Now days, anglers are interested in cleaning and maintaining their own fishing reels, changing out bearings, jazzing up the gears, and constantly pushing their reels to the edge of design. I hope you will find the following information interesting and beneficial to you in your quest to have and maintain the perfect fishing reel.

Fishing deep water structures is still probably the most misunderstood type of fishing. We've all been brought up with the notions of casting your fishing line into visible cover. This makes non-visual targets difficult to fish for the average angler. To me, water that is less than 10 feet dees is considered shallow, so for the purpose of this article, 10+ feet is deep. The deepest I personally like to explore, under most conditions, is around 50 to 60 feet; although I've caught bass as deep as 80 feet (Lake George).

Okay, bass anglers, it’s time to admit it. You have a tackle box full of lures, yet some of these baits you fish with every time you go to the pond, while others just sit in the tackle box collecting dust. What if you could only take six lures down to the pond? Which six lures would you pick? A lure is simply a tool anglers use to locate and catch fish. Whether you are fishing in a large reservoir, river, or pond, fish are going to be located somewhere in the water column depending on season and availability of structure and cover. The tools or lures you select should target either the top, middle, or bottom range of the water column. Here are six "must-have" lures for bass fishing: Topwater popper, minnow bait, spinnerbait, medium running crankbait, jig, and a 6-inch finesse worm. These baits cover the top of the water column all the way to the bottom. Depending on the season, one of these lures will catch fish on any given day.

Plastic baits are the lures of the future in part because they are available in a variety of shapes and sizes as well as floating and non-floating. There are paddle tails, gator tails, slim-line curled tails, and even some with no tails. Some of these plastic baits have a scent added directly to the molding mixture such as salt, garlic, and anise. Whether you use the Berkley Power Baits or not, you should dip your plastic baits in Spike-It garlic dye or spray a scent on your baits. I believe scented plastic baits catch more fish than unscented because it gives the fishing something else to stimulate their senses.

If you had only one lure to use in your next tournament season, what would it be? Would you choose a worm, rooster tail, top water, or something else? They all have advantages and disadvantages at certain times of the year. If I could only choose one, it would have to be a crankbait. It's not my favorite way to fish, but for tournaments I strongly believe that it is the most versatile and productive of any one lure.

“Do scents really work and can they actually attract fish?” I am asked this question many times from novices and pro fishermen alike. I know that most any articles you read stress the importance of scent to one degree or another. A lot of scientific research shows some fish are drawn to chemical sources from hundreds of yards away. Other studies indicate fish can recognize aquatic plants and other fish in the same school by individual smell. A fish's ability to smell is claimed to be approximately 1,000 times more sensitive than a dog’s. Fish Biologists have proven that a fish’s smell can double or even triple with age. So how does a bass smell?

Since I began fishing in 1997, topwater baits have held down a starting spot among my fishing tackle to catch big fish. From late March up until the end of November, I have confidence in throwing topwater baits under almost any condition. This confidence didn't happen overnight, it came after years of trial and error. There is not one universal topwater bait I like to throw over another, but rather, each situation might call for a different lure along with a different approach or presentation.

No fish is easy to catch and many have a mind of their own. However, there are some species that are more likely, under the optimal circumstances, to bite on a fishing lure or bait than others. Many of the fish you will see on this list are common species we anglers target every time we go out on the water. This list identifies the top 10 toughest fish to cast your fishing line for and what kind of fishing gear you should use to give yourself a fighting chance.

We just recently reviewed the top Humminbird fish finders that are available to anglers, both recreational and professional. While Humminbird is a leader in the marine technology field, that is not to say there aren’t very fierce competitors one of which happens to be Lowrance. Lowrance had staked their claim in the fishing industry thanks to their innovative screen displays that offer crystal clear images, easy to use functionality, and of course accuracy. Lowrance offers an array of fish finders from which to choose, but in my opinion the following are the top Lowrance fish finders.

There are always mass amounts of articles describing the perfect location on where to fish for bass and all your other common species of fish. Fly fishing is one of our greatest past times because you can fly fish almost anywhere with no high tech gear needed. The reason why I absolutely love fly fishing is it will take you to some of the most breathtaking locations and allow you the chance to reconnect with the great outdoors. This article will list the top 10 locations to explore the art of fly fishing.