During the dog days, warm water contains less diluted oxygen (DO). Water that is 90° F can only hold 7.4 mg/L DO at saturation. It will hold less because of the demands for oxygen in the water. As the water temperature rises, there may not be enough DO to properly revive a fish after a fight. The result could be injury or death.

Before you fish this summer, especially for catch and release anglers, make sure to check with your local Department of Natural Resources or Game and Parks Commission to make sure that there are no warnings for the body of water that you plan to fish. Releasing a fish into water that has depleted levels of oxygen due to high temperatures can lead to injury and, possibly, mortality. If there are oxygen or temperature warnings for your favorite fishing hole, it is best to give the fish a break and set the fishing pole aside. When the dog days set in, it's time to lay around like a lazy dog.

Why it's important to the fish: When a fish exerts itself during a fight, it breaks down glucose in its bloodstream and generates pyruvic acid. Thus is one of the first steps in energy metabolism. When muscles contract vigorously for long periods, the circulatory system begins to lose ground in delivery of oxygen. In these conditions, most of the pyruvic acid is converted to lactic acid. As lactic acid is produced in the muscles it leaks out into the blood and is carried around the body. If this condition continues, the functioning of the body will become impaired and the muscles will fatigue very quickly.

An adequate amount of oxygen is needed to break down lactic acid and help a fish recover from a fight. If there is not a sufficient amount of DO in the water, the chances of mortality rise.

During the dog days, check to make sure that there are no warnings for the body of water that you plan to fish. If there isn't enough oxygen in the water, leave the fishing for another day.

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• Give back what you’ve been given – the gift of fishing.
• Take at least one new person out on the water each year.
• Protect the legacy for tomorrow – Take the Pledge today.

ANGLER Insurance for Fishing Guides is now available as an option with ANGLER's Best and ANGLER Bass Boat policies!

Available to Charter Fishing Guides operating boats under 24 feet. Often excluded from other providers because of commercial use, BoatUS ANGLER welcomes fishing guides by offering comprehensive coverage for their boat, guests and fishing equipment.

Call 1-866-532-1829 for details!

Sponsor a New Member and Get Your Free Gift!

Each new Member that you sponsor adds up, helping BoatUS ANGLER offer more benefits and services that appeal to fisherman. With worry-free fishing, towing on-the-water or on-the-road, you can focus on your next big catch and keep more money in your pocket and not in someone else’s.

Bring a new Member on board and receive a token of our thanks – a BoatUS ANGLER Patch and a “No Stink” towel specifically designed for fisherman…like you!

Simply Click Here to fill in the application information about a fishing buddy and enter your name and Member number in the designated boxes. When your fellow angler joins, you’ll get the credit, a thanks from your buddy and a gift from BoatUS ANGLER.

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Our featured guides and charters are selected from our Online Fishing Guide & Charter Locator - each one offering a discount to BoatUS and BoatUS ANGLER Members.

To search for a guide or charter for hire in your area simply go to www.BoatUSAngler.com/guides

Featured Guide - Freshwater
Service:   Guide:     Waters:    Species: BoatUS Discount:	Bruce's Striper Guide Bruce Tomkins Lake Texoma, (TX & OK) Striper (Striped Bass) 10% Off
There is nothing like a day on Lake Texoma with Bruce. He is quiet, resourceful and always finds fish! Bruce is a professional licensed guide who has dedicated his life since 1984 to learning the habits of Striper bass. Come fish with us and you will see why most of our business is repeat business. No Experience Necessary! Great fun for the first time fisherman as well as the seasoned angler. Absolutely NO experience necessary. We provide on the water instruction for the beginning angler. Women and children are always welcome. We will do our best to make your trip the one you'll never forget. Click Here to Find This Guide on BoatUSAngler.com
Featured Charter - Saltwater
Service:   Guide:     Waters:    Species: BoatUS Discount:	JadeLady Charters Marion Kaufman Chesapeake Bay (MD & VA) Rockfish, Bluefish, Croaker, Black Drum, Spot, Spanish Mackerel, Flounder, Sea Trout, Perch $50 Off Charter Rates
Having been raised on the Chesapeake, Capt. Marion Kaufman developed a love for fishing and has spent countless days on the water both recreationally and commercially. In addition to a keen knowledge of fishing methods, he has discovered numerous "hot spots" for fishing and has learned how to follow fish movements in the Chesapeake Bay. Full or Half Day Charters USCG Licensed Captain w/ 25 years experience as a Fishing Guide Member of Maryland Charter Boat Association Fish from 42' Custom Bay Built charter boat, JadeLady, with 300 hp John Deere engine w/cruising speed of 18 knots Latest Electronics and Safety Equipment Let there be no doubt, we fish big! Click Here to Find This Guide on BoatUSAngler.com

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Capt. Doug "Butch" Rickey of Barhopp'R Charters is the newest member of BoatUS "Ask the Experts".

Born and raised in Florida, Capt Butch has developed a life-long passion for fishing, especially the Gulf of Mexico and the flats and backcountry fishing that southwest Florida has to offer.

As one of the oldest guides in his area, Butch fishes with anglers of all skill levels and all walks of life. Live bait fishing southwest Florida style is very different from what most folks have ever done, and Capt. Butch is an instructional guide who is willing and skilled at teaching his customers. Over the years spanning his guiding career Butch has guest hosted on local TV fishing shows, guest hosted on “The Capt. Mel Berman Show” several times, starred in “How To Catch Redfish”, an instructional video, and written numerous articles for several fishing magazines. He has been webmaster of his own website, http://www.barhoppr.com for nearly 20 years, and his weekly “Fishing Reports” are used by a host of other fishing websites. He has also given numerous fishing seminars at boat shows and for fishing organizations.

Click Here to read the complete bio and submit your Gulf Coast Saltwater Fishing questions to Capt. Butch

Need to ask our boat trailering or
bass fishing experts a question?

Click Here to visit the "Ask the Experts" homepage

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Clear Water Tactics
by Rob Brewer, courtesy of www.BassJons.com

EDITORS NOTE: This article was written for Virginia waters but can be applied to any clear water situation.

If you're looking for a different challenge in your fishing style, why give a few of the area's "clear water" lakes a stab. Clear water is a relative term, but there are several lakes in the area that I consider as clear water. Some examples are Diascund, Beaver Dam, Lone Star, Little Creek (Toano), Newport News/Lee Hall and Waller Mills to name a few.

Clear water offers a different set of challenges than stained or murky/ muddy water. For one the fish are far more apt to see you or detect your presence, requiring longer casts and smaller diameter line. Your presentation must be natural and lifelike, as the fish can see better in the water than you can. Clear water often means deeper fish too. A tactic many of us need some work on.

My favorite area clear water lake is Little Creek in Toano. It is a tough body of water to fish. While there are some nice hawgs in the lake, there is no shame in leaving this place skunked, especially in summer. Personally, I also think a bass from clear water is a prettier fish. Their coloration seems just seems to be more vivid. Read More

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Sinkers are lost often - make lots of them with just one mold.
By Keith Lee, Make-Your-Own-Fishing-Lures.com

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Show Us Your Best Catch!

BoatUS ANGLER's newest "Catch of the Month" contest started April 1, 2009. Entering is easy - simply send us your photos of fish you have caught, fresh or saltwater, with some details and each month we will pick two winners - one for freshwater, one for saltwater.

Click Here to Enter Today!

Each monthly winner will receive a $50 Visa Gift Card as well as lures and gear from our sponsors. One Grand Prize will be awarded in each category, (freshwater and saltwater), in a drawing from all winning entries at the end of the contest period. Winners will be featured in upcoming issues of BoatUS ANGLER Magazine and Tacklebox eNewsletter.

Here are winning entries for July:

Freshwater Entry Tom Stokes Vero Beach, Florida (Smallmouth Bass)	Saltwater Entry Debora Dawson Ft. Pierce, Florida (Amberjack)

Click Here to view all July entries

Tips for taking great photos -

• Choose the right composition - Be aware of background clutter that might detract from your subject.
• Fill the frame with your subject; be careful not to cut off anybody's head or the fish's tail.
• If you are not removing the fish from the water, cradle its upper body in one hand, keeping your fingers out of the gills, with your other hand grip the tail and then position the fish at an angle.
• If removing the fish from the water for photographs, have things ready before removing it. Take a few quick shots and return the fish to the water - never keep a fish out of water longer than you can hold your own breath.

Click Here for Catch & Release Tips

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