Outdoor Encounters

Learn To Fly Fish From Scratch

by Harry Salmgren

Essentially fly casting is a very enjoyable and pleasant exercise and ought not to be made more complicated than it really is.

First, think of your rod as a pendulum in the air which -when moved- will produce line speed.

Second, it is up to you to decide to throw the line into a controlled loop by halting the rod so that the line can straighten out.

Third, the loops are formed by the pause of the fly rod between strokes.

-Practice-

Take a comfortable stance with two rod-lengths of fly line extended behind you on the ground. Hold the rod grip comfortably with a ”tennis”grip. Bringing the rod tip forward in an accelerated motion will give the line enough speed to form a loop when you stop the rod tip in a forward position. You decide how you want to form a loop and by trying to narrow the loop you will develop more control over the process. By getting familiar with the motion and by concentrating on forming a narrower loop your casting will improve.. Think narrow loop and you’ll get there!

After learning to throw a loop in front you can progress by learning to throw an equivalent loop behind you by casting backwards.

With practice you can learn to cast effortlessly while casting forward and casting backward.

>B?-Casting sideways-

Later you’ll want more control, and this will come by casting sideways, parallel to the ground in front of you, thereby letting the rod and loop move to the left and to the right of you, back and forth. This practice also gives you an insight into the dynamics of a well performed cast. You realize that you sometimes need something similar to a -racket swing- and sometimes a -hammer swing- to exactly form the desired loop you are concentrating on. There is no need of specified casting arcs by the clock as between 11:00-14:00 or whatever. You can now grow into using longer strokes when called for, or shorter when those are needed. Because that’s fishing practice.

At the actual fishing site you constantly need to adjust for wind, weather, distance and types of flies used. The casting motion to form the loop you concentrate on will also depend on the rod and line combination at hand.

Narrowing it down

These factors mentioned, all have a bearing on your casting arc or motion. The loop is essential. To form it is the goal, and to think ”make it narrow” will bring the rest of the fly line into a straight cast when performed.

-Ah, if it was possible to start all over again. To whip the loop forward for the first time. To see it throw the tailing line into a straightforward halt and to gradually become able to duplicate the motion -back and forward- with the mind concentrated on forming a still narrower loop. Well yes, the familiar movements luckily bring all this back again, over and over, always when casting. What a joy!

See you on the waters,

Harry

If there is one skill that all hunters need to learn it is knowing how a deer will react when hit by arrow or bullet. Knowing where the hit is can shorten a long and winding blood trail that may lead to losing the deer.

First and foremost we need to pick a spot and stay with it when shooting a deer but all the deer has to do is move the moment before impact and the shot is off center of where we were aiming.

Here are some things to look for when you have let your arrow release or pulled the trigger. Body movement! Body movement can tell you a lot. The perfect shot that being a double lunger will find the deer running a short distance. The deer can only run as far as there is breath in his lungs, so watch the deer run and listen for the tell tale crashing of the animal. If you are tracking the deer for whatever reason look for pink frothy bubbly blood. A double lung shot deer will not be far from where you shot it.

A deer hit in the spine will almost always drop because it has been paralyzed and a quick follow-up shot is all that is needed to complete the harvest. I do not intentionally try to hit a deer in the spine however because it is just too small of a target to take an ethical shot on.

A deer hit in the guts will hump up on being hit and this is one shot where you need to give the animal time. I recommend four hours at least. If I shoot a deer in the late part of the day and I suspect it is a gut shot I will not return for the deer until the next morning at daybreak. I go by the saying ‘when in doubt, back out’. IF the area is saturated in coyotes or rain threatens to spoil the blood trail I will go in sooner but not usually sooner than four hours.

Heart shot deer can last longer than you would think. Case in point I arrowed a deer right in the sweet spot I thought and waited as he stood on a high hill for him to go down. Pretty soon he went down. I still waited a couple of hours and when I went to retrieve the deer he jumped up and ran down the hill. I backed out and waited for daybreak of the next morning. I found the deer in a thicket the next morning and upon inspection of the wound the arrow had taken a piece of the deer’s lower heart. The shot was a heart shot but it was not fatal for quite sometime. There simply are no givens in the sport of deer hunting.

While body language is important so is blood trailing just as important. One trick that I use is to bring toilet paper when blood trailing. Every time I spot a speck of blood I put a piece of toilet paper there. This can really pay off when you look at the trail of paper often pointing in a clear direction or trail to where the deer has gone. Work in circles is you lose a blood trail. Often times you will pick the trail back up again within a couple of wide circles.

The whole idea in taking a deer is to take it as humanely as possible. This should be every hunter’s goal, but sometimes things go wrong and reading the deer’s movement when hit as well as good blood trailing knowledge will help greatly in recovering your deer. Watch the deer, his movements will tell you volumes of what you need to know before recovery.

By: Gary L. Benton

For Goodness Snakes, what do we really know about snakes?

Snakes. That is a word spoken when I was young that was right up there with the boogieman. I was especially scared of the name of one local snake, the Copperhead. Over the years though, I have learned that snakes do not really live up to the terrible reputation they have acquired. I have also discovered that most will avoid you, if they have a choice. Yep, I know all the old stories of snakes that catch their tails in their mouths and roll, I heard about the snakes that “spit” at you (there is one of these, a cobra, in other parts of the world), snakes that fall apart when you strike them, and snakes that chase you. Well, they may be out there, but I have not seen them in my forty plus years of meandering through the woods. But, I learned a few things on a recent outing that can help make a hunting trip, survival situation, or camping trip safer.

Wally and I had taken four teenage boys on a combination fishing and camping trip. The evening was warm, but we were all huddled up around the campfire as Wally started talking about snakes. Immediately he had the boy’s attention. There is something about the subject of snakes that always seems to grab attention. Not a word was spoken as Wally told us about a creature that is hated by some, and feared by most.

“There are about 2400 different types of snakes in the world.” Wally said as he lifted his old beat up coffee cup and took a sip, “And, you might be interested to know that only a few, near 200, are actually dangerous to man. That means that less than 10 percent of the snakes in the world are harmful. But, people are usually very fast, too fast in my opinion, to kill a snake because they think it is dangerous.

“I know all about the poisonous snakes in United States. And they all, but one, belong to a group called pit vipers (The other group is called short fanged snakes, or Elapidae, and they are coral snakes). Now, some folks call pit vipers long fanged snakes, or Crotalidae. The Copperhead group, Rattlesnake group, and the Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin) are all pit vipers. Of all the snakes in the United States, I am concerned about these three, because we have al three of them in this area. Remember, though, snakes are to be respected, not feared. And, regardless of the type of snake, or its group, most will avoid man if given half a chance.”

“So, what else do I know about snakes?” Wally gave the boys a big crooked grin and continued speaking. “Actually I don’t know very much, but I have never been bitten and that makes me an expert in my mind. Snakes are usually inactive during really hot weather and during the cold season. During the winter they actually hibernate, or sleep, kinda. Keep in mind now that a snake will move to the shade during the hot part of the day and move into the sun during the cooler part of the day. So, where do these snakes live?

Snakes love to stay around woodpiles, so be cautious when gathering.
Snakes like to stay around stacked firewood (all the boys turned their heads toward our wood pile for the fire), under and around old lumber and junk piles, along stream and pond banks, under rocks or logs, and in or around old worn out buildings. They may even be in holes or on ledges during the day. Well, l now that you know just a little about snakes, what about a snake bite? How dangerous is it?

Statistics show that less than one half of one percent of people bitten by a poisonous snake will die from the bite, even if left untreated. Or, that was what the Army told me when I went through military training. I’ll tell you how to treat snakebite in a minute. Why am I going to wait to tell you? Because snakebite is very unlikely if you use common sense when you are outdoors.

First, dress for the outdoors. Wear high top boots, heavy pants (like jeans or heavy military surplus fatigues), a shirt, hat, and wear gloves when you pick up wood, or when you have to place your hands in places that could be a living room for a snake. Also, if you know there are a lot of snakes where you will be, wear snake chaps. You can purchase them at many stores and they can make your trip less stressful.

Second, make noise as you move. Now, I realize when you’re hunting you won’t want to do this, but then be extra cautious. Normally though, when moving through grasses or weeds make as much noise as you can. This will alert the snake and it will know you are coming. Stay on trails as much as possible and keep the kids close by. Be very cautious when you step over logs or large rocks. Notice I said cautious, not paranoid. Snakes hear by vibrations and the more noise you make the more vibrations that are in the air, so warn them you are coming.” Wally gave a chuckle and looked around the campfire at each boy before he continued, “Usually, with kids around noise is not a problem. Also, snakes smell you by using their tongues. That is one reason a snakes tongue is always flickering in and out. When they smell prey with their tongues they go after dinner.

The natural color of most snakes make them very difficult to spot.
Third, be aware of what is around you. In the military this is called situational awareness. Keep your eyes on the trail and watch the kids. I also keep an eye out for movement where it should not be. A well-camouflaged snake, with its natural colors, can be very difficult to see. It sounds like a lot to do and it is. I constantly scan the walkway and keep a conversation going with the kids. That makes it easier for me, because it warns the snakes we are coming.

Fourth, watch where you put your feet, hands, and body. Walking should be done with your eyes open and you being alert for any movement. Additionally, as you pick up wood for the fire, watch where you place your hands, and wear gloves. Many people are bitten each year as they pick something up. Never place your hands in a hole or place you cannot see into. Snakes often use dens, holes, or lie under rocks. Also, people think snakes come out by the thousands when it gets dark, this is not true, but they are harder to see. Always carry a flashlight after dark.

So, if you experience snakebite, how would you know? Perhaps you will see the snake strike, or feel a sudden pain from a bite, but not always. Also, Rattlesnakes do not always rattle before they strike, so you may not hear a warning either. You will start to swell around the bitten area, usually within 3 minutes or so. And, you may continue to swell for almost an hour. But, wait, there is more.” I noticed the boys were all ears as Wally continued, “During this time there is usually severe pain associated with the bite. If you check the injured area you will see the fang marks (normally two punctures, but there may be only one if the snake did not get a good bite), some bleeding, intense swelling, and there will be blood in the victim urine. This blood is from major organs that are injured by cell loss and tissue damage. Your patient will experience a bad headache, a lowering of their blood pressure with an increased pulse rate. Usually they suffer from severe thirst as well. Medical treatment should be sought immediately, because death can occur within 24-48 hours if left untreated for some individuals. If you consider all the snakebites around the world, the pit vipers cause most of the deaths.
If you experience a snake bite, if possible, immediately seek help.
Well, now you know even more about snakes, what do you do if you get unlucky and experience snakebite? As I said earlier, you will find most bites occur to hands, feet, and legs. You should cut the pant leg (or any clothing) or remove the pants (clothing). This should be done in case the swelling becomes severe. Then, most doctors will tell you to wash and clean the bite with soap and water, immobilize the bite, treat for shock, and immediately seek medical attention. Also, various doctors will tell you to not cut the bite like they do in the movies, not to suck the poison out, and not to put a tourniquet on the injury. According to some doctors those television techniques might just compound the damage done. It makes sense to me. It all sounds easy, huh?”

All right, lets review some of the rules about snakes and the outdoors.

- Watch where you walk at all times in snake country.

- Make noise as you move, especially in tall grass and slow moving water.

- Watch where you put your hands and feet at all times.

- Wear heavy pants, high top boots, and gloves in snake country.

- If you corner a snake, make no sudden moves. Back off very slowly. The snake may strike at quick movements.

- Always check for snakes in your sleeping area, including your sleeping bag, and clothing before using them.

- Use sticks or shovels to move logs, fallen leaves, or rocks. Snakes love to stay in those areas.

- Never handle a live poisonous snake. If you must use a snake for food, kill it and remove the head before you handle it.

- Treat all snakes with respect. They are part of nature and should not be played with, tormented, or abused. Leave them alone and most of the time they will leave you alone. The boys all looked around the campsite and not a word was spoken for a long time. Wally had really educated them and they were thinking about what he had said. The lesson must have taken hold because a few hours later one the boys approached me and asked to use the flashlight. He said he had to use the bathroom. As he walked down the trail to the port-a-toilet I could not help but notice he had his jeans on, his boots and was sweeping the light from side to side on the trail. I slowly shook my head and thought “Yep, Wally surprises even me sometimes.”

It doesn’t matter if you hike, fish, camp, or hunt, you should have a basic understanding of snakes. While they actually pose a small threat to those of us who enjoy the outdoors, they can harm you. And, those of us who hunt often go off the beaten path in search of game, so we need to be extra cautious. Dress properly, use good common snake sense, and your trip should be uneventful.

Stay safe and take care of yourself. I hope to see you on the trail soon.

When shopping for a new tent, look for features that will let you enjoy the use of that tent for many years to come. Know your budget and decide ahead of time how much you can afford to spend. I’m not necessarily advocating that you buy the most expensive tent available in your price range, but it will help you know what your choices are. Once you know how much you can spend it’s time to analyze the features of the tents in that price range. Let’s begin by looking at the most important feature of a tent:
How big should a tent be?
If you’re not planning to backpack or canoe camp, the size and weight of a tent doesn’t matter so long as it fits in your vehicle. Tent capacity is based on the square footage and how many standard sleeping bags will fit in it. For example, a 2-person tent will accommodate just two people.

There will be very little elbow room or extra storage space. You’ll find a 4-person tent will be more comfortable for two people, and you will have space to spread out and store your gear too. For a family of four I recommend a 6-person tent. As a rule-of-thumb buy a tent that has a capacity rated two people higher than the number that will actually be using it.
You may want to check out the multi-room tents. If you’re camping with the kids, a 2-room tent provides a little privacy. Multi-room tents come in 2-room styles, where the rooms are separated by an inside tent wall with a zippered door. There are 3-room styles that are like the 2-room ones but with an added screen room, which is nice for changing wet or dirty clothes before entering the other rooms, and which are great for setting up chairs or a table to use in case it rains. There are also 2-room tents, which have just one large sleeping area and an attached screen room. Tents with screen rooms attached are great for storing gear outside the sleeping area.

What tent features should I look for?

A tent with aluminum poles.
Tents may come with fiberglass poles, but they are fragile and more likely to break. If you bend or break a pole, most camping stores sell replacements or repair kits.

A tent with an adequate rainfly.
The rainfly is your tent’s umbrella. The bigger the better. Look for a fly that comes well down the sides of the tent rather than just across the top. Rainflies are waterproof. Tent walls are water-repellant.

A tent with folded seams and double stitching.
If you can pull the material on either side of a seam and see through the stitches, this tent will leak. Be sure to use seam sealer on all seams.

A tent with a one piece tub floor.
The floor should be made of waterproof material, and it should come a few inches up the sides before it is sown to the tent walls. No seam in the floor means there is no place for water to seep in.

A tent with adequate guy lines.
Tent walls, and sometimes rainflies, have loops sown near the middle. These loops are used to attach guy lines that pull out the walls so that they are taught. It’s impossible to sleep in a tent that’s flapping in the wind.

A tent with good-sized stake loops.
There should be loops at the base of your tent in every corner and at the center of each side. These loops need to be big enough to accommodate the large plastic stakes sold in camping stores. Material stake loops are preferred. Plastic ones might break when you hammer in the stakes.

A tent that uses noseeum meshing.
This is the best material for keeping those nasty little bugs out.

A tent with a roof vent.
Opening this at night will help create some air circulation and eliminate condensation inside your tent.

A tent with heavy-duty zippers.
You’ll be in and out of your tent a lot so you want zippers that will hold up to frequent use.
Additional Tips To Prolong The Life Of Your Tent
Never store food in or around your tent, and never eat in your tent. The smell of food alone will tempt critters to tear into your tent to get at it. If your campsite has a picnic table, eat there and store food in your car. If you have a tent with an attached screen room, it’s okay to eat there, but be sure to thoroughly clean up afterwards or you will be bothered by ants, bugs, and other critters. If you camp in an area that is prone to pests, consider buying a separate screen room to set up as an eating area.

If your tent comes with a ground cloth, use it. These footprint tarps are made slightly smaller than the base of your tent. Their purpose is to help protect the tent floor from sticks, stones, and rough spots. They also help to keep ground water from seeping into the tent. You can use a regular tarp, but be sure to tuck the edges under the tent so that rain doesn’t run down the tent walls onto the tarp and consequently collects under the tent.

When you return from a camping trip. set your tent up in the yard and air it out. This will help prevent mold and mildew.

Do not store your tent in a stuff sack. Store it loosely in a dry ventilated area. Use the stuff sack to pack your tent when going to and from the campground.

Visit our store to browse camping tents for sale at great discount prices.

By: Gary L. Benton

A sudden storm can turn a enjoyable hunting trip into a real survival situation. If you have a survival kit and you’re prepared mentally, survival is not that difficult in most environments.
Most of us who spend a lot of time in the woods, but we rarely think about survival, we are having too much fun. We spend days or perhaps even weeks living in the woods, hunting, fishing, hiking, or just camping out and do it all with without a care in the world. I realize that is why most of us spent time with Mother Nature, however, as beautiful as the outdoors is, it can be a very harsh place for those who are not prepared. She can be deadly to the foolhardy. So to assist me when I am in the wilds I have developed the Ten Rules to Survive By:

1. Always be prepared to survive, always! No matter if you are just taking an afternoon hike on a designated trail in a National Forest, and you do not intend to get off of the beaten trail, make sure to take a survival kit. Additionally, carry clothing for changes in the weather, for instance, ponchos, hats, light jacket, even on days it looks like you won’t need them. The weather can change a lot in just a few hours and in the mountains this change can occur in just a few minutes. Ensure any clothing, boots (I never wear sneakers in the woods), or gloves you carry fit properly and are in good condition. If you are an inexperienced outdoors person, take a small survival book (I like the SAS survival manual for its size and information) along with a good first aid book. Both of these could save your life in an emergency.

Your kit should, as a minimum have the following items packed in it, or you should carry them on yourself,

· A quality penknife or jack knife

· A canteen, water bottle, or plastic freezer bags

· Matches in a waterproof plastic container (military surplus)

· Flint and steel or a metal match

· Water purification tables

· A long strip of heavy-duty aluminum foil folded up to cook with

· Fishing kit, i.e., hooks, sinkers, and some line. Nothing fancy.

· Commercial back packing first aid kit (with instructions). I carry a

small first aid kit (I have placed a small hotel size bar of soap inside my kit).

· One small pack of gum and one small bag of hard candy (energy)

· Casualty Blanket, sometimes called a thermal blanket

· Instant powder broth, beef or chicken, four servings total

· Survival Whistle, small, made of plastic and with a lanyard

· Any prescription medications you might need or other components you feel you have to have along.

2. Always tell someone you are going. Each year search and rescues are initiated for people lost in the woods and the effort is often made very difficult because the rescue team has no starting point. When you go outdoors, always tell someone the who, what, when, and where of your trip. An example might be telling your boss (who) that you and your wife are going camping (what) over the weekend (when) in Big Piney Mountains (where). I suggest you give even more details, such as the date and time you intend to leave as well as when you expect to return. I would also suggest telling more about where you are camping, the exact spot if you know the name of it would help.

3. If you become lost in the woods, or have to survive for any number of reasons, your first concern (unless the weather is really nasty and life threatening) is finding safe drinking water. My reason for putting water so high on this list is due to the fact that the human body can only survive for around three days without water (depending on the ambient air temperature of course). You can carry large zip-lock freezer bags, water bottles, or even rubber gloves to use as emergency containers if needed. I always carry a quart canteen on my web belt. Another aspect of water to consider is just how safe is the water you will be drinking? Even if the water source is crystal clear and fast moving, always treat drinking water with water purification tables or boil it. If you use a commercial ‘water straw’ or other filtering system, make sure it is rated to do the job you require of it.

A simple shelter can be constructed using the steps in this illustration. Once the frame is completed you can cover it with a poncho, casualty blanket, or tarp.

4. Regardless of the weather, construct a shelter. Weather conditions can change quickly, as I said earlier, and you don’t want to be caught out in a blizzard, rainstorm, or hailstorm, attempting to survive without a shelter. And, construct your shelter before the bad weather hits! Another reason to construct a shelter is for psychological reasons. Mankind has a deep need for having a shelter on hand. Just seeing a shelter is often a great psychological relief and while it is not a home, it will assist in making the time you spend in an emergency situation that much more comfortable. I always carry a casualty blanket and it can be used to make a shelter very quickly. Simply secure a long limb (with the branches removed), about two or three feet off the ground, to a tree. Then, construct the frame, as shown in the illustration and place a casualty blanket, poncho, or tarp, over the framework (centered), and stake the hanging ends of the material down using sharpened sticks. It will actually look like a modified A frame tent. If it is snowing, or there is snow on the ground, you can place pine boughs over the whole shelter and then cover it all with snow. The snow will help insulate the shelter. While not the best shelter for really cold weather, it will keep you dry in most wet weather.

5. Unless the weather is extremely cold, I usually procure water and construct a shelter before I worry about this step, making a fire. While a fire is needed, its importance is often much over rated. Of course in cold weather you need a fire to keep warm and to avoid hypothermia, but in most cases we have a fire for purely psychological reasons. Remember to keep your fire burning in a fire pit and surround the pit with stones (in the winter this may not be possible, but you can make your fire on a platform of green logs). Keep your fire small and not too close to your shelter. A heat reflector, placed 180 degrees from your shelter entrance, will help keep you was as well. Also, use only dry dead wood, because green or wet wood will smoke, burn slowly, and give off little heat. In wet weather you usually find dry wood (squaw wood) on the ground under the lower branches of big trees. Keep in mind it may be up near the base (trunk) of the tree. And, keep your fire safe by having water, snow, dirt, or sand available to use in case the fire gets out of hand.

In cold weather a heat reflector will reflect heat that would normally be lost back towards your shelter. . Make the reflector 180 degrees from your shelter entrance.

6. If you experience an injury, regardless of how slight it might be, take care of it immediately. That means washing it with soap and water, disinfecting it with alcohol or other medication from your first aid kit (always carry a first aid kit with you in the field), and then covering the injury to keep it clean. You can cover most common injuries with a simple band-aid, in other cases you may need to rip up some of your clean clothing to apply a bandage (A woman’s sanitary napkin or pad makes an excellent emergency bandage). Keep the injury clean too. Each day I suggest you removed the bandage, wash the injured area, disinfect it once more, and then recover it. Even the smallest cuts can quickly become infected if not properly cared for in the woods, so take care of all injuries immediately. And, always stay as clean as possible when you are in the field. Good hygiene will help keep you healthy.

7. Stay as clean and dry as possible. It’s my opinion that nothing causes more discomfort to a person in a survival situation like being wet, unless it is being both wet and cold. (Dry and clean clothing insulates you better as well and means you will stay warmer). Gather all possible foods, procure all water, and gather plenty of wood before the bad weather hits, if possible. I realize in some situations you will not be able to do that. But, at the same time, use good common sense; if you don’t need something immediately to survive don’t go out in the rain in an attempt to locate it. Stay under your shelter and wait for a break in the weather. Unlike at home, you can’t throw your wet clothing in a dryer and wait twenty minutes for them to dry. It can take a very long time for your clothing to dry by a campfire and in the mean time you may be shivering in the cold, or perhaps even experience hypothermia (the lowering of the body’s core temperature). Additionally, dry and clean clothing will keep you warmer and feeling much better.

A suggestion here, wool, Thinsolite ®, and Goretex ® will all keep you dry and warm even when wet. Of the three types of material, wool is less expensive to purchase and does an excellent job even when soaking wet.

8. As soon as your immediate survival needs are met, start construction of some sort of signals. Keep in mind, the idea behind a signal is to draw attention to your position. You can do this by using contrasts in color, shapes, or sunlight. For instance, a large ‘X’ could be made by piling snow up in an open field (make the signal at least eighteen feet long and three wide if possible). The ‘walls’ of this signal will cast a shadow (if the sun is out) and should be visible to aircrew members flying near by. So the higher the signal is, the bigger the shadow. On cloudy or hazy days, make three small fires and place them so they resemble a triangle (with a fire at each corner). Keep one fire burning all the time and the other two right to light immediately. When you hear an aircraft flying near, add pine boughs or grasses to make the fires flare up (be careful not to let your fire get out of hand at this point or of being burned). Keep the precut boughs close to the fire, but not so close they could catch fire accidentally. The sudden flare of the fires, from the added pine boughs, as well as the color of the smoke will attract attention. Keep your signal mirror, whistle, or other emergency signaling equipment from your survival kit on you at all times.

9. One aspect of survival most folks never consider is hygiene. Unlike a normal camping situation, if you get ill from poor hygiene in a survival situation you are not running off to the doctor or emergency room for treatment. And, survival hygiene is much more than just keeping clean and it also takes some serious thought.

In the field during normal conditions I shave and wash daily because I feel better. This may not be possible in a survival situation, but it is important to stay clean to avoid infections from small cuts. This means also keeping your clothing as clean as possible. Also, designate a toilet area and make sure everyone with you uses it. Locate your ‘bathroom’ away from your immediate survival site (I suggest a hundred feet) and not near any source of ‘clean’ water. Additionally, don’t locate your toilet up hill from your camp. Wastewater, urine and dirty wash water (if you are lucky enough to have enough water to wash with) will run down hill. When the temperatures are mild, make sure everyone uses loosened soil to cover human waste; it will keep the flies and other insects down (not to mention the smell).

Clean all foods and treat all drinking water prior to using. Dirty food and ‘bad’ water can lay you low in no time at all. Just like home, wash your hands (if you have enough water to do so) prior to preparing meals, keep any utensils you use clean (even if it is only a pocket knife), and keep your survival site clean of bones, scraps of food, and waste. Poor hygiene will not only lay you low, it could keep you low for a very long time.

10. Finally, consider your mental health. Humans are creatures of groups and as such, we tend to suffer from anxiety when separated from others. In a survival situation, separation is why we are where we are. A mishap has occurred that has placed you outside our society. You must fight back against unhealthy thoughts as you attempt to survive. Remember, people are looking for you and if you just stay safe they will eventually find you. Keep reminding yourself that they will find you! Remember, most survivors in the states are found within 24-48 hours, so a prolonged survival stay is very unusual. Nonetheless, it is normal for you to experience some periodic feelings of helplessness, deep concern, anxiety, or even a deep fear. The key is for you to stay as busy as possible and not to dwell on those feelings. Stay active and remind yourself at times on the progress you are making toward your own survival. Concentrate of successes and not failures. You can expect some failures; so don’t keep harping on them over and over again, because it will just wear you down mentally.

Stay active and attempt to keep a positive attitude. Almost everyone who experiences a survival situation has periods of anxiety, panic, fear, or helplessness. Fight back by keeping busy.

Survival is difficult at the best of times. The ceaseless struggle of trying to stay alive, the constant battle with our own minds, and even keeping the will to survive can be very difficult tasks. I suggest, while these steps in themselves will not keep you alive, they will give you a better understanding of what can needs to be done in a survival situation. However, I do believe if you follow my ten steps to survival, you too will survive!

© GL Benton and licensors

It is a debilitating affliction; no angler is immune. The symptoms begin to show up during or about the final week of wintertime, when blooming vegetation begins acquiring their original colors and fragrances.

Over the winter haul, for many anglers, the illness is only heightened by the constant listening to the weather channel, looking at fishing maps, and perusing through the tackle box.

Yes! It’s springtime and the speckled trout fishing fever is running rampant throughout the south. During this time of year, the illness will only escalate by the mere sighting of a speckled trout on the end of anyone’s fishing line.

It’s safe to say that only a select group of anglers have actually ever caught what’s called a real “wall-hanger,” “trophy trout,” “line smoker,” or whatever your terminology is for a speckled trout in the heavy-weight contender class.

Actually, trout between 4 - 5  lbs. are often referred loosely to the previously described; but, not to hurt anyone’s feelings, those sizes are not “trophy trout” in the true sense.

The true trophy trout reaper understanding that the “where,” “when,” and “how” can either make or break you, depending on the degree to which you have appreciated each. Now it’s true, however, that some anglers have accidentally caught a trophy sized speckled trout with limited understand of the aforesaid. Some have even placed  in the state record book or won rodeos with their catch. All of such occurrences only adds more hype to the springtime speckled trout fishing fever.
But what size does a speckled trout have to be in order to be considered a “trophy speckled trout?”

The answer, no doubt, would totally depend on where and to whom you would pose that question.

Understandably, since this species occupies waters throughout a wide range of states, one would have to first consider the fishing pressure heaped upon it from both commercial and sport user groups. This, of course, varies drastically from state to state. Added to that consideration is the fact that only a small percentage of spawners live long enough to grow larger than four pounds. So, simply stated, what might be called a trophy trout in one place may be only mediocre elsewhere.

It’s safe to say that a speckled trout  7 1bs. or more might be considered a trophy trout. That’s applicable for most of Louisiana , since further west, near the Texas/Louisiana border, that size is significantly more common. This is true with some other places in the surrounding Gulf Coast states, which yield specks regularly over eight pounds.

Such places can contribute that type of success to their strict marine fish management and enforcement programs.

It’s no secret, to the well-informed angler, that springtime is one of the foremost seasons for yielding trout in the trophy sized class. In fact, most authorities and professional guides agree that it is this time of year that the odds are at their greatest for that dreamed about speckled trout to become a reality.

Trophy sized speckled trout are distinctively different in appearance: black spots the size of pennies scattered along their sides, fist-sized, yellow mouths, and stomachs bloating from roe waiting to erupt. They more resemble a freak of nature because of their rarity.

Springtime offers ideal conditions for your chance to catch a trophy sized speckled trout. For example, marine biologist claim that when water temperatures reach around 68 degrees, speckled trout begin spawning. However, there are other influencing factors that come into play as well. Such as length of daylight and water salinity; and it all seems to come together during this time.

Basically, big spawners are considered by experts to be loners, only coming together in numbers for a brief time for the purpose of propagating. They can be found in deeper, open waters of the near-shore Gulf– but not solely. And, as the spawn builds to a climax, they are in continuous search for food to rejuvenate their bodies from the toilsome activities.

Those in the know, know when to go! Most big speckled trout angler veterans agree that the trout spawn is triggered during the first full moon in May, when temperatures reach between 68 and 74 degrees.

Even though such factors as water temperature, salinity, length of daylight, and time of year all play a vital roll in bringing these big trout together, there are variations that can impede these components to some extent.

For example, the salinity factor can be influenced greatly both on the inside and outside waters if heavy spring showers and/or snow melting from the north persist to an unusual degree. Such conditions will influence whether the spawners choose that area or not. Never think that just because you have caught big trout in one location one year that they’ll inevitably be there again.

The benefits of moving away from areas that are likely to be adversely affected should be obvious. Two highly susceptible places in Louisiana are those in and around the Atchafalaya River and the Mississippi River, two heavy fresh water generators..

Big trout during spring are often targeted along the coastal beaches and inside areas near the Gulf where various types of structure draw bait. They can even be caught at or near the two aforesaid rivers if a dry season occurs causing low river stages to linger.

The smart angler, nonetheless, will always have several optional areas to try and won’t be pinned down to any one locality in the event it proves unfruitful.

Good conservation is another factor that should always be kept in mind when going after any fish in the spawning class;
considering the fact that spawners represent future fish stocks, they should be handled as little as possible and released readily. I know some will sneer at such a suggestion, but these size trout are not good table fare because their flesh is oily and inferior to trout four pounds and under.

Those who are conservational minded regularly release spawners, documenting their catch with the use of a camera, fish scale, and tape measure. This way a reproduction of the fish can be a accurately made by a skilled taxidermist at a convenient time.

While it’s true that every big trout seeker has his own secret bait and method for success, it is arguable that live bait is most likely to prove best in comparison to artificials. Don’t take this to mean that big trout cannot be caught on certain lures at certain times, nonetheless. Of course this is generally true only after one has put much time and effort into it the techniques of the art of lure fishing.

Take Captain Poe of Cameron, Louisiana , for example. He’s a professional big speckled trout guide who prefers fishing with the jointed Thunder Stick lure. This is a top-water lure, constructed in two pieces and jointed in the middle to mimic a injured swimming bait fish when retrieved through the water.

While this is his first choice when going after the big boys, his next best choice is a six-inch live croaker or mullet. His theory- like many big fish hunters- is that the bigger baits catch the big fish.

Captain Poe says anglers fishing the Cameron area may catch trout as big as eight pounds or so and, if they are really fortunate, might even land a speckled trout in the ten-pound class.

Some of Captain Poe’s favorite big speckled trout fishing holes lie at the south end of Calcasieu Lake and the beach surf between Sabine Pass and the Mermantau River. He says that as soon as the school mullet show up, the big trout action begins; and, this stretch of coastal surf covers a lot of territory for the big trout searcher to capitalize on. Speckled trout from this zone commonly run between 6 and 7 ponds, and they favor this locality preferably because of the high salinity factor common to the region.

Hopedale, Louisiana, is another big-trout territory. Some popular places are the famous Black Tanks, Eight Pilings, and Battledore Reef. Here is where live shrimp on a Carolina rig seems to rule. However, the wellheads and oil rigs throughout that area produce big trout as well. Particularly at night, large speckled trout like congregating under the subdued lights of these structures in early spring.

But there are locals guides who will argue that Lake Pontchartrain, the states biggest lake, produces the biggest speckled trout. Validating this is the fact that two speckled trout state fish records were caught here.

Like most other predator fish, speckled trout feed on what’s available in the water for that season. Abundant in the water during spring are silverside minnows (glass minnows), often overlooked by speckled trout anglers. These delicate minnows have transparent bodies with a thin silver stripe running horizontally along their sides. These minnows are very short-lived out of the water and even in most bait tanks. The best size to fish with are those of at least 3 inches. The big trick in fishing them is hooking them so that they don’t readily die.

The best method is to hook them under their lower jaw and pass the hook through the upper portion of their mouth, just ahead of their eyes. It’s very essential to support the top portion of their head when doing this or the minnow’s backbone will break, resulting in instant death. The placement of the hook, its size, and thickness are obviously crucial. The #6 Eagle Claw 089A hook or equivalent is ideal for the job– small and strong yet light enough for the bait to swim.

Line type is also important when fishing these baits. The objective is to allow the bait to freely swim . Ideal mono line size should not exceed 20 lbs. Braided line is best in the 6/20 class, but a fluorocarbon leader is recommended because of its invisibility.

Silver side minnows can be fished just like any other live bait for trout. But under lighted structures at night, freelined method works best when the trout are feeding on the surface. When fishing the bottom use a bottom drop leader rig or a Carolina Rig.

These hooks are small but very strong and penetrate virtually every time in the hard ridge part of the trout’s mouth. As mentioned, these minnows are especially abundant in spring and can be caught at night by hanging a submersible fishing light in the water which will attract them. Then, a scoop net can be used to catch them as needed.

Out of all the big-trout baits that are used, two exceptional live baits are most often overlooked: the ballyhoo and the needlefish. These baits are often confused but are distinctly different when scrutinized.

One of the main differences is the mouth beaks. True, both fish may look the same in the water, but the needlefish has a long needle mouth protrusion on both its upper and lower jaw sections; while the ballyhoo’s upper mouth section has a very short needle protrusion compared to its very longer lower counterpart.

Despite the fact that each of these species can grow a foot or more in length, make no mistake about it, speckled trout have an uncanny weakness to eat them. Due to their elongated size and the fact that trout generally hit a bait head first, it is essential to hook the bait in the mouth section ahead of their eyes and to let the trout run on a loose line before setting the hook. Consequently, a large hook is best, generally a thin gauge type in the 6/0-7/0 size, long shank.

Every successful speckled trout angler knows that the key to fooling large, wary speckled trout lies in the presentation. So whether you’re using live bait or lures, it must look real. Thus, avoid using heavy line, snap swivels, and steel leaders that can hinder the bait’s performance.

Veteran angler and marina owner Blackie Campo of Shell Beach, Louisiana , is one who swears by live giant-sized cocahoe minnows or live croakers as the preferred big trout taker. He recommends trying them on a Carolina Rig or just freelining them if the current isn’t too strong. His favorite hunting grounds are the mouth of the Mississippi Gulf Outlet canal and its rock jetties and the oil rigs and wellheads which lie just south of this area.

Yes, the list of hot spots and baits may vary, but all trophy-trout hunters can depend on two things that are inevitable: It is this time of year that if all the right ingredients come together, northern Gulf Coast anglers may catch their wall-hanger trout of a lifetime - and, the springtime speckled trout fishing fever will still remain incurable.

Visit our home page to buy sporting goods

From David Sweet,
Your Guide to Camping.

Tips for preparing a campsite
You’ve finally arrived at your camping destination and you’re scoping out the area to see which spot looks best for setting up your campsite. What should you be looking for?
look for relatively high, level ground
There’s some truth to the saying “high and dry,” and you should never set up your tent on a slope, or you’ll find yourself rolling out of your sleeping bag all night.

check for a water source nearby
Water is essential for camping; you’ll need it for all your drinking, cooking, and cleaning up. You don’t want to have to walk far with a five-gallon container.

find an adequate area for cooking
Don’t ever cook in your tent! Locate a flat area away from any leaves, twigs or brush that may catch fire. And never leave an unattended campfire burning.

and another area for cleaning
Don’t kill the flora with hot, soapy water. Use bio-degradable soap, and only dump gray water in designated areas or where it will do no harm.

don’t forget the garbage
Always keep a clean campsite. Collect all litter and keep it gathered away from your tent in a location out of reach of any of the local critters or pests.

pick a campsite with some shade
It’s nice to have a shady spot to relax in during the heat of the day or while hanging out at the campsite.

Determining What Line To Use

Which type of salmon fishing line you use on your fishing trip will often mean the difference between a successful day and one filled with a lot of snags, rats-nests and frustration. The right salmon fishing line will often be determined by the type of salmon you are going to be targetting during the day; there are specialty lines designed specifically for certain types of fishing conditions, and even standard lines will have varying results depending on the water you are fishing in.

MonoFluoroCarbo What? Help Is Here!

First of all, it is important to understand the different construction materials used in different types of line. Species, depth of presentation, type of lure, size of lure all have a bearing on what type of materials you should be using. If you intend on trolling a spoon or heavier lure’s you want to have a line with some give so you don’t rip the lure out of the Salmons mouth and damage it. Monofilament has always been, and continues to be, the most popular choice among all anglers (those fishing for salmon included), at least as far as the bulk of purchases. Despite the steady sales in monofilament line, most people who fish will tell you that monofilament remains popular only because it is cheaper than other materials; one strand is not difficult to manufacture. A much more desirable type of salmon fishing line is that made from fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbon line is much stronger than nylon monofilament due to its complex structure (it is also often used in combination with copolymers). Most importantly to salmon fishers, especially those mooching or drift fishing, is the fact that fluorocarbon reflects light in much the same way as water, and is therefore much more difficult for a salmon to see. This is particularly important when considering leader material for your set up.

Super Lines For Super Salmon

Super lines and specialty lines are made up of different materials and combinations of materials than standard lines. Super lines are designed for strength, and are made through braiding the strands of material or through thermal fusion. They are popular for their amazing strength, knot tying strength and lack of stretch (about 5% opposed to monofilament which is about 20%).

Super lines are most effective when landing huge chinook, and trolling becuase of thier diameter. The diameter (or thickness) of the line is a fraction of a monofilament line which allows for a quick, deep descent when trolling. Super lines do not always make the best leader material however, as they are not made of any type of “clear” smooth material. Another point to note is because of the “texture” of the line and lack of smoothness, it can frey and snap if the eyeletts of your rod have any type of bur in them, so keep your eyelettes filed if you have burs and find a rod that has good guides or eyelettes to avoid this problem.

Isn’t That Special!

Specialty lines are also often used when fly fishing for salmon both from in saltwater and freshwater situations. Wire lines are effective leaders when trying to land a sturgeon but have been used on other Pacific species in fast muddy water; the teeth on spawning salmon are greatly enhanced and the wire will prevent them from scraping the line. Wire leaders are not recommended for recreational salmon fishing but serve thier purpose in angling other fish.

Specialty lines such as floating fly lines will be of great assistance in set ups for land locked Atlantics and kokanee; a heavy nymph attached to a floating line will stimulate the instincts of the prey perfectly enough to entice any wary salmon. Specialty fly lines will always be attached to a spool of backing at the end of the rod, which will be necessary when you hook a runner, and is similar to super line in texture and appearance.

Wind It Up!

Every fisher eventually runs the line on the reel down, and it becomes necessary to put some more on the reel before the next trip out. Line winders are integral to this process, as they get the line on the reel efficiently and accurately without a lot of extra work on the part of the fisher. Winders can fit right on a boat, which can be pretty important when you are having a day where the fish just seem to have nothing but fight (”dare to dream Arnold….dare to dream”.

Tip: at the end of each season spool your salmon fishing line onto another vacant spool (preferably something large) using an electric drill to do the work if you don’t have a winder. This will help the line with “memory” so that it’s not all coiled up and easy to work with for the next season. Also if you do this you can usually get another season out of your line becuase when you spool it back onto your reel, it will be going on backwards. In other words, the line you’ll be using will probably be untouched line that was always spooled up on the reel and never casted or run!

Here are a couple of links that will give you some general tips on fishing line. If you want to learn more about these lines for the purpose of Salmon fishing, however, continue with the links on the upper right nav-bar. You can find out more about things like monofilament line for Salmon fishing on these pages, which is a very popular line amoung Salmon anglers.

Tight lines!!!

http://www.rifles-n-rods.com
http://www.gosalmonfishing.com

Well it’s a bitter sweet ending to the Salmon season of 2007! The spawning salmon are almost done their life cycle with a few resident Steelhead hanging around for winter and the odd Coho here and there still kickin around the rivers.

Not all is doom and gloom in the season though! Go Salmon Fishing.com had a great year with lots of great advice, salmon pictures sent in and stories from our viewers! Thanks! The good news is that winter Steelheading is just around the corner where some of the biggest Steelhead are caught - I can’t wait!

Although things slow down on the Ocean as far as guiding or salmon charters is concerned and the rivers are littered with salmon that will nurture the earth with much needed minerals and elements from their carcasses, Steelhead season really becomes exciting on the river systems that these monsters reside in!

The weather really starts to cool of up in Canada and with snow on the ground, ice on your reel and freezing brittle monofiliament line; it can be a tough go. The important thing to remember here is to bring lots of warm - dry clothing. It’s a smart thing to invest in some good fishing boots with spikes or studs and a good pair of neoprene waders or hybrid waders as breathables can be a bit chilly if the temperature gets harsh.

The nice thing about winter runs of Steelhead is people hate the cold and if you’re reading this article still, you’re probably a die hard and would really appreciate the quiet and beauty of winter Steelhead fishing - not to mention the success rate and size of Steelhead during this time!

If this all just sounds to cold for you and you travel to sunny places to fish that’s okay too. You can still visit Go Salmon Fishing tackle shop for all your other warm water fishing needs. We specialize in Salmon, but sell a massive selection of all fish species tackle and gear. Check out some of our pages to learn some new techniques, find a great guide for next year or stock up on tackle for next season so you’re organized and ready to go without having to fight the flippin’ crowds for some “slim pickins!”

Thanks again for everyone’s support and keep the comments and pictures coming!

Happy Steelheading!

Dustin
http://www.gosalmonfishing.com
http://www.rifles-n-rods.com

There is definitely a misconception that saltwater flyfishing for Coho, or any salmon for that matter, is non existent! Well much like the moment you buy a computer it becomes obsolete, the idea that flyfishing in the open ocean is not as exciting or productive as freshwater fishing for salmon or trout, is also a thing of the past.

A number of professional anglers and guides have been practicing these saltwater techniques for years, just fine tuning their efforts until the right time to expose the right ones at the right times! Well it’s time! Guides and Charters are now available for excursions that allow for fishing Coho on the fly.

The ocean flyfishing movement started with wet lines and sinking or weighted patterns but much like the popularity of the sport, has evolved into something much bigger and better and seems to “float to the top” of every magazine or article that relates to fishing for salmon or steelhead. Well maybe the line isn’t always floating, but compared to the fast sinking lines and Clouser minnows of yesteryear, methods have changed into a slower sinking line or sometimes a completely floating line with “jumping and hopping” topwater movements.

As with any change, comes more change! With new developments in the success of topwater or surface flyfishing for Coho and a bucket full of nothing but new ideas, the same old flies needed adjustment to keep up with the technique altering. Experimentation was needed in order to harness the new style of Coho fishing on the fly.

“Oh Where Oh Where Did My Loadie Doe Coho Go?”

Locating Coho in the river is one thing! Try finding these silver buggers in their open marine environment! It’s definitely tricky and without the proper tackle and gear, it can be what my brother always called a“WOT” or waste of time, sometimes “WOFT.” If it’s one thing to keep in mind, it’s that in the summer before the fish move to the rivers to spawn, they want one thing and one thing only…food! If you can find the kelp beds that they are moving in and around this will help you find fish.

Coho look for these kelp beds in search of herring that move to these beds for cover and safety. The herring that the Coho are after will be in the top 30 percent of water depending on how deep it is. Now the thing to watch for in these beds is wounded or ill herring that struggle along the surface in a circular motion and make a tiny little wake behind them in the shape of a “V.” These are good signs for the Coho fisherman that’s looking for these salmon because the Coho love to buzz across these kelp lines looking for the struggling “V.” There’s nothing better than finding the Coho as they circle the herring like a pack of sharks ready to kill, as they splash, jump and fight aggressively over their next meal.

The kelp acts as a great way for the herring to hide or find protection against Coho and other salmon looking to fatten up and the Coho seem to know it. Much like in a river system where a Steelhead will sit behind a rock or log jamb for the current to push an earthworm right in front of him, the Coho can sometimes be found while sitting along the line of a kelp bed waiting for an un-suspecting herring to be pulled out into the open by the tide before getting smashed by half a dozen Coho.

Being prepared for the fight

Just like you should get all your ducks in a row before heading out on the river for an early first light Coho fish, you need to make sure you’re prepared for what’s in store on the ocean…even more so with the danger of the ocean. Have all of your spey fishing tackle cleaned, ready to go and organized so you don’t miss anything, cuz it’s a long trip back for a couple of 5 dollar flies!

Assuming you are someone experienced on the waters or with someone who knows how to navigate the ocean with lots of respect, there are a couple of things that you will need to do once you have found the Coho kelp beds with “rising” Coho on the perimeter. These are the steps that I would suggest you take before throwing a line into the water. Remember that once you’ve found Coho feeding, if you’ve taken all of these steps and followed them to a tee, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a couple of quick strips back with your fly after you’ve casted, it will take for your fly to be absolutely attacked by an aggressive Coho.

Observe - look for rising fish and guestimate the underwater kelp environment.

Observe Wind – position yourself correctly against the wind.

Observe Current – position yourself correctly against the current.

Stealth – be quiet! Be stealthy and try not to hit the boat with anything.

Anchor – anchor yourself in the correct position quietly, taking into consideration all of the things that you have watched such as fish, wind and currents.

Observe Fish – watch patiently for rising or jumping fish either herring OR Coho.

Fly – after choosing the right coho fly make sure to have your fly rod and reel ready to go for the next jumper.

Fish On!!!

When fishing Coho on the fly there are a couple of things out of the norm from fishing in a river or downrigging. One technique that is recommended when fishing Coho like mentioned above is once a fish is on, or thought to be on, you should always give the line a couple more strips before the set. Often the fish will attack the fly in increasingly strong waves of aggression. If you set the hook to soon you are apt to pull the hook away from the feed and miss the fish – a couple of quick strips back after a nibble will ensure that the fish keeps attacking the line until they literally hook themselves.

http://www.gosalmonfishing.com
http://www.rifles-n-rods.com