glisse du nylon doit y être excellent car nous aurons à faire à des lestages particulièrement faibles, même si les nymphes sont plombées. L’équilibrage de la canne est important mais ne se différencie pas des pêches classiques avec une canne de ce type.


                                         Le moulinet

Le moulinet a peu d’importance, son rôle n’étant que de servir de réserve de fil. Un moulinet de type manuel  ou le  semi- automatique  Bam voir même un petit moulinet à tambour fixe classique peuvent être utilisés en veillant dans tous les cas qu’il équilibre parfaitement la canne pour qui il est destiné.

Le nylon comme souvent dans ce type de pêche, il se doit d’être visible, avoir une bonne élasticité et peu de mémoire, dans la plupart des conditions entre 12 et 16/100.

Le bas de ligne doit être discret et souple, son diamètre sera en rapport avec le diamètre du corps de ligne, généralement 2/100 de moins que le corps de ligne. Il sera relié à celui-ci par un micro émerillon. Comme à la pêche aux appâts naturels, il est souhaitable d’intercaler un indicateur de type Rigoletto sur le corps de ligne, sa couleur évoluant en fonction des conditions de luminosité.

Les nymphes que l’on utilise peuvent être très variées et comme lorsque l’on pêche à la mouche, elles seront choisies en fonction du lieu et de la saison à laquelle on pêche mais aussi en tenant compte de la puissance du courant et de la profondeur.

L’action de pêche

L’objectif est de présenter à notre belle Fario la nymphe de la façon la plus naturelle possible, comme si on lui présentait un ver ou une teigne. A la différence près qu’entre la pêche aux appâts naturels et celle à la nymphe au toc le lestage est très différent. En effet, du fait de la plombée sur le corps ou en tête de la nymphe, le lestage sur la ligne devient alors superflu. Par contre, afin d’être vraiment capable de répondre à toutes conditions de pêche, vous serez obligé d’avoir à disposition plusieurs tailles de la même nymphe en divers grammages afin de vous adapter aux différents postes que vous allez rencontrer. Par chance, les moucheurs, particulièrement imaginatifs en ce qui concerne le matériel, mettent à notre disposition de nombreux type de lestage (laiton , tungstène, fil de cuivre, Tungstene Gum, etc…) pouvant nous permettre faire face à toutes les situations. Toutefois, dans des conditions difficiles, il est toujours possible d’ajouter quelques plombs sur le bas de ligne afin de nous permettre d’améliorer la dérive sans changer de nymphe. L’action de pêche est proche de la classique pêche aux appâts naturels mais il est néanmoins important d’adopter certaine particularité qui pourront vous aider.

Ainsi, après avoir lancé la nymphe à l’endroit voulu, il faudra veiller à toujours garder la canne bien haute (comme pour les dérives chères à nos pêcheurs Pyrénéens) afin de contrôler le plus finement possible notre dérive. La nymphe ne doit pas «racler» le fond comme vous pourriez le faire avec un ver par exemple. La touche est visualisée par un petit ralentissement, déplacement, ou accélération du guide fil placé sur votre corps de ligne et le ferrage doit être très rapide dans la mesure ou dame Fario pourra vite deviné la supercherie et donc vite recracher cette imitation... C’est le problème de cette technique pour les « non moucheurs » et les pêcheurs qui ont pris pour habitude d’attendre distinctement le petit «toc» caractéristique de la truite qui résonne dans le nylon. L’appât étant artificiel, la truite aura tendance à recracher plus vite encore et ce leurre qui pourra peut-être demander une petite période d’adaptation pour ferrer efficacement

 nos belles mouchetées.