| Plastic Bait | | | | exploring. Look through some of the brochures on |
| There's no getting away from plastics. Where fishing | | | | the region; call or write to the wildlife department in |
| equipment once was fashioned out of wood and | | | | the area (or the local outfitter). Ask about the best |
| other natural materials, molded plastics of every | | | | time of year to fish, where to find the hot spots in |
| description have found their way into ponds, lakes, | | | | the area, and the best time of day to go. Especially |
| and streams. Multicolored, squiggly, wiggly things of | | | | important is to find out when the legal fishing season |
| every description are being used widely by anglers of | | | | for a specific species of fish begins and ends, where |
| every experience level. Some plastic lures are even | | | | you can buy your fishing license, and how much it will |
| coated with scented fish attractants-a kind of fishy | | | | cost. If you're fishing in a national park, you can |
| perfume, if you will-that, combined with all kinds of | | | | usually buy a national park fishing license that enables |
| noise-making bobbles, make for a lure that screams | | | | you to fish throughout the park for a limited period. |
| to be eaten! | | | | There are fish you won't be able to catch with your |
| | | | ultralight gear, such as salmon or muskellunge-some |
| Plastic lures also come in a variety of shapes, sizes, | | | | weigh as much as a small child. On the other hand, |
| and colors. So, besides standard plastic worms, you | | | | perch, rock bass, trout, smallmouth bass, walleye, |
| might want to try experimenting with plastic | | | | and even small pike are fair game. They weigh just a |
| reproductions of newts, frogs, minnows, crayfish, | | | | few pounds each, and all are worth their weight in |
| eels, and bugs to see what works for you. But at | | | | dinner. These fish can all be snared with your ultralight |
| the end of the day, it's not the jig but the jigger | | | | rod and reel and your film container's-worth of tackle. |
| who carries the day by bringing back a fish or two to | | | | Once you know which types of fish are in the area, |
| fry up at the campsite. | | | | you can narrow down the tackle you need to bring |
| Hooking | | | | on your trip. Ask your local sporting-goods store to |
| Like most things that rely on tradition for explanation, | | | | help you select the right lures for the fish you'll be |
| fish-hook sizes are classified according to a system | | | | trying to catch. Not all fish respond to live bait; some |
| seemingly based on the illogical thoughts of a | | | | respond to nothing else. Trout are one of the |
| confused drunkard. To the novice, the numbers | | | | tastiest and most beautiful fish out there, but also |
| relating to fish hooks bear no relation their sizes | | | | the fussiest. They usually respond just to flies, but |
| whatsoever. In fact, there is some method to | | | | when they are hungry enough have been known to |
| fish-hook madness: Assuming that "1" represents the | | | | chase a worm or a light lure. Some fly-fishing purists |
| average size hook, with hooks getting smaller as | | | | may cringe at the thought, but I have caught many |
| they go up in numbers (in multiples of two)-say 2, 4, | | | | brown trout from shore using just a hook, a weight, |
| 6, 8, 10, with a size-2 hook being bigger than a | | | | and a small worm. Besides the fish pictured |
| size-10 hook, for instance. | | | | previously, you may encounter bluegill, sunfish, and |
| Hooks that are bigger than a size-1 hook are | | | | crappie in many lakes. There are many varieties of |
| expressed with a number and a zero on each side of | | | | bass, so the picture here may not match what you |
| a slash (1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0). Notice here that hook | | | | catch. |
| sizes are numbered sequentially and can include | | | | Tip |
| ascending numbers that aren't multiples of 2. | | | | You need to get a fishing license before you can |
| "Standard" hook sizes used with worms and other | | | | start fishing. These licenses can usually be purchased |
| bait are usually sized at 2, 4, 6, and 8. Smaller hooks | | | | at local bait shops, grocery stores, or national park |
| are used to catch smaller fish, and bigger hooks, | | | | offices. The license limits the species you can fish for |
| larger fish. "Treble" hooks (three points) that you see | | | | and the seasons you can fish for them. Sometimes |
| on artificial lures follow the same numbering system. | | | | there are limits on how many fish of a particular type |
| Catching | | | | you're allowed to take out of the water. |
| Catching a fish is a lot like playing a good game of | | | | Different types of fish live in different habitats; most |
| poker. You can't change the cards you're dealt, but | | | | have their preferences. Some live in lakes, others |
| you can change the way you play them. Luck is | | | | prefer rivers and streams. Trout, one of the most |
| involved, but skill is just as important. | | | | desirable fish to catch, can be found in all three. River |
| There are days when the fish just aren't biting. Or | | | | fishing can be difficult for the beginner. It usually |
| times when you're fishing in one place, but the fish | | | | involves wading in the river-and often the water is |
| are off somewhere else. But you can really increase | | | | moving so rapidly that it's hard to tell whether the |
| your odds of catching a fish if you know what you're | | | | fish are biting. Beginners may find lake and stream |
| doing. | | | | fishing easier. |
| Some of the best times to fish from shore are early | | | | When fishing in streams, look for potentially deep |
| in the morning and at dusk. In the middle of the | | | | pools where the fish may be resting. I've found that |
| afternoon, on a hot sunny day, you'll have a better | | | | when fishing in a lake from the shore, it can be a |
| chance of finding fish in deeper water-it's where they | | | | good idea to put your hook near a shady |
| go to cool off! If you are fishing in a stream, for | | | | spot-underneath some low-hanging branches or near |
| example, this may be a good time for you to look | | | | some big rocks. This can be especially effective on a |
| for them in deeper pools. | | | | hot sunny day. Just be careful not to snag your line |
| The first thing you need to know is what types of | | | | on a rock or a tree-that's a great way to lose your |
| fish can be found in the wildlife area you will be | | | | tackle! |