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Dear Anglers, Here are ten tips that will help you stay safe this July 4th holiday weekend: 1. Put safety into your weekend plan: The Foundation's free Online Boating "Toolbox" at http://www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/Guide has helpful information on trip planning and preparation, boating equipment, emergency preparation, navigation, and quizzes to test your knowledge. The Foundation also offers a free NASBLA-approved online boating safety course for residents of more than 30 states at http://www.BoatUS.org/Onlinecourse 2."Little" guests need life jackets: Everyone wants to be on the boat this holiday weekend, but do you have the right-sized life jacket aboard for any visiting kids? The BoatU.S. Foundation loans children's life jackets for free at over 350 marinas, fuel docks, and other waterfront businesses and boat clubs. To find a location near you go to http://www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/LJLP 3. Take your time to get home: July 4th is the one time a year many fair-weather boaters - who may rarely navigate in the dark - venture out after the sun goes down. The most reported type of boating accident is a collision with another vessel so it's a good idea to keep your speed down, post an extra lookout, and ensure all your navigation lights work. A spotlight is a must, and ensure all safety gear is readily available and life jackets are worn. Be extra vigilant about not running over anchor lines in crowded fireworks viewing areas, and don't take shortcuts in the dark. 4. Wear life jackets: Almost three-quarters of all fatal boating accident victims drowned, and of those, 87% were not wearing a life jacket. Accidents can happen very quickly, sometimes leaving no time to don a life jacket. 5. Don't overload your boat: Resist the urge to invite more friends or family to the fireworks show than what your boat was designed to carry. Heavily loaded small boats, and those with little freeboard such as bass boats, are more susceptible to swamping from weather or wake action associated with heavy July 4th boating traffic. 6. It's a long day: A full day in the sun will increase alcohol's effects on the body, so it's better to wait until you're safely back at the dock or home before breaking out the libations. Also bring lots of water, a VHF radio, and check the weather reports to avoid storms. 7. Know how to get back in the boat: A fall overboard can turn into a life-threatening situation pretty quickly, especially for small boats without built-in boarding ladders. The BoatU.S. Foundation recently tested a range of portable boarding ladders, and you may be surprised what they found. To view video of these ladders in our boarding tests, or learn which ladder may be best for you, see the Foundation Findings #44 at http://www.boatus.com/foundation/Findings/findings44/ 8. Never run the engine when swimmers are in the water: Raft-ups, or groups of boats tied together in a protected anchorage, is a great way to spend the holiday with fellow boating friends. But you should never run an engine, or a generator for that matter, with swimmers in the water near exhaust ports or props. Even though the boat's transmission may not be in gear, propellers can still rotate, and odorless, colorless carbon monoxide can quickly overcome swimmers. 9. Take a local boating safety class: The Foundation has most complete list of boating safety courses taught in communities across the country. To find one near you, go to http://www.BoatUS.com/Courseline 10. Cruising offshore? An emergency position indicating rescue beacon (EPIRB) from the BoatU.S. Foundation's EPIRB rental program will give you the margin of safety you need during an offshore passage. These $750 beacons rent for just $40 per week (plus shipping). Go to http://www.BoatUS.com/Foundation/Epirb
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"Our sites loan out life jackets over 90,000 times each year," said Ruth Wood, President of the BoatUS Foundation. "We know this popular program saves kids’ lives and keeps boating families safe." The Foundation hopes to impact the safety of the nation’s boaters through programs like these, which directly give back to the boating public. The donated life jackets have made quite an impact on the public! If your state is interested in applying to receive free life jackets, please call or email the Foundation at (703) 823-9550 x8354 for more details. Click
Here for information on a
Send
in your photos today and win!
ENTER TODAY! The first 25 people who enter the contest will receive a "fishing goodie bag" from us with BoatUS ANGLER logo items as well as some surprises from our sponsors. TO ENTER: Email us a photo of your catch and include your Name, Address, Phone, Species Caught, Fish Weight & Length, Location of Catch, and Tackle Used. If the person in the photo is someone other than you, please include their Name and City/State. Click Here to Email Us Your Photo SEE YOUR PHOTO ONLINE! Every entry will be reviewed by our staff and then posted on our "Catch of the Month" web page, and the monthly winners will appear in BoatUS ANGLER Magazine on "The Braggin' Board". Click Here for complete contest details
One winner will be chosen for each of the following categories:
PLUS! Each month we will hold a random drawing from eligible entries for other prizes such as Fishing Tackle & Gear, and BoatUS Gift Cards. So
send in your photos today and Email your photos to info@boatusangler.com. (Please include your Name, Address, Daytime & Evening Phone, Email, Photo Location, plus any fish info you'd like to include such as species, weight, lure used, etc.) Click Here for Current Contest Photos & More Information
"The Boat Trailering Guys", Mike Pellerin of BoatUS ANGLER and George Knutsson of American Boat Trailer Rental Company in Tampa, Florida answer Members' trailering questions Question: My boat is hard to launch until the rollers "break free" on the ramp. What kind of lubricant can I use on my trailer rollers that will not wash out and pollute the water? Answer: There is a roller shaft on the market that has zirk fittings on the ends of the shaft that allow you to use your grease gun to lubricate the rollers without disassembly. They are 3-4 times more expensive than your basic roller but worth every penny when factoring the time saved to disassemble each roller assembly. Check with www.easternmarine.com if you want to upgrade your rollers to this style.
Potomac River bass fishing guide, journalist, and radio personality, Coast Guard Captain Steve Chaconas answers your bass fishing questions Question: Answer: Capt. Steve
Need
to ask our boat trailering or
TidalFish.com (Tidal Fish) was started in 2001 by Brandon White (aka Chief Angler). What Tidal Fish is today originated from many journeys up the river in search of just the right mix of salinity and water temperature to find that perfect spawning bed. The idea was to create a site that could bring together all anglers to share their fishing ideas, techniques, reports and just general fishing banter. Visit the website to find up-to-date fresh and saltwater Fishing Reports along the East Coast from New England to South Carolina, plus Mexico and Hawaii. Plus, check out their photo gallery, read product reviews and how-to fishing articles, and more. Brandon White has also developed fishing lures such as Bucktails effective on the Chesapeake Bay for striped bass, bluefish, flounder, trout, croaker, cobia, drum, perch, and smallmouth and largemouth bass. Visit the website for these products as well a TidalFish logo hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and burgee flags. |
I like to begin locating bait in the mouths of creeks and then move further in to the creeks as the water temperatures cool. Bass will be more active chasing schools as the days get shorter. The challenging part is that many of the fish are not holding on any particular structure or cover and they begin roaming with the bait fish as they shift throughout the water column. Using Lowrance electronics is a great way to stay on the bait and the bass. I like to target these fish with heavy spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits, and spoons. Always remember that the shallow fish will be easier to catch this time of year, although it can be a daunting task to find good concentrations of fish. The real reward will come when you locate those offshore fish that are ganging up by the hundreds. Kurt Dove is a lifelong resident of Northern Virginia, currently living his dream on the ESPN Bassmaster Elite Series fishing tour. Kurt began his adventure again in March for his third season in the Elite Series. To see Kurt’s schedule or to learn more about Kurt, please visit his website at www.kurtdove.com. To read more Fishing Tips and How-To's, Click Here Have a Fishing Tip or Technique, How-To Article, or Fish Story that we could use? Click Here to submit it now Making fishing leaders are vital when it comes to catching fish. And most freshwater or saltwater anglers have to tie or make their own fishing leaders.
To hook many of these fish you should know about making fishing leaders which are not too noticeable between the fishing line and the lure. Because after the fish is hooked your leader must hold him without being cut or broken during the fight. Finally, making fishing leaders heavier and stronger than the main line will absorb shocks of casting. As a general rule, a leader should be stronger than the main fishing line in order to stand the constant rubbing and friction against the guides on the rod and the sand, rocks, and other obstructions in the water. You should be making fishing leaders from nylon monofilament, which is strong and smooth, resists wear and friction, is waterproof, and is almost invisible. You can buy coils of nylon monofilament in various testing strengths from 1 pound or less up to 120 pounds or more. You'll find that for most freshwater spinning you'll need nylon leaders testing 6, 8, or 10 pounds. When you are after larger fish you may need 12 or 15 pound test. The leader should test a few pounds more than the main fishing line. For saltwater fishing , nylon monofilament leaders testing 8, 12, 15, and 20 pounds are usually used. Surf fishing or heavy-tackle trolling may require nylon leaders testing 30, 40, or 50 pounds, or more. The
length of the nylon monofilament leader will depend on the tackle
you use. Generally, it should be long enough so that when you reel
in most of your line and are ready to cast again there are a few
turns of the leader on your reel. In
other words, making fishing leaders run from the reel to the rod
tip and beyond to the lure is necessary. When you cast, most of
the shock will be absorbed by the stronger leader instead of the
weaker fishing line. Information
courtesy Keith Lee and
Big
Bass Fishing on Lake Okeechobee is the second largest freshwater lake in the country. It is arguably the best bass fishing lake as well. The bass thrive in this lake with all of the forage and cover for them. All types of grass are spread throughout this lake, which give the bass plenty of places to hide and rest. The most popular way to fish this lake is with shiners and by flipping jigs or soft plastics around the cover. If you are coming to Florida to catch a 10 pound bass, Lake Okeechobee is one of your best bets. There are numerous bass over 10 pounds as well as tons of bass in the 2 to 5 pound range. If you are going for a trophy bass, try the biggest shiners you can buy. Big bass love shiners on Lake Okeechobee. More than 40 species of fish are found in the lake, including Largemouth Bass, Blue Gill, Black Crappie (known locally as specks), and the famed Okeechobee Catfish. Salt water species like tarpon and snook are also a feature of the Okeechobee waterway, particularly near the W.P. Franklin Lock and the St. Lucie Locks. For those wishing to fish the Lake, Florida's fishing regulations may apply, and can be viewed at: http://floridaconservation.org/fishingareas.html For fishing supplies and expert guide service, visit Garrard's Bait & Tackle Shop located in Okeechobee, Florida just blocks from the lake. Garrard's Tackle sells Florida fishing licenses, live bait, and all the tackle you will need for your fishing trip on Lake Okeechobee, whether fishing for bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish or other species. They carry Live Wild Shiners, L.P. Gas, and have Fishing Guide Service Available for those who have never fished the lake and want to do so with experienced fishing guide. About
the Lake... The massive lake is a 730 square mile, relatively shallow lake with an average depth of 9 feet (2.7 meters), and is the second-largest freshwater lake located wholly within the continental United States, second only to Lake Michigan. More
Info... Okke-Tantie
Recreation Area Roland
Martin Marina For more information on fishing in Florida and Lake Okeechobee, contact Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservatoion Commission or visit their website at http://myfwc.com/ For Lake Okeechobee Water Levels Click Here, or call (561) 686-8800
Whether you're looking for new fishing tips or a little fishing humor, BoatUSAngler.com has a new resource called "Recommended Reading" to help. This month's featured book is "Fish Tales and Other Stories..." by Capt. Gus Gustafson.
Then, there's Catawba Cat, who will tell a lie at the drop of a hat. He even begins to believe his own lies. Hundred pound catfish, thirty-five pound mullet and a close encounter with an African elephant in South Carolina, are just a few of the yarns he spins. "Fish Tales and Other Stories as told by Captain Gus Gustafson" is available in local Gift Shops in the Lake Norman area, or to order your autographed copy online - just Click Here. Click Here to visit our Recommended Reading page
BoatUS ANGLER Members can now create their own customized homepage on my.BoatUS.com. Register for FREE and log-on to your one-stop website resource for Fishing and Boating information. Customizable pages allow you to peruse Fishing, Conservation, Tournament, and Boating News, Message Boards, How-To-Tips, Fish Facts, Fish Tales of the latest record-size catches, Recipes, Marine & Local Weather and view and update your Membership information. We even have a place to post your favorite fishing photos! Register today and automatically be entered to win a HX850S6 Watt FLOATING VHF with GPS! You can find all of this and more on the Members-Only site my.BoatUS.com! |
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Have
Fun and Be Safe This July 4th!
Make
your family fishing trip a safe one this year!
BoatUS
ANGLER wants you to have a safe fishing season and in an
effort to educate anglers about the importance of boating safety,
we are sponsoring a "Get Hooked on Safety" Photo Contest.
Send us your best photos of people fishing or holding their catch
while wearing a pfd and be eligible to win a Mustang Inflatable
Lifevest valued at $150.00! 
As
the end of summer approaches we start to see a few changes taking
place on the water. The hot water temperatures begin to subside,
we begin to notice some cool mornings that indicate that autumn
is just around the corner, and most importantly, our days become
shorter. The baitfish will start to get into bigger and tighter
schools as they begin moving into the mouths of creeks. Anglers
should be looking to capitalize on some easy opportunities once
the bait is found. The locating of bait fish at this time of year
will enable you to have success through the entire fall season.
Throughout
the book, you will meet many interesting characters such as Rawhide,
a crusty old striper fisherman who is obsessed with catching trophy
fish and winning tournaments. Things don't always go well for this
old angler, but he keeps trying. 
