Lazy Fisherman

The biologically active ingredients that seem to make fatty fish so beneficial are are the long chain omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids, EPA and DHA. At least a half a dozen human studies and more than two dozen animal studies have been completed in the last 10 years which suggest that these omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may help you lose more fat. However, the fat loss benefit is not as much as some people want you to believe…

The results of two new studies on fish oil and fat loss were just released earlier this year. In one study published by the International Journal of Obesity, researchers from Reykjavik Iceland tested the effects of fish or fish oil consumption equivalent to 1.5 grams of combined EPA/DHA on body weight and body composition as part of a calorie restricted diet. (1)

The subjects were 324 young overweight men and women who followed one of four experimental protocols for 8 weeks:

(1) sunflower oil capsules (control)

(2) lean fish

(3) fatty fish (salmon)

(4) fish oil capsules

The researchers reported the following results:

“In young, overweight men, the inclusion of either lean or fatty fish, or fish oil as part of a hypoenergetic diet resulted in 1 kilogram more weight loss after 4 weeks than a similar diet without seafood or supplement of marine origin. The addition of seafood to a nutritionally balanced energy-restricted diet may boost weight loss.”

It should be noted that the study was supported by the Seafood Plus organization and there were some limitations in the design that could have influenced the subject’s compliance.

The second study, conducted at the University of South Australia and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2) investigated the effect of combining fish oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise.

In a 12-week, placebo-controlled study, the subjects were divided into four groups:

(1) sunflower oil

(2) sunflower oil plus exercise

(3) fish oil

(4) fish oil plus exercise.

The fish oil groups were given 6 grams of high DHA fish oil per day, which contained a total of 1.9 grams of long chain omega-3 fatty acids. The exercising groups performed aerobic exercise three days per week for 45 minutes.

As you might expect, the fish oil plus exercise group came out with the best results:

* minus 1.2% body fat (compared to no decrease in the other groups)

* minus 2 kilograms/4.4 lbs (compared to no decrease in the non exercise group).

Unfortunately, there was a limitation in this study as well: The food intake of the subjects was self reported, which is known to be notoriously inaccurate.

There have been several other human studies on fish oil and fat loss in the last ten years or so and the majority of the findings have been positive. The research is compelling and there have been numerous, and very plausible mechanisms of action proposed.

However, more and more often, I am hearing people in the health, fitness and nutrition industries making some pretty bold and I daresay, premature and outrageous claims about what fish oil can do for fat loss; claims which are not supported by the research.

The studies on fish oil and fat loss are encouraging, but the vast majority of research has been on animals (rats, mice and hamsters) and there have been limitations in nearly all the human studies so far, including:

Small sample sizes, short study durations, statistically insignificant results, lack of randomization, no control groups, imprecise body composition testing, measurement errors, self-reporting of food intake, low compliance control and fish industry or supplement industry-sponsored bias.

Even if you take the results of the existing research at face value, the fat loss really isn’t all that impressive – an extra pound here, an extra kilo there.

Many of the research results barely reach statistical significance, and you even have to wonder if these small improvements in fat loss are simply correcting omega-3 deficiency or fixing omega-3 and omega-6 imbalance… therefore, will they continue over a longer time period or is this a one time improvement?

One of the earlier studies showed the same kind of measurable but modest results: The fish oil group that took 1.8 grams of combined EPA/DHA daily lost 2 pounds and the non fish oil group lost only 0.7 pounds after 3 weeks (3).

Of course, you’ll probably take all the fat loss help that you can get, and since there are already enough good reasons to eat fatty fish for cardiovascular disease prevention and other health benefits, it’s really a no brainer to eat fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel or sardines at least twice a week. (By the way, with the exception of King Mackerel, these are species which have not been reported as having problems with mercury contamination).

Alternately, you can use a fish oil supplement to get the equivalent in omega-3 fatty acids as found in the fish. Non fish eaters or vegetarians can use flaxseed oil, a plant-based source of Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA) which converts in the body to EPA and DHA (the efficiency and amount of conversion has been a subject of controversy, however).

Based on the three studies cited above, it looks like 1.5 to 2.0 grams per day of combined DHA/EPA is the right dose when fat loss is the goal (although some suggest you should consider body weight when choosing the dosage, i.e., 1 gram total fish oil for each 20 lbs body weight, so a big guy might go with as much as 3.0 grams)

Most fish oil capsules come in 1,000 mg size at a 30% concentration, so if you took five 1000mg capsules a day, that would give you 1.5 grams of EPA/DHA; about the same as you’d get in 3 ounces (85 g) of salmon.

Note: other studies on fish oil and fat loss tested 3.0 to 4.0 g/day of EPA/DHA, but the American Heart Association has warned against taking more than 3 g EPA/DHA per day without a physicians supervision, as there may be potential contraindications and side effects such as increased bleeding time. Based on the research, more fish oil will NOT burn more fat, so be wary of the “mega dose gurus.”

Another tip: Don’t fall for the “premium price” necessarily means better quality party line. Quality and purity are important, but you can get molecularly-distilled, mercury, PCB, Dioxin, Organochlorine-free, 3rd party tested-to-meet-label-claims fish oil for less than ten bucks per bottle of 400 (one gram) capsules… yet I have seen “fish oil gurus” selling the exact same thing for $50 to $60 claiming that everyone else’s products are “contaminated” and “inferior” in quality. If that’s true, then I’d like to see those products submitted to consumer lab for voluntary 3rd party independent analysis and head to head comparison on purity AND cost effectiveness. If they come out superior and cost effective, I will gladly publicize the results myself.

The bottom line is it looks like fish oil may be a legitimate help to your fat loss efforts, especially when combined with exercise, as there may be an important synergy there. However, the idea that fish oil is some kind of miracle fat burner is just not true.

Like Mulder on the X-files, “I want to believe”… but we need much, much more research before we can say for certain exactly how much body composition improvement you can really expect from eating fatty fish or taking fish oil supplements.

More about fish oil:Learn here

Fashion Bags

So you’re going to give sea angling ago or you are an old timer with years of experience, sea fishing is all about challenging yourself and pushing the envelope and not to forget enjoyment, Sea fishing is no means easy however there are a few ways to improve your fishing.

Other sea anglers around you! You will probably pick up new tips and advice from sea anglers alike, this information is invaluable to both beginners and experienced anglers remember sea fishing knowledge reverts to a better chance of that once of a life time monster fish.

Quality of my sea fishing tackle! Making sure you have the right tools for the job is paramount; you wouldn’t want that big fish to get away because of a cheap hook or a poorly made swivel. That’s why here a Monster Fishing we insure that you get the very best quality for your money by stocking high end professional brands such as Mustad, Hiro, Breakaway, Gemini, Shakespeare, Penn and more.

Selecting the right sea fishing tackle gear! Everyone has a personal preference when it comes to sea rods through to sea rigs; the important thing is find something that suits you not everyone else. Set yourself a target and try and stick to it, as you gain experience you can then progress onto more advanced tactics.

Sea Rigs made easy. Just because you cant tie a rig doesn’t mean you’re a bad sea angler! There are lots of Ready made Rigs available such as Gemini, Mustad and Sakuma. See our range of sea rigs for a good selection.

There are so many sea tackle products to choose from! That’s what we are here for! Feel free to email us any sea fishing tackle questions or product enquires to info@monsterfishing.co.uk

Reliable Service & Tackle Choice, Now you may be thinking what this has to do with sea fishing, well getting the right product is critical, to be able to have a large choice in sea fishing tackle and gear all under one roof at a great price is a advantage which some local tackle shops cannot provide.Check out our shop or other large online retail shops.

Lure Fishing from the shore. Latex and other imitation sea fishing lures attract a large variety of species such as Bass, Pollock, and Mackerel all lures have different methods on how they should be fished, some are a copy of a real bait fish and some just spoons or rubber strips. We recommend the following lures, Bass Bandit, Sidewinder, Skaliwags Mackerel Stripe and the famous Dexter Wedge. They can all be found in our extensive lures section. However there is something for everyone and a lot boils down to the venue and success rate. Catching a Big Bass off a lure on the shoreline is very rewarding which is why so many sea anglers become totally addicted.

Safety whilst fishing. Remember your sea fishing tackle can be replaced but your life cannot, beware of tides and dangerous rock marks! Always plan, best advice is to purchase a Floatation suit from a reputable source. We stock a selection of high quality floatation suits in our clothing section.See our link!

Cheap Beach Holidays.

There are many factors to consider when selecting fish. You need to ensure that you have the experience to look after the fish you select, that the fish you buy are healthy, and that they are compatible with the fish you currently have.

As a starting point, it is very import that you only buy very healthy fish because the best way to keep strong healthy fish is to start with strong healthy fish. Buying a fish because it doesn’t look well or happy and you feel sorry for it and want to give it a better home in your display tank is not a very good idea. An unwell fish can introduce diseases into your tank that can infect your other fish, and may even cause them to die. It helps to become familiar with a species of fish before you buy it as this will allow you to be clear on exactly what it should look and act like. Ensure the fish looks alert with clean clear eyes, fins and scales. It is also important that the fish appears eager to feed and can maintain its position in the water column. And finally, as a precaution, only buy from a clean healthy store that you trust.

To break this down I simply refer to all fish as number 1, number 2, or number 3 fish. I refer to number 1 fish as fish that most people can easily keep in regular aquarium conditions. Number 2 fish are fish that from my experience work for some people and not for others and number 3 fish being those which don’t work for most people.

Some examples of number 1 fish are Damsels, Clownfish, Dottyback, Triggerfish, Pufferfish, Foxface, Rabbitfish, most Wrasse, most Tangs, Blennies, Cardinal fish, lionfish. Some examples of number 2 fish are , most Tangs, Boxfish, Angels, Gobies, Sweetlip. Some examples of number 3 fish are Moorish idol, Powder Blue Tang, Achilles Tangs, Anthias, Filefish, pipefish, Mandarin fish, Butterfly fish.

Many people select marine fish by wondering into aquarium shores and looking around until they see a fish that catches their attention at that time, they will them ask the staff member closes to them if this fish will go with the few of their fish that they remember to name. If the staff member says yes then that is a green light to buy the fish. This approach takes very little into consideration and will as often as not result in the person purchasing a fish that was not likely to work from the start.

After a considerable amount of time and money, the person will start to understand which fish work in their aquarium, mind you most will have given up marine fish before this time has arisen. Instead of the impulse approach where you slowly learn the hard lesions of fish selection, I strongly recommend starting with a wish list.

A wish list is simply a list of fish that you wish to keep together in your tank. The beauty of a wish list is that you are able to show it to other experience aquarists to get their opinions on how these fish are likely to go together. If you have fish already you can add them to the top of the wish list to reduce the chance of adding other fish that won’t work with the fish you have. If you have a wish list you are likely to seek out experts to ask in order to gain the right advise. With the impulse approach you are far more likely to ask the nearest sales person and hope that they know. With the wish list you are able to use the opinions of a range of experts to save you a lot of time and money learning hard lesson on paper instead of with real fish. This is a very responsible and economical approach.

When selecting fish for your aquarium there are several things to consider before purchasing it e.g. diet, aggression, territoriality and weather it will nip at your corals.

A simple thing that you need to remember is that fish don’t want to die. They will only die if you don’t provide them with at least their basic minimum requirements. By researching a fishes basic minimum requirements first and asking a few people for their experiences keeping that fish you can massively increase the amount of success that you have when keeping marine fish.

The use of the wish list is going to help you make sure you are mixing fish that will commonly work together. Regardless of where you are at it is worth asking the right person the right questions to ensure that the fish you add are likely to work together. Regardless of how qualified the advice you get, fish are fish and in the end they do what they want how they want. Just because 10 experts tell you something is likely to happen, it doesn’t mean that that will happen. Understand that the fish you buy are your responsibility and your responsibility alone. So if the fish you buy don’t seem to be mixing well, it is up to you to separate them, before too many fish affected by the troubles.

It is important consider aggression when selecting fish. Monitor the aggression of the fish you keep and only add fish that will be able to compete with the fish that you have and not over compete. If you add a fish that is too aggressive for the fish you have it is likely to act boisterously and eat all the fish food and attack the other fish in the tank, even killing them. When you see this type of activity remove the trouble maker before it is able to cause you any more problems. The key is just as much in the monitoring and the action you take once a problem is identified as it is in initial selection.

Some fish are more so territorial then plan aggressive, an aggressive fish will attack fish for seemingly no reason. A territorial fish will drive fish out of their territory but leave them when the fish is out of its territory. It is worth considering territorial behaviour when selecting fish. Some fish like the Dottyback is territorial and can often be housed safely with many fish because its territory is small, leaving room for the other fish in the tank, while some other fish like coral trout can get so large that its territory can be the whole tank.

There is a big difference between territorial, aggressive and predatory. Territorial fish drive fish out of their territory, aggressive fish attack other fish for what can seem like to reason but to show dominance and predatorily fish eat other fish. Predatorily fish don’t have to be aggressive or territorial. Predatorily fish are primarily concerned with their belly, what can fit in their mouth is what they will eat. A perfect example of a predatory fish if the lionfish. This fish is not aggressive or territorial but it will eat any fish that will fit in its huge mouth, which is about the same size as it body. When selecting fish it is worth assuming that all fish are predatory.

When creating you wish list also include when you intend to adding the fish, because you also want to gather comments on this. Most groups of fish are best added at the some time to reduce territorially e.g. any tangs should be added together, any clown should be added together, this is also true for many fish even Wrasse and angels.

Many fish take about 3 day to settle into a new tank, in this time it is common for them not to feed and they may act differently. It is important to monitor new fish extra carefully for the first week for stress, behaviour, aggression and feeding habits. Always watch for changes in behaviour, action must be take when it is required.

Some fish live in large schools in the wild and do tend to fret with kept in aquariums singly or in small groups. These fish are used to having a lot of their own kind around them as an instinctual form of security, when they are placed in aquariums lightly stocked with fish they stress thinking there is danger because the rest of their school is absent. This can be the case when all the other fish appear fine but an individual seems to be jumpy and breathing quickly, some examples of these fish are Blue Tangs, green chromis and anthias.

If you are going to introduce fish to a tank with Coral and invertebrates it is important to identify which are likely to be a threat to them. This could be identified as A, B C fish. Some fish e.g. C fish will eat coral like Butterfly fish and Angelfish.

While others e.g. B fish will nip at it sometimes like Triggerfish, Pufferfish, Foxface, Rabbitfish most Wrasse, most Tangs Moorish idol. Others are mostly safe with coral e.g. A fish like Damsels, Clownfish, Dottyback, Blennies, Cardinal fish, lionfish, Anthias. Filefish, pipefish and Gobies.

Your wish list is a way of reduce the risk of introducing a coral eater to a coral tank. If you get a fish that only nips a particular type of coral you can consider avoiding that piece in the future. Hungry fish are more likely to graze on coral , even if your fish is not eating the coral it may stress it by nipping it regularly coursing it by often closed, depriving it of light.

Most fish need similar amounts of nutrients but the way they process the food means that not all foods are appropriate for all fish. You must consider what you will be feeding that tank when you buy fish for the tank. Herbivores have long digestive systems and a designed for consuming green food stuffs while predators have a short digestive system for eating fish meat. Some high quality pellet and flake foods can be fed to all fish but many natural food like fresh fish and seaweed are not suitable for some fish e.g. Meat is not good for herbivores and seaweed is not good for predators, this is because of the way that the fish process that food.

It is very important not to introduce new fish unless that your aquarium is running perfectly for the last month. You will increase the chances of problems like Whitespot if the fish are introduced more regularly than once a month, so add some fish then wait a month then add some more then wait a month. It will also help to ensure that you are running a lower salt level e.g. 1.020 when you introduce new fish, this will help lower osmotic stress on the fish and also help reduce the chance of problems like Whitespot.

A quarantine tank is a very good idea to help protect your display tank from decease out break.

All fish can thrive as long as their basic minimum requirements are met. I go into this further with my Instructional Marine Aquarium DVD available at http://www.exclusivefishfilms.com

Good luck and enjoy

Paul Talbot

Cheap Beach Holidays.

Since the dawn of mankind fishing and catching the largest and most fish has always been on most men’s mind. So it is with ice fishing in the Northern U.S. states and Canada. In an effort to catch “that big one” as well “more fish” new technologies and techniques have advanced and evolved. Many of these techniques and tactics are thought fresh, copied and some say even “stolen” from the ice fisherman’s fall/spring / summer “open water” fishing cousins and some even say “competitors”.

To begin with and to note with caution – the first rule of ice fishing is to return home intact with your catch, or sometimes lack of catch. Safety is more than paramount.

Always remember that even though you feel safe on the ice – that in one flash you can be in the most dangerous, deadly frozen environment on earth. Ice cold water is the most deadly water on earth to all human beings on earth and ice fisherman.

It never hurts to play it safe. Remember first of all that “first ice” is “dangerous ice”. Ice can be inconsistent during the first phases of freezing. Even though the ice looks safe – it may not be in certain icy patches. Best to wait till the ice is good and solid.

It is always best for safety for ice fisherman to fish in groups – rather than alone. However spread out the weight of your fishing party and gear. As a rough guide ice fisherman should keep 50 feet apart on the fishing ice. As for general ice thicknesses for safety concerns they are as a rough guide – 4 inches of ice thickness is base minimum.

If fishing with support vehicles – ATV’s or snowmobiles then 5 inches of ice thickness is the base minimum ice thickness recommended for safe and sound ice fishing.

The advances in ice fishing technologies in 2007 seem to focus on the concepts that ice fishing is a different sport and a “different kettle of fish” than its summer sport and needs to be adapted for that.

Summer fishing seems to be more of a stay put in the boat or on shore type of fishing. The feeding and resting habits of fish seem to be located in certain spots and holes.

Whether this is for temperature, water flow and geography and nutrient flow is a good question. Even though it is most cold in the dead of winter, you might think the fish the ice fisherman is hunting in the dead of winter simply lie dormant on the lake or river bottom. This is not so. The fish act entirely differently during the cold winter ice periods.

Ice fish seem to be more mobile than fish during the warmer time periods. They move around more. True their overall travels may be less over the lake regions, however in their limited areas they move around a lot more. An ice fisherman pegged down to only hole in the ice, in one specific location is at a major disadvantage.

Modern technologies and materials, adapted from the space race are being used and applied for the successful ice fisherman.

First of all, small one man portable ices fishing huts or shelters have been developed. Incredibly light, easy to carry and setup these small, portable one man fishing huts allow the successful ice fisherman to quickly and promptly move his camp – for greater ice fishing success.

How does the ice fisherman know where to move his gear? After all a change is not always as good as a rest.

Again modern technology comes into play. Sonar fish fishing equipment has been specifically targeted with the ice fisherman in mind. Older “flasher “type sonar fishing gear is best for this purpose. Instead of the newer, more expensive LCD graphing gear, flashers give an immediate, real time fix on the fish and their movement and motions.

Fish can be more than promptly spotted, their locations gauged the ice fishing holes can then be quickly and promptly dug in the correct places with real time, rather than more dated and less accurate and timely information.

As well there are additional benefits to the ice fishing specific fish sonar locaters.

The winter ice fisherman is a better position to both judge the location, motion as well as feeding and general habits of the fish that being tracked.

Generally with ice fishing predator fish strike upwards to grab the bait. The flasher sonar’s tip off the fisherman as to exact depth of the fish in question so that the fisherman’s bait can be placed correctly above the fish.

Standard practice now is those Ice fishermen generally drill several fishing holes. The ice fishing sonar kit can easily be moved from spot to spot to get a quick fix of where the fish are and are not. Successful catches rather than empty catches are now the norm.

Lastly the Ice fishing specific sonar “flasher ” fishing gear are not only less expensive than the newer “LCD” sonar fishing types but also more trouble free and easier to operate in the frigid cold weather. LCD screens generally work on heat principles so that the very cold weather is not an issue with the “flasher” types.

At the end of the day – the successful ice fisherman can boat of two things- good companionship and a healthy rewarding catch of fish for the event.

Gifts Under $5

If you want to take your fishing hobby to the next level, you might want to join fishing clubs, especially if you want to give tournament fishing a try. Fishing clubs are a great way to have fun, learn more about the art and sport of fishing and meet people who love fishing as much as you do. Here are some Canadian fishing clubs you might want to check out:

Hook & Hackle Club

This fishing club located in Calgary, Alberta focuses on fly fishing. It is a not-for-profit organization that teaches its members good fishing ethics and etiquette, along with the proper methods used for preserving fishery. Its main fishing practice is centered around catch & release techniques.

BC Fishing Resorts and Outfitters Association

This Canadian fishing club was organized for British Columbia’s tourist fishing industry.

Izaak Walton Fly Fishing Club

This fishing club is engaged in numerous activities, including instruction and conservation. They also sponsor seminars, workshops and exhibits.

Simon Chiew Fishing Association and Chinese Anglers Club

These two fishing clubs are composed mostly of hobbyists. These two clubs are the largest membership-based fishing clubs composed of Chinese-Canadians. Fishing trips are scheduled on a yearly basis.

Algonkin Fly Fishers

This is a relatively young fishing club engaged in the practice and promotion of fly fishing. Located in Eganville, Ontario, it was founded to encourage fly fishing in Ottawa Valley.

Lake Huron Fishing Club

If you prefer a sport fishing club that focuses on conservation efforts, join Lake Huron Fishing Club. This club was formed by a group of Ontario fishermen in 1983 and currently manages two hatcheries.

Niagara River Anglers Association

This Canadian fishing club focuses its sport fishing activities in the famous Niagara River. It also accepts volunteers for restoration projects related to fishing.

Northern Lights Fly Tyers & Fishers

This is a fishing and fly tying club in Edmonton, Alberta. Its website serves as the information center where members are informed of meeting dates and fishing locations.

Joining Canadian fishing clubs

Not all fishing clubs are created the same and there are some that have a style and theme of their own. For example, there are fishing clubs exclusively for young people and some that accept only female members.

Most fishing clubs in Canada include conservation as an integral component of their clubs’ efforts. They also regularly sponsor yearly fishing events, such as tournaments and seminars and conferences.

Cheap Beach Holidays.

Fishing is a sport, but it has become less about survival and more about fun in recent decades. There is an issue of fish becoming depleted and many anglers are now employing the practice of catch and release fishing. Catch and release fishing is a great theory, but many people are doing it incorrectly and as a result many fish are dying. A few steps should be followed when trying to catch and release a fish. Once you get the hang of how to do it correctly, you will be able to enjoy your hobby and keep the population of fish full in your favorite stream or lake.

The best place to start is with the hooks. A fish that has a hole through its mouth is going to be more likely to survive than a fish with a hole in its lung or gill. If you happen to hook a fish in the gut, the best thing to do is to cut off the hook as much as you can then release the fish. Many times the hook will dissolve and the fish will spit it out, but they can also live with a rusted hook hanging from them. Whatever you do, do not tug on your line to pull a hook out or you will severely hurt the fish. If you are able to easily remove the hook, use a pair of needle nose pliers. The process of pulling the hook out is easier if you remove the barbs from the hooks, but try not to wiggle while you pull the hook out.

Fish are obviously unable to survive outside of the water. Therefore, the longer that it takes you to release them, the more it becomes as if you are suffocating them. The way that a fish is gripped when out of the water will make a big difference. For instance, avoid touch a fish’s body with your bare hands. The fish have a slimy protective coat that will be stripped if you touch them with your hands. If you have to touch a fish, make sure that your hands are wet. You may want to wear gloves to protect your hands from cuts or permeating fish smells.

Part of the fun in fishing is to “play out” the fish. The struggle can be what some anglers wait all day to do. Fish are like humans; when they “work out,” they build up lactic acid. When you are fighting a fish, they are fighting too. Just like when someone works his or her body out and it feels sore, a fish experiences the same thing. The build up of lactic acid can be toxic to a fish even days later. Therefore, if you are going to practice catch and release, try to keep the struggle to a minimum.

Try not to let a fish flop around when you catch them. A fish that flops around can bruise or damage its internal organs, causing them to die later from the injuries that are incurred. You can also revive a fish if you need to do so. A fish is likely to run out of oxygen and pass out, so to speak. In order to revive a fish, you place the fish in the water with their belly down and gently grasp their tail. Start to slowly move their tail back and forth until they give you the signal that they are ready to take off into the water. Sometimes you will need to repeat the process more than once, but don’t let a fish go until they are ready. A fish that is not ready to swim could get carried away and swept into rocks or embankment and cause serious injury.

More than anything, when you are practicing catch and release, have everything ready to go. Make sure that your camera, pliers, and gloves are in reaching distance. Try to take the precautions necessary to preserve fish and one of America’s favorite pastimes.

Fashion Bags

Maligne Lake secrets revealed………….

One of Alberta’s most popular, but unforgiving lakes is Maligne Lake located in Jasper National Park. This lake has some of the best rainbow and brook trout fishing found in the country…..if you know the tricks. An average sized rainbow weighs in at around 2 to 2.5 pounds with consistent 4 to 5 pounders. The brook trout fishery is incredible. Averaging at a pound and a half, you get consistent 3 to 4 pounders and one fish was weighed in at an incredible 12 and a half pounds. This was years ago, but the gentleman who caught this monster still hangs around at the boat ramp just waiting to tell his tale and pull out the old photo album.

There are many ways to fish for these two trout species, but we’re going to concentrate on one specific technique and that’s trolling sinking fly lines. Very rarely do you hear, or read, about trolling sinking lines, but this technique has proven to me to be the most productive ways of fishing many mountain lakes, none more so than Maligne Lake.

Maligne Lake is 5,479 ft. (1670m) above sea level in the Canadian Rockies thus it can be frozen right into the beginning of June. The first three weeks to one month after ice out and the last few weeks of September is primetime if you want to see some real action. Being so high in the mountains you have to be prepared for the climate. I’ve fished blizzards in the first week of August and days when one minute you’re in fleece pants and rain gear and five minutes later shorts and a t-shirt, then right back again. I always recommend you dress in layers with some good rain gear on board. Then you’re prepared for anything.

Since there is gas motor restrictions on this lake you need to get yourself an electric motor. There a several places in town that rent this equipment and provide rental boats on many of the lakes in the park. You can rent freighter canoes which are long, sturdy canoes that cover water a lot quicker than the aluminium boats available, but either will do for day trips. Since this is a very large lake you can only cover a limited amount of water if you’re just day fishing. There are campsites available along the lake should you wish to camp for a night or two. If this is the case you will be in for a treat as this is one of the more beautiful lakes in the world the further away from the dock you venture (this lake is 23 km long).

Set up:

First off, get yourself a fly rod. It doesn’t have to be a fancy outfit and you don’t even have to know how to cast. Trolling is far and away the most effective way to locate active fish on Maligne Lake due to its immense size. You can use anywhere from a 5 weight up to a 7 weight rod. I always preferred a 9 ft. 7 weight set up. It’s sturdy enough to pull a variety of baits. Minnow baits are some of the top producers and if you use too light of a rod retrieving your line to check your presentation can be quite the battle even without the fish on the other end.

There are some reels that have some advantages. Multipliers and large spool reels certainly come in handy. A multiplier will increase the retrieval ratio, so for every turn of the reel your spool will turn twice, or three times. A large spool reel means the diameter of the spool is greater than normal spool size and will in turn increase the amount of line gained per reel rotation. When trolling fly lines there is a lot of slack created by water resistance and the higher the gear ratio the better if you’re not used to fishing with this equipment.

Line is important. The line, combined with boat control, is the most key component to this technique. This doesn’t mean you need the proper brand of line just the proper “type” of sinking line. There are six different types of full sink fly line, type 1 being the slowest sinking (shallowest running) to type 6 that is the fastest sinking (deepest running). Using type 1 you can troll just under the surface to type 6 where you can effectively fish from 15’ to 20’ depending on your trolling speed.

For leader material do not go out and buy pre packaged tapered leaders. Since you are not casting there is no need for the tapered line, in fact it would be counter productive because you are using a lot of lures that create water resistance and the thin tip would not be strong enough. I recommend you buy a spool of fluorocarbon line. I use 8 pound Vanish, but any fluorocarbon will do the trick. Fluorocarbon is completely invisible under water and has less stretch than monofilament which I find advantageous in setting hooks. Long leaders are important. If you’re using lures instead of flies tying a swivel into the leader is a must. I like about 12 ft. leaders with a swivel about 9 feet away from the lure. One other thing that I like to use is the slip-on leader loops. This helps guide the leader through the eyes of the rod instead of some knots that can get caught up and potentially break the line. They’re very easy to put on and can save you some headaches if you’re just getting started. The staff at the local tackle shop is always happy to help with your set up and point you in the right direction.

There are a wide range of flies and lures will work with this set up, but remember the line is a sinking line and it is not necessary to use fast diving lures with big lips. An assortment of flies: streamers, leaches, shrimp patterns are all very good. For lures use the lightest gear possible. Minnow baits are the most effective; Flatfish being the most consistent, with Rapalas and Hot Shots coming in a close second. In the years I guided on this lake I can count on one hand how many times I used something other than flies (shrimp, or a brookie pattern streamer) and/or a Flatfish. Those two types of flies and an assortment of flatfish always produced. Even on those famous frustrating mid-summer Maligne days.

Getting a portable fish finder is very beneficial. This is a very clear lake for the most part and this tends to push the fish down to the 10’ – 20’ range. There are times when the runoff from the mountains clouds the lake with silt and I find they spread out a little more and you have to work at different depths to locate the active fish. It’s not as important to pay attention to the fish being marked on the screen, but knowing your depth is very important in a successful day on the water. For the most part I try never to leave the range of 10’ to 25’ of water. Being a successful fisherman means you know how to play the percentages. There will be fish all over the water column from one foot up down to well over a hundred feet, but the highest percentage of fish that you can effectively fish for should be within range of the equipment listed above, if worked properly. If you don’t have access to a fish finder a good map will do, or just stick to the shore and keep an eye out for shallower water. Being a clear lake for the most part it is relatively easy to spot the drop offs and keep your lines out of trouble.

Technique:

“Ripping” flies is one of the most consistent techniques for picking up active fish. To do this you will want a nice long fluorocarbon leader, no need for a swivel down to your fly, all on your type 6 sinking line. These fish love big flies! The best fly in my box is a #2 double shrimp pattern. Followed by a brook trout streamer, or a leech pattern, but anything big (#2 – #6) will do on most days. The key to ripping is exactly what it sounds like. Let your line out until the backing, keeping the trolling speed a little higher than what you might be used to and repetitively jerk the rod as hard as you can. Most people don’t jerk the rod as hard as they should. This is another benefit of the heavier 7 weight rod; it makes this motion a lot easier on the arms. Essentially, this will make your fly almost swim through the water like a jerk bait and you get a lot of impulsive strikes.

Ripping flies can be very straining on the body. Your forearms and back get a big workout, so if you want a break, or are just interested in relaxing on the water bring a good selection of flatfish, hot shot’s and rapalas. I find you catch more fish on lures as opposed to flies, but the fast pace ripping is certainly more interactive and the fish really hit hard.

If you’re just getting used to fishing this way always check the action of your lure at the side of the boat before you lower your line so you know how to gauge the speed for your troll. For example, flatfish are designed to have a lot of action at a very slow rate of speed, so by trolling dead slow you achieve the perfect action, that you will notice on your rod tip, and be able to get deeper than lures that require faster action. So, when you want to get to some deeper fish with your type 6 line troll dead slow with a flatfish, kwikfish, or hot shots and you can effectively fish at around 20 ft. Rapalas, or the more streamlined body baits need a little faster speed and should be running around 10’ – 18’.

I’ve found that early in the season the first third of the lake is the most productive; up about the five mile mark. Mid summer I spend more time around the 4 mile to 9 mile marker. And later in the season when the brook trout start to spawn the far end of the lake in front of the major creeks like Warren and Coronet.

Early season, when the ice comes out the first bay, aptly named “home bay”, is some of the best fishing in the lake and easily accessible. Home bay is one of the most consistent spots on the lake year round and often overlooked by the guides who just want to get down the lake to make the trip more of an adventure for their clients. At the top end of the bay (outwards to the lake), on the right hand side of the channel there is excellent fishing. There is a very abrupt drop off with the odd boulder pile that you can see on most days from about 7’ down to 15’ – 30’ at mid channel and into the next bay, and then troll straight down the channel for 100 metres or so. This is called “rainbow alley” to the locals. Watch out for the tour boats that seem to get in the way constantly. Ripping double shrimp patterns and a slow troll with a flatfish, or hot shots will do the trick. Try zigzagging over the drop off slightly changing your boat speed so as to vary your depth and lure action.

Mid-summer concentrate a little further up the lake. I like Trappers creek, Leah creek, Upper Maligne River inlet and 5 mile point. These are the most proven spots on the lake and fairly easy to find for newcomers because that is where the guide boats usually are working. Working points, drop offs and creek outflows are all where you want to target. Anyone of them down the lake can hold fish.

Late in the season, it’s worth it to go down the lake, past the narrows and famous Spirit Island to the “far end”. This is one of the most scenic locations I’ve had the pleasure of fishing in my life and find it almost spiritual. You are in what feels like uncharted territory past the tour boats and the capabilities of most visitors to the lake. Stunning mountains that run straight into the lake and glaciers so close you could walk up and touch them. This is your playground late in the season. If you do want to plan a trip down the lake I recommend you plan a multi-day trip. There are campsites both at the narrows and the far end of the lake at Coronet Creek. It is definitely worth it, some of my fondest memories are from trips down the lake for days at a time.

Try getting right up close to the creeks as there are some very abrupt drop offs and pull the usual flatfish, or break out the flies and start ripping. Pre spawn these brookies will school up right in front of these creeks in astounding numbers and sometimes you can see large numbers of them rolling around.

Getting used to the way the lines follow the boat is also very important if you want to work a lake properly. Sinking lines have much greater water resistance due its greater diameter and don’t cut the water nearly as quickly as monofilament. For example, when you make a fairly sharp turn the line will swing more with your turn and follow the path of the boat instead of cut across water and thus stalling your lure. This allows you to work your bait more accurately. To within a few feet you can estimate your depth and where behind the boat your fly, or lure, is running. Boat control is absolutely crucial when working deeper structure and you can actually work the lines to ride right up a drop off or sink down, whatever the case may be. So, if you’re trolling in 20’ feet of water and you see that the bottom is rising, all you have to do is gradually speed up so your line is elevated by water resistance caused by the speed of the boat. The reverse is also true when you come to a drop off slow right down and let the line sink with the bottom and speed back up when your line is deep enough. This will put more fish in your boat and you’ll find a lot fun out of concentrating on the bottom and trying to work it properly. Some of my bigger fish have been caught this way.

No matter the time of year you visit, if you find even one fish, work the area again. Several times even. Often when you find one fish there are others in the immediate area. Try coming in from different angles and at different depths. I’ve seen what was easily over forty fish come out of one small area in under an hour by a couple different boats repeatedly circling the area. After working the lake for a while and getting a good feeling about the fish behaviour I would never leave an area immediately after catching a fish. Every single spot that produced a fish got at least one or two additional passes. Sometimes you don’t get a follow up fish, and sometimes you don’t have to leave the spot for hours and are consistently catching fish.

Don’t get me wrong there are lots of ways to catch fish and I wouldn’t presume to say this is the only way to catch fish on Maligne Lake. Many anglers are very successful casting chronomid patterns to a strike indicator, some do well trolling wabler’s to flies, or lures, with spinning rods. But as former guide on this lake the only way I would fish, day in and day out, is trolling my sinking lines. Remember, it is always good to check in at the local tackle shop and get up to date information and help with the proper set ups. I know the guys at On-line Sport and Tackle on Patricia St. will be happy to help point you in the right direction and set you up with whatever rental equipment you may need. And remember to try this technique out on your local lakes as it is one of the best ways to produce large numbers of fish, even on some of the toughest days.

Fashion Bags

Fly Fishing is a unique form of fishing that is as artistic in nature as it is technical. Fly fishing has evolved from being a sombre pastime to an extremely passionate sport among anglers. Fly fishing, initially developed for catching trout and salmon, quickly developed into a favorite recreational habit for many around the world looking to take a sabbatical from the rigors of daily life.

Unlike traditional forms of fishing, fly fishing involves the use of an artificial fly as bait. The fly is tied to a hook with the use of fur, thread, feathers and other similar materials. The basic logic behind this is to create an illusion of food that attracts the fish to the hook.

There are two major fly fishing forms, one being the traditional dry fly fishing and the other wet fly fishing. Out of these, dry fly fishing is widely regarded as the classic form in which the angler casts the bait upstream to catch trout or salmon. The sight of a fish jumping upstream in anticipation of bait beats most other fishing experiences hands down and this is just one the many reasons why more and more people are attracted to the charms of fly fishing.

Fly fishing is generally regarded to be one of the toughest forms of the fishing sport and demands a lot of patience and skill from the fly fisherman. As fly-fishing fun requires agility and sharpness, the correct selection of fly fishing rods holds utmost importance. There are many different types of fly fishing rods around the market and one should always pick out an appropriate fly fishing rod after review of certain aspects such as their weight, length, and the place where fly fishing is to be attempted.

One of the best ways for a fly fishing amateur to kick start things is to try out his luck using a bamboo fly fishing rod. Most fly fisherman swear by them due to their lightweight and greater flexibility. Bamboo fly fishing rods were the first fly fishing rods to be created and their immense flexibility makes them an asset to both amateur fly fishers and astute fly fishers who prefer a much more refined style of fly fishing. However on the down side, bamboo fly fishing rods are much more delicate and as making them requires substantial skill, they are pretty heavy on the wallet too.

Great alternatives for bamboo fishing rods are graphite fly fishing rods and fiberglass fly fishing rods. Graphite rods do tend to be a bit on the stiffer side but their additional strength, performance, and durability does indeed give fly fisherman a lot of options to work with. On the other hand, fiberglass fishing rods have grown in stature and number over the past decade or so and are now the most common fly fishing rods around the fly fishing community. Fiberglass rods are strong and also have the added advantage of being flexible and durable. However, they do tend to be a bit on the heavier side and much of their usage is dependent on the strength and the skill of the fisherman wielding them.

The act of fly fishing is best enjoyed in the company of friends and relatives. Fly fishing offers the best way to spend a dull afternoon in the lap of nature with close friends and relatives complete with competition to make the biggest catch. So, go ahead and take a dip into the charm of fly fishing and find a great way to enjoy your much cherished weekends.

Fashion Bags