If you were a fish and you were in a large body of water the first
two things you would worry about is food and comfort. Now I want you go outside
and look around at the lay of the land, picture all the houses and building
gone and anything man made, also picture it gone and then what do you see. You
going to see what the fish see, some trees some rocks some valleys some hills
and some holes in the ground. Now anything in the water that can’t live of
course would die so that’s going to produce a lot of bare spots which we call
sand, take a hand full of dirt had put it in a strainer and run water through
it and what do you get- sand, that’s why you have sandy area in the water, some
tree and bushes can grow good in the water, and some in salt water and some in
fresh water. Now picture you standing at your fishing spot and picture all the
water gone and you started to walk the empty lake or bay. You going to start
walking the flats then you start to go down a slop or may come to a drop off,
along the way you will see some stumps or bushes that couldn’t live in the
water and are dead and it could take a stump 40-80 years to vanish. This is
what the fish deal with, that’s all they got. Now of course man has put a lot
of man-made thing and objects in the water, like concrete poles, sunken boats,
man made reefs and who knows what else. Now as far as the fish go, there are 350species of fish that live in the Ocean, some of them swim
into the bay to find food and shelter and some fish enter the bay and reproduce
over and over. And I know you heard some of the pro’s say, you got to think
like a fish to be good at finding and catching them, there is some truth in
that saying if you want to be consistent in catching your limit day after day,
the faster you find fish then the quicker you can figure out how to make them
bite your hook. Now there is a art to working lures, I didn’t believe that
until one day I was buddied up in a bass tournament and we were both using top
water and he was smoking me 4-1 in catching bass, and the end of the day I had
ask him why I couldn’t get that many hits, same bait, same color and almost the
same rod and reel, well he told me something I will never forget, Jim your line
is to heavy and you have not tuned your buzz bait correct, I said what are you
saying, I had mean green 20 pound test and a single prop buzz bait that would
fly through the water, he said I should have had 10-12 pd test so I could cast
longer distance and as far as my buzz bait I needed to tune it to have a loud
squealwhen the blade’s were turning,
and you know what my next question was, well just how do I do that. He told me
to hang my buzz bait on my car antenna for 3-4 days while I drive around and
let the wind turn the blades and ware a spot on the wire and I would get my
bait to squeal and he was right it really worked, I dropped down to 12 pound
test and with a buzz bait that squealed I stared to get 3x more strikes, the
squealing noise in the water drives the fish crazy, I think the fish tried to
kill it or maybe they think it’s a rat trying to get away, but that’s what
anglers mean when they say that there is a art to catching lot of fish., I have
learned, just because you buy a new lure does not mean you could open it up and
start casting, I did not know you had to tune you bait and sharpen all the hook
points, yes you can bend the eyelet on the nose of any lure and tune it to run
straight. I have seen lot of pro’s take a red magic marker and make a couple of
marks on the side of their crank bait and said in the water it looks like a
blood line to the fish. There are many ways you can trick you bait up to get
more strikes. So, if you see the land layout like the fish do and you bait is
tuned, you should catch all the fish you want.
I personally use a 2-3 inch gold or silver
spoon to find fish, then I switch up to a
jig head with a gulp shrimp or minnow type bait and slow down my retrieve for
some better quality fish, it all depends on the wind, current and the dept on
my jig head weight.
But really think of it, if I was in that water where would I be
if I needed comfort and food, where you find bait fish you will find large fish
close by.
Now remember when I say bait fish, I not talking about a few pin
fish in the grass, I talking about school’s of bait fish, that’s what you want
to see, especially on top of the water, that means big fish under them.
That’s enough for now, stay tuned and subscribe for more
updates.
As its name implies, monofilament is composed of a single strand of tough material. As Berkley explains, this material is often a blend of nylon polymers with varying attributes that together make a pliable, strong line. A traditional choice that’s been around for a long time, it’s better suited for a variety of fishing tasks than advertising copy and fishing websites might lead you to believe.
Pros
Stretch – as a result of material used to help make monofilament, it stretches a beneficial bit under load–sometimes as much as 25 %! Troy Gibson, a professional angler and lure designer, put this towards the ensure that you found that typical monofilament lines stretch about one-inch per foot, or roughly eight percent. Obviously, the longer the length of the line, the more this may matter, but how much your mono will stretch hinges on brand, diameter, and exactly how wet it is.
Stretch might not look like a benefit, but consider that this gives mono awesome shock strength. When a monster hits your line, you desire some share with cushion that force. Otherwise, the total brunt of all that energy sources are used in for which you don’t want it–your knots!
Low and high visibility options – Monofilament comes in a broad variety of colors to match your conditions, including very low-visibility options for clear water. As well as people who fish with techniques that demand easy-to-see line, like nymphing, mono is available in bright yellow along with other high-vis colors.
You’ve probably heard the hype about fluorocarbon’s “invisibility” to fish–and there’s some truth to this, as we’ll discuss shortly. That low visibility is a function of how water refracts light, its “refractive index.” The closer the refractive index of your line comes towards the water’s number, the less visible it is (hypothetically). A fantastic match would mean near invisible in water, like clear glass.
Water has a refractive index of 1.333. Clear monofilament has a refractive index of just 1.53 to 1.62. This means that clear mono, at worst, is about 21 percent more visible than water, and also at best about 15 percent more apparent into the human eye.
Superior abrasion resistance – This may be a genuine surprise to many of you–and it was to us–but mono is really quite abrasion resistant when comparing to braid and fluorocarbon. The key reason why is pretty simple. Mono is an individual filament of relatively thick diameter; moreover, it is round. Together, this means mono usually takes abuse without losing its strength, while also being able to roll across abrasive surfaces. Nylon is pretty tough material, too, also it’s forgiving of tiny scratches and nicks.
By contrast, braided line is stronger–diameter for diameter–in terms of weight holding, but its multi-strand composition leaves it a lot more in danger of abrasion. Strength is one thing; abrasion-resistance is yet another. Nylon monofilament, diameter for diameter, is generally the essential abrasion-resistant choice.
Check out this head-to-head test:
To be fair, this is one brand in one test–this is science that is n’t! But it does display something you should know about mono: it’s far more abrasion-resistant (when dry) than you may expect.
How much of that attribute it retains when wet will vary by brand, but the very monofilaments that are high-end extremely resistant to abrasion.
Knot friendly– Monofilament is easy to tie and holds a knot better than the alternatives. That’s not a minor advantage, as all line tends to break at the knot, which is in all cases weaker than the tensile strength of bare line.
When TackleTour tested the knot strength of even average mono like Trilene XL, they found by them to be 10-pound test held 9.7 pounds at the knot that it was exceptional: line verified! Fluorocarbon and braid aren’t even close!
Floating – Nylon isn’t particularly dense material, and it tends to sink very slowly. That can be an advantage when fishing top water, for instance, but it’s not ideal in all situations and for all techniques. That said, as you’ll see below in our discussion of fluorocarbon, the differences in sink rate are really pretty minor.
Cons
Memory – Monofilament “remembers” the shape it’s been pressed into, and especially on ultralight reels, this can lead to line twist. Especially if you jig, this is a real problem. Here, braid is vastly superior and fluorocarbon much, much worse.
Absorbs water – Mono also absorbs water. As Berkley notes, this means that it will get a little easier to handle, cast, and tie as it loses much of its memory. But it will also encourage even more stretch, and it reduces its otherwise awesome abrasion-resistance.
Low sensitivity – If mono has a real weakness, it’s low sensitivity. Because it’s not very dense, and because it stretches well, mono can make it hard to detect bites and feel details, especially if you have a lot of line between your rod and lure.
Both braid and fluorocarbon are superior on this front.
Fluorocarbon
Fluorocarbon is actually a monofilament as well, but rather than being made from nylon, it’s composed of–you guessed it–fluorocarbon. As a result, it’s harder and much denser than nylon monofilament. This gives it some unusual properties, but the chief selling point of fluorocarbon is its supposed “low visibility.”
Pros
Waterproof – Fluorocarbon is inherently waterproof, and even after fishing all day, this line won’t absorb water or change its handling characteristics.
UV resistance – Fluoro is also more resistant to UV break-down than nylon, and if you’re baking your line every day in the sun, this means that you can count on the fluoro to last longer without needing to be changed. That’s a nice feature, and something we appreciate.
Sinks – Being much denser than water, unlike mono, fluorocarbon wants to sink. For some types of lures, this is excellent, though keep in mind that the actual rate of descent for fluorocarbon alone is very, very slow. The chart below illustrates how long it takes lines that are various drop one foot:
Fluoro’s density can be an asset still when jigging, for instance, so don’t discount this feature, but you’ll grow old watching it sink to the bottom!
Sensitivity – that density that is high gives fluorocarbon better sensitivity than mono, and this characteristic is further enhanced by its relative stiffness.
Maybes
Low-visibility? – The manufacturers or fluorocarbon claim that its low index that is refractive 1.42, ensures that it is nearly invisible to fish. A simple test with this property that you’ll see online recommends that you dip clear fluorocarbon and mono of the same diameter in one cup of water together to discover that is more visible. If you do this, the fluoro is normally the less visible.
But that is not really the story that is whole. As fishing photographers can let you know, fluro and mono look more or less alike in real conditions. And given that fishes’ eyes aren’t like ours, what we see and whatever they perceive will differ.
It’s also worth noting that scientists insist that fluoro just isn't nearly invisible in water. They’ve done the physics, as well as the answer is pretty clear (when you can follow very, very math this is certainly advanced that is!). Jeff Thomson’s “Mathematical Theory of Fishing Line Visibility” is a example that is good of we mean.
So what’s the verdict? Let’s just say that we’re not sure, but we have serious doubts. Given that this can be touted once the advantage that is primary of, we’re not sold–and we don’t think you ought to be either.
In reality, when TackleTour tested Seaguar’s fluorocarbon into the real life, they found that it made a big change with salmon, increasing strikes over mono, but found the opposite result on striped bass.
“Flouro [sic] is a material that is brilliant a number of reasons, but assuming that it is invisible is a recipe for disaster.”
Low-stretch? – Fluorocarbon, like nylon monofilament, stretches under load. When this is put to the test, fluoro demonstrates slightly less stretch than comparable nylon mono, though it tends to retain that elongation, permanently deforming as a result.
Take a look at these charts:
The results: fluorocarbon offers a cushioning effect like nylon mono.
Do not take our word for it; trust Berkley! According to them, fluorocarbon “actually stretches more than nylon mono. The difference is, it takes a greater force to get fluoro stretching in the first place. As a result, fluoro makes a fine choice for situations where controlled stretch is helpful, whether as a mainline or a leader in conjunction with low-stretch superline.”
Clay Norris, the senior product manager for Pure Fishing, the parent company of Berkley, Stren, and SpiderWire, agrees. “From a design standpoint, what mono and fluoro have is stretch, and that can be a positive and a negative.”
And Rapala says much the same thing. “Fluorocarbon does have less stretch (average 25%) than most nylon monofilaments (average 28%) but the difference is nearly [in]discernable by anglers until the nylon begins to absorb water and become more elastic.”
Cons
UV resistant – When you strip fluoro, you can’t just dump it in the water. It presents a hazard to fish because it doesn’t break down readily in sunlight.
Cost – Fluoro is expensive to manufacture, and that cost is passed down to consumers. Given how pricey it is to use as a main line, we’re just not sure that what you get for your money makes this choice a good buy.
Hard to tie and low knot strength – Fluorocarbon monofilament is harder than nylon; that makes it stiffer as well. As a result, it doesn’t knot and bind on itself as easily as nylon mono, making it a lot harder to tie well. This is a big deal. Remember–whatever the strength that is tensile of line, if a knot gives, it’s game over!
In TackleTour’s testing, various fluorocarbons that are high-end knot failure at an average of 63.5 percent of their tested tensile strength. That means that for the average 20-pound fluorocarbon, you can expect to start seeing knot failure at just 12.7 pounds of force!
There are exceptions, however, and the chemistry wizards have accomplished some real magic. Take Seaguar Invizx, for example. Our top choice for a fluorocarbon line that is main its knot strength can actually exceed its tested tensile strength! That’s simply incredible for any line!
Casts poorly – That stiffness also translates into poor casting compared to both braid and nylon monofilament. Moreover, as it passes through a rod’s guides, it creates more friction than comparable diameter mono or braid because it’s exceptionally hard.
All other things being equal, both alternatives outperform fluoro for casting distance and handling that is easy.
Not as abrasion resistant as people think – Fluorocarbon is tough stuff, and in some cases, may be tougher than an equal diameter of nylon monofilament. And like mono, it’s round, allowing it to slide over abrasive surfaces.
That said, even the manufacturers don’t claim that fluoro is generally tougher than mono. Instead, they suggest that because of its supposed “low visibility,” anglers can run heavier weight line, resulting in greater abrasion resistance simply because of increased diameter. But diameter to diameter, pound for pound, nylon monofilament is tougher when dry.
mono vs fluoro
IWhen wet, high-end coated nylon monofilament is at least, if not more, abrasion resistant and about ⅓ the cost.
Deforms under load – “Elasticity” describes just how much a given material will stretch under load; by contrast, “plasticity” describes how easily that material returns to its pre-load length.
IAs you are already aware, nylon monofilament is quite elastic. However it’s also quite plastic, time for its pre-load length after stretching. That’s not true for fluorocarbon, however.
After a heavy load, fluorocarbon permanently deforms, retaining the stretch it absolutely was forced into to a maximum of about 5 percent. That will weaken the line’s tensile strength, demanding that you respool a lot more often with this particular expensive line.
Braid
Braided line is just that: a carefully woven, multi-strand “rope” of spun polyethylene fibers. They are either Dyneema or Spectra, differing only in how they’re processed. Braided lines vary in what amount of such strands they employ, which range from a minimal of three to a high of eight. In any case, these strands are braided together, providing very high tensile strength for diameter.
Pros Strength – Braided line has a greater tensile strength for diameter than just about any for the alternatives. In practice, this means that you need to use relatively heavyweight braid on ultralight reels. For example, 20-pound Sufix Performance Braid has got the same diameter as 6-pound monofilament.
For a few applications, that increased strength for diameter is important. And it may allow you to spool very strong braid as your main line, with a mono or fluoro leader for impact moderation and low-visibility. That may offer massive advantages, helping to give an explanation for interest in braided line. For instance, when angling for large fish that may run, having more line on the reel can be the difference between elation and frustration! Low stretch – you might have heard that braided line doesn’t stretch. That’s simply not true–it just stretches less than mono or fluoro, indeed much less! As a result of its composition, braided line will typically stretch from 1 to 8 percent of their length.
Sensitivity – That low stretch translates into increased sensitivity, additionally the longer the line, the greater the bonus in “feeling.” Here, braided line excels, easily crushing both fluoro and mono.
Especially while you have more line between your rod and lure, that added sensitivity could make a real difference. Casting – Braid is quite, very limp and has very little memory. As a result, it casts quite well, though exactly how much much better than mono is still an open question.
Take a look at this video to see one of these of braid’s superiority in casting:
Cons
ILow shock strength – Because braid does not stretch much, when it’s suddenly put through shock, it can’t give to cushion that force as mono and fluoro do. That can result in sudden failure, usually in a knot.
Tangling – Thin braid tangles like nothing else on the planet, and when it does, it’ll leave you cursing your day you bought it.
Poor tying and low knot strength – The polyethylene fibers that make up braid don’t bite on themselves very well, ultimately causing poor knotting and relatively low knot strength. We recommend a Palomar or Surgeon’s knot, since these work nicely with braid. But this is a critical issue, and poor knots will negate the strength advantageous asset of braid.
TackleTour’s tests revealed the average knot strength of 49 percent–even significantly less than fluorocarbon. For 20 pound test, then, this means that average braid will quickly experience knot failure at just 9.8 pounds!
That’s simply a giant disadvantage, largely negating the superior strength of braid.
Visibility – Braid is difficult to dye. Most of the time, you get darker shades that quickly fade in the sun. It’s the absolute most visible line type, rather than a great choice for pure water.
And to help prevent these colors fading, manufacturers coat braid with materials that, especially during the low-end, flake and impair handling and casting.
Poor abrasion-resistance – You’ll often hear that braided superlines are abrasion-resistant. That’s not really true. As Berkley explains, “Due to their exceptionally thin diameter, not all superlines remain true as well to abrasion.”
Other experts agree. “The undeniable fact that braided line is manufactured by wrapping multiple strands within the top of each other implies that those strands can separate. If they do separate–and they will certainly whenever something hard scratches the top in only the best way–they allow water to enter the thing that was a sealed surface. When they open up, the water that gets in wears them, and that wear can end up in breaks. Trust us when we say that those stresses can lead to big fish getting away.”
Following its basic composition, the smoother the braid, the higher its resistance to abrasion.
but after all this I use red trilene big game mono 90% of the time, I have proven to my self that I get more bites and more fish, if I do go for large fish with sharp teeth, I will use a small steel leader about 6-8 inches
Thank you hope you learn what you wanted about fishing line..
Most fish are cold-blooded, so their body's temperature is the same as the water. We feel cold as an improvement between the body temperature therefore the surrounding air or water. Interestingly we are typically comfortable at an air temperature far lower than your body temperature and that can only survive a few degree swing in our body temperature. We get hypothermia at 95 F, only 3.6 degrees below our normal body's temperature. If the body temperature rises above 104 F we have been also at risk,
Many fish can withstand a much wider selection of body temperature. Koi may survive from 32 F to 80 F or more. Bettas can survive through the low 60’s to over 100 F. Fish can sense temperature and can look for the suitable temperature with regards to their species. Fish in lakes and ponds will frequently move through the thermocline voluntarily and may probably sense the temperature differential, much like we feel cold, even though they quickly match the temperature. One interesting observation We have made is the fact that when refilling an aquarium after a water change, many fish will swim to the stream of cold water going into the tank from the hose. The certainly can sense the alteration in temperature and water speed and seek it out.
Water temperature affects fish in a few ways. Once the temperature increases, the speed of biological processes increase. Everything from breathing to digestion to growth increases with increasing temperature. As water temperature increases the level of dissolved gasses it could hold decreases however. Then when fish get too warm they start gasping at the surface. Increasing aeration into the water often helps. Fish like Bettas can breathe atmospheric air and are also comfortable at warmer temperatures. While the water temperature cools, fish start to slow down. This is certainly species specific, so at 40 F a koi is moving slowly, a trout is comfortable and a Betta is dead.
Fish don’t react to cold like we do. They can’t shiver and additionally they can’t sweat. As soon as your Betta is acting lethargic, check the temperature. He could be probably cold. He may not eat or might just eat only a little. Move him to a warmer spot and he will most likely perk up.
Different fish are known to die in improper temperatures (a marine fish kept in a tank for your fish that is chilled, for instance). Alternately marine fish have faster metabolisms when kept in a tank regarding the warmer end of these proper temperature spectrum and, as a result of it, live shorter lives.
So, yes, they have been impacted by temperature, but no they dont feel it exactly the same way we do (thanks to scales and differing nervous system types and such.
How are fishes alive in freezing cold water?
Certain fish are acclimatized to residing in such habitat where in actuality the water is freezing cold. These are typically hard wired to sustain in such circumstances and for that reason have an all-natural defence mechanism against cool water. It is like penguins surviving within the poles. Secondly, not every one of the water in a lake or sea will be freezing cold. Various levels of the water column may have varying temperatures. Eg: The temperature at the end associated with lake will not be exactly like the temperature associated with the water when you look at the top. So, fish also survive by moving around to a specific the main water body where temperature is congenial for its living.
The 2nd aspect is for certain fish are ectothermic, meaning they will have the capacity to keep their body temperature much higher than the temperature regarding the water around them. The greatest examples of this really is Sword Fish and Tuna. Both these fish are ectothermic. Irrespective of the temperature regarding the water around, they can maintain a certain desired temperature in their body
In the areas like the arctic ocean, where water can get around 28 degrees, some fish actually have a natural antifreeze protein in their blood which allows them to be able to move even in these frigid temperatures. The artic sculpin is one example of the fish with the antifreeze protein that uses it to survive in the harsh arctic waters.
Fish are cold blooded, their bodies adapt to the temperature of this environment.
Like reptiles and amphibians, fish are cold-blooded poikilothermous vertebrates - meaning they get their body's temperature through the surrounding water. Temperature also affects metabolism and metabolic processes occur quicker in warmer water.
Which fish can survive in both warm and cold water?
Swordfish. During the swordfish feed at or near the bottom in 1000+ feet of water where temperatures are often in the mid 30 degrees Fahrenheit day. However, at night swordfish will rise to near the surface to feed on squid and fish species. Surface waters, particularly in tropical waters, can be as high as the mid 80s (F). it's hard to imagine a fish capable of thriving in a greater range of water temperature than swordfish, going from close to freezing water temperatures while at depth to bathtub like surface waters at night. Occasionally swordfish will rise to the surface during the as well and bask while digesting their food day.
Can fish see water?
I'm no fish but i believe they might be aware of it to some extent or elsewhere we would see a lot of fish come up to the edge of the water and attempting to swim from it before realizing uh uh can't breath. They have to also be aware that coming up closer to surface also compromises their safety and for that reason further confirms their ability to inform the essential difference between the medium these are typically swimming in additionally the one above,
Any freshwater or light saltwater tackle and line is good. Try
using a 10-12-foot surf spinning rod with a two-handed grip. Saltwater spinning
reels are most popular, wound with 200-250 yards of 15-20 lb. monofilament
line.
At the top of almost every inshore angler list is the flounder. A
collection of three main species, flounder are perhaps the finest table fare
found in the estuaries and lagoons of our Florida coasts. Here, we summarize
everything you need to know about catching flounder.
You can find flounder year-round; you just must know where to
look during each season. In general, during spring, summer, and early fall,
flounders spend most of their time dispersed throughout the estuaries. Late
fall throughout winter is termed the “flounder run,” as this is when the fish
all travel downstream to the inlets, to aggregate together before heading
offshore to spawn. This usually occurs after the first major cold front in the
fall.
Where to Catch Them
When the fish are inshore, they can be caught in a wide variety
of habitat types. In all cases, the fish will be buried slightly below the sand
or mud, waiting to ambush prey. They like to sit near structures such as oyster
reefs, sandbars, channel edges, and the pilings of docks, bridges, and piers.
During the fall flounder run, the fish can be found aggregated in the inlets,
and can be caught along the jetties of the inlets throughout the winter.
The tackle you use for flounders should be as light as it can
be. A good starting point is a light or medium reel capable of 10-to-12-pound
test braid of fluorocarbon line, tied to a 20- pound fluorocarbon leader. The
rod chosen should be a light, sensitive model. The reason for this is simple –
you want to have greater sensitivity for feeling the bites. Often, flounders
will not swallow the bait whole and run like many other fish. Instead, they only
grab the bait, leaving it sort of halfway out of its mouth. This first bite can
feel like just a small tap and is likely missed often by anglers with too heavy
gear. It’s important to not miss this tap, as after you feel it, you want to
wait about 5-to-10 seconds before setting the hook.
·Spinning Tackle for Flounder
·Spinning tackle is easy to use and can be used in all situations
for catching flounders. It is especially effective when baits need to be
pitched under mangrove branches or under docks, where the ease of use makes
getting the perfect cast simple. Spinning tackle is also very good for fishing
the more open areas such as sandbars, so that the drag system can be fully
utilized to tire the fish quickly.
·Baitcasting Tackle for Flounder
·Baitcasting tackle has several benefits over spinning tackle
when it comes to flounder but is not as magnified as for other species. For
one, you will get more leverage for pulling the fish out from structures;
however, this is only useful for the largest flounders, since they’re not the
strongest fighters in the sea. The other benefit is that you can get a farther
cast, which can help with covering more ground.
Best Bait for
Flounder
Flounders
eat a wide variety of fish and crustaceans, but there are some baits that seem
to work better than others when on the end of a hook. The hands-down best bait
is a mud minnow, properly known as the Mummichog.
These
small “minnows” are very common throughout estuaries and the muddy backwaters
feeding into them. The other baits that work very well include finger mullet
and shrimp, followed by others such as sardines, menhaden, and pinfish.
Lures for Flounder
Flounder
are a sit-and-wait ambush predator, so artificial lures are very effective at
fooling them. Artificial lures can be very convenient for you as well, as there
is so much casting and dragging involved in pursuing flounder that many times a
natural bait (which is usually hooked through the lip) would need to be
replaced every other cast.
The
best lures for flounders are ones that mimic fish or shrimp and are either
pre-weighted (such as the many D.O.A. lures), or can be pieced together using a
jig head and either a fake shrimp or fish. Fish these lures the same way you
would live bait – by dragging or gently bouncing the jig along the bottom.
Lures
for Catching Flounder
Adult flounder eat a variety of
estuarine fish, including anchovies, mullet, menhaden, croakers, pinfish, spot,
and of course the mummichog (aka “mud minnow”). Essentially using any
artificial lure that mimics one of these, or a similar, estuarine fish with
plenty of weight to get to the bottom will produce a bite. Artificial shrimp
baits, although not a major part of a flounder’s diet, do provide steady action
as well.
Artificial
Soft Bait Fish for Flounder
As was previously mentioned, stick
with lures that look realistic. Many realistic artificial soft baits exist that
have caught many a flounder. When using these types of lures, mimic the natural
bait in the area when choosing which lure to use. The lures can be either
free-tied to the end of a monofilament of fluorocarbon leader (if weighted
inside), or easily rigged onto any live bait-rig used for catching flounder.
Artificial
Shrimp for Flounder
Although shrimp are not a major
component of an adult flounder’s diet, they still produce great action. Bounce
or slowly drag the shrimp along the bottom where you think the fish may be and
wait for the initial strike. This can be done alongside the oyster reefs,
channel edge drop offs, bridges or piers. The great thing is that the weight is
right there directly in front of or inside the bait, allowing great control of
the bait.
There is far more to tying fishing rigs than simply picking the right hook and weights. Expert anglers depend on different rig configurations to present baits and lures at a variety of depths, with varying actions, and in a manner that facilitates setting the hook without spooking the quarry. Each rig, however, has a set of conditions under which it excels, as noted in the descriptions accompanying the following rigging illustrations.
BLACKFISH RIG
Blackfish are aggressive feeders that can snip the bait from a hook with surprising ease. For this reason, it makes sense to present two baits when bottom structure isn't particularly sticky. This rig does the job especially well by placing a pair of crab baits close to the bottom where bulldogs like to hold. Use small, whole crabs for bait if bergalls and other pesty bait stealer's are a problem. Use shelled, quartered or halved crabs if the tautog clearly predominate. Some bottom bouncing veterans also like to offer different crab species on each hook until determining one is more favored than the other.
FLOUNDER RIG
SEA BASS
A time tested, simple rig favored when drifting for flounder. The use of a three-way swivel reduces line twists and tangles, even in strong currents. Bait with anything from squid, spearing and sand eel to Berkley Gulp! strips or larger baits when big fluke are present. Adjust weight and hook size accordingly.
When sea bass are hitting hot and heavy, this rig will help fill the boat in a hurry. Upon setting the hook on the first strike, allow the fish to struggle near the bottom for a few seconds. This gives time for a second fish to grab the free hook, producing an easy double-header. Squid strips, clam, herring and mackerel chunk baits are all good choices for targeting tasty sea bass.
CATFISH RIGG- SALT OR FRESH
By far the number one rig for catfish, salt or fresh water
line size depends on what size cats your are hunting
Here is a few more rigs to give you some ideals
Have any questions - email me at kayakmodify@gmail.com
