Hardcore Fishing: Bass Fishing Trick for Winter

Winter time bass fishing can be a difficult and fruitless endeavor. The fish are very sluggish, and basically the feeding frenzy in the late summer and autumn is a matter of survival. Insects are long since gone by winter, and frogs and crustaceans are holed up until the weather breaks.

Several articles have been written on this subject already, and they offer excellent insight into lures and techniques, but often cold weather can make the "where" aspect more important than the "how to."

Before you run to the local Gander Mountain or Cabela's outlet, I would advise either buying a map or looking in the local White or Yellow Pages. What are you looking for?

Power plants and wastewater treatment facilities! For that matter, anyplace you can think of where there might be a warm water discharge. For example, there is a power plant on the Virginia side of the Potomac about 20-30 miles upstream from DC.

To the locals, it is a hotbed for winter bassing. If there is a sixty degree discharge into a thirty degree river, that's precisely where the fish are going to congregate.

Beyond the warmth, the draw for the bass is smaller fish. In these locations I would recommend minnows. They are going to be hard to get at the local bait shop, so I would suggest going to a pet shop for any sort of cheap feeder fish.

If this fails, lures that come closest to mimicking a minnow would be a good bet. There is nothing particularly new or innovative about this idea. It is a tried and true winter fishing technique, and if you have access to such a place, you should be successful.

Choose the right reel for the fishing job!

The fishing reel is a very important piece of fishing gear and just like anything else it comes in many different styles and varieties from a wide array of manufacturers. Like other fishing tackle, fishing reels can be inexpensive or surprisingly expensive.

Having a good fishing reel is a key for successful fishing and there are a few types of reels on the market today which makes choosing one a little bit of a challenge. You can narrow this down a bit though by knowing what type of fishing your going to be doing.

If you are taking up fly fishing and there are specific reels for that style of fishing but if you will be casting then you want to choose from one of the many spinning reels available.

Fly casting reels are usually the most expensive type of reels. Since fly fishing commands a specialized set of skills the equipment used to do it is also very specialized. Fly fishing reels need to be lightweight so that you can cast and move smoothly. The fly reels usually don't have gears so when you turn the handle once the spool also turns once. These reels are narrow and dish shaped requiring a special touch.

Spinning reels come in a wide range of varieties and there is something suitable for everyone from children just beginning to learn how to cast to professional anglers. The closed face reels are easy to operate and ideal for beginners.

These have a button that you press and release to let the line out and the fishing line is kept in an enclosed case. Although the button makes them very easy to use they can be harder to clean because the debris returned with the line gets trapped inside the case and can cause problems with your drag.

Once you graduate from a beginning fishermen you'll probably want an open faced reel. These reels have the line exposed and usually have a bail that you slide over and hold down while you are casting releasing it at the last minute to let the line fly out. These come in a huge variety of styles and manufacturers and most anglers will have more than one in a fishing arsenal.

The type of fishing you are doing dictates where the reel is mounted. For fly fishing the reel actually acts as a counterweight to balance the fishing rod and his mounted below the handle. The spinning reel is mounted on top of the rod and is equipped with a drag system that adjusts the tension and keeps the line from breaking when you have a fish on.

Once you have narrowed it down to a particular fishing reel model you'll need to budget yourself a price range. Just like anything else buying the cheapest one probably won't be worth your while but if you're just starting out find the most expensive one might not be your best solution either.

Most people like to pick a mid priced reel and then graduate to more expensive ones as you get more experience. Once you have been fishing for a while you probably have a better idea of which reel is the perfect one for you.

Find out more about finding the right fishing gear by visiting http://www.fishinggeartips.com - a website that offers information on fishing including tips on fishing line, fishing rods, fishing lures and finding that perfect fishing reel.

Drift Wading Sandals from Orvis

Looking for fishing sandals for the soon to begin season?

For $49.99, Orvis has an affordable solution for your warm weather wading needs. When accompanied by a pair of shorts or swimming trunks, these nice fishing sandals allow fishermen to get that much closer to hotspots without all of the hassles involved with wearing waders.

Likewise, these sandals have a couple of pluses that make them a better choice than an old pair of sneakers.

For starters, shoes are apt to get filled with small pebbles, and the only way to get rid of them is to remove the shoe every five minutes or so. Also, the sandals have a slip-resistant felt/lug sole.

The open foot/felt sole combination makes the Drift Wading Sandal a great choice for all wading conditions, whether it be slippery rocks, silt, or river gravel, and they were a welcomed addition to my gear last summer.



One particular hole on one of the local creeks is pretty wide, and there is a submerged boulder on the opposite side of the creek. I like to fish this spot with night crawlers and no weight, so many casts fell well short of my target. I can honestly say that wading into the stream allowed me to catch several nice-sized smallmouth bass, and I have the sandals to thank for my good luck!

AND after a day on the stream, they cleaned up nicely and were easily stored under the car seat.

The Orvis Drift Wading Sandal is available in men's full sizes 7-12 and are now on sale for 29.99 at www.orvis.com.

Overall I would rate this product as a keeper!