Just outside of Aspen, near the world famous Maroon Bells, lies one of the oldest working ranches in Aspen.
2008 will be the 70th anniversary of the T-Lazy-7 Ranch, which is located near the base of Maroon Bells, where horse riding, friends and family and cabin rentals were taking place well before Aspens inception as a popular ski destination.

Maroon Bells peaks in Springtime are breathtaking

T-Lazy-7 Ranch is something more than the ever popular “dude ranch” but is instead a real working ranch, which offers insight into the lifestyle to those who come to take advantage of the amazing horseback riding opportunities here.

Owned by the Deane family, the ranch is still in full swing, hosting some of the most scenic snowmobile riding in the United states.

One of the few ranches which has a special use permit from the Forest Service4 for the White River National Forest, the ranch can afford you the opportunity to ride some of the most beautiful country in the world today, including Maroon Bells, which holds the distinction of being the most photographed set of peaks in North America.

The T Lazy Seven has a few other distinctions, among them, they are always ready, able and completely willing to host a party for you, whether you are bringing along two or two hundred.

There is more here than meets the eyes too. ALso available on the ranch are several cabins six stand alone cabins with up to two bedrooms, and in the summer there are several “rustic” employee cabins available in sizes from studios to three bedroom.

There is also a full sized lodge type building that houses more cabins for rent.

Wintertime sees snowmobile riding, sleigh rides and, while summer offers wagon rides, western dinner dances and horseback riding, as well as some of the most elegant catered events available in Colorado.

The breakfast ride is something everyone should experience, and takes place from June to September.

Imagine a cool, crisp early morning ride under shady aspen trees with spectacular views of Pyramid Peak, one of Colorado’s highest mountains at 14,018 feet.Then followed by a linen tablecloth and one of the best breakfasts you’ve ever laid eyes on waiting for you when the ride is over.

The Ride and Dine package is a unique adventure beginning with a two hour private trail ride to the edge of Maroon Lake with picturesque views of the Maroon Bells. With the sun on their back, guests will follow the trail to a Chef-prepared private lunch or dinner on the banks of Maroon Creek.

Lunch will include BBQ Chicken and Ribs… Dinner will include appetizers, charcoal grilled steaks and will be accompanied with specially prepared side dishes by their own private Chef.

If you plan on a visit to Colorado, don’t pass up the chance to ride the best range in the world and tuck into the best food when its over.

Directions:

to Maroon Bells Lodge at T-Lazy-7 Ranch
Follow Highway 82 to the Aspen Roundabout (there is only one). Take the Maroon Creek Road exit at the Roundabout. Continue on Maroon Creek Road past the Aspen Schools complex, the Aspen Highlands ski area and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Maroon Bells Lodge is on the right hand side of Maroon Creek Road as you approach the T-Lazy-7 Ranch, approximately 1.5 miles from the Aspen Highlands Ski Area.

Fishermen can be fickle when it comes to different spinnerbaits, lures, creels and rods, and you never know which is going to be in use in which season.

There are a few things however that just never go out of style and are going to impress any angler, regardless of the occasion you are buying it for, from Christmas gift to birthday present some of these will be a sure fire hit with the angler in your life.

Nearly every fisherman that tends to spend time in waders, wading their local rivers and/or streams in search of trout, steelhead, smallmouth bass, walleye, or any other fish will find these gifts appropriate, even welcome.

JRW rod rulers are one of the best gifts for a fisherman.

Nearly all of these are geared toward the freshwater fisherman, but some will work for saltwater, while all of themwill work for that special fisherman on your list:

A Starter Kit is always a hit.. a sampler if you will for the fisherman that includes gang hooks, a bait bag, and a pair of retractors, that any angler who spends time wading rivers and/or streams can use. All of these products will help any angler be more efficient, and catch more fish.

Polarized Sunglasses - and we all know what these can do.. anyone who spends any time on the water needs a pair of quality polarized sunglasses. The good thing is that quality glasses will last for years and stand up to a ton of abuse.

A set of Rod Rulers is a great fishing gift.A Rodrule fishing ruler is a 1/4″ x 36″ clear decal you apply directly onto your fishing rods. This self-adhesive vinyl decal applies easily and allows the color of the rods to show through with only the 1/4″ white increment marks visible. The flexible material easily conforms to the curves of your fishing rods and will not effect the action. A set of JRW Rod Rulers is a great fishing gift for anyone who like to know how big their catch actually is.

Any or all of these will be a fishing gift thats a real hit for any angler and will help them to be more efficient in their fishing, to catch more fish and be better able to make sure that what they’ve caught is legal to keep.

Cleaning a reel isn’t rocket science and if you do it on a regular basis, particularly if you fish in areas where the air and water are salty, it will add literally years to the life of the reel you’re using.

I clean mine about two times a year, and they’ve lasted, some of them, in excess of five years, and are still going strong.

Shimano spinning reels are among the best.

Its a simple straightforward process to clean it up and keep it singing along, and it can be done simply and easily if you follow a few simple steps.

You will need: a clean towel, a small screw driver (usually Phillips head), a small bottle of reel grease (or WD-40), some Q-tips, and some paper towels.

That’s it. How to clean your spinning reel, and add years to it’s life.

Let’s get down to it.

The first order of business will be removing the spinning reel from it’s rod and using a couple of paper towels to wipe it off completely.

Now remove the handle of the spinning reel. The handle normally is removed in one of 2 ways. Either by removing/loosening a screw of some sort in the handle itself or by simply holding the reel and turning the handle backwards. This will remove the handle. Once removed, set the handle onto the clean towel.

Now make sure that the reel is laying with the screws that hold it together exposed. Now simply remove these screws (usually from 3-5) and place them next to the handle. This will expose a small plate which can now be removed. Remove the plate and set it next to the screws.

At this point the inside of the spinning reel should be exposed. Use a clean Q-tip to remove any visible debris on the inside of the reel. Now use your reel grease and put a couple of drops of grease on every moving gear that you see. If you’re using WD-40 simply squirt a little on every gear you can see.

Now simply reverse the process. Put the plate back into place and screw in the screws. Before re-installing the handle, add some grease/WD-40 to it as well. Now re-install the handle.

Lake  Guntersville Alabama is another big summertime draw and many of those who fish there can’t wait for the weather to clear and the lake to weave its fishing magic.

Early summer in Lake Guntersville, and the early summer fishing, which has as much to do with the heat as the season, is the place to be for bass.

Monster Bass, a bit over nine pounds

Early June sees water temperatures in the mid 70’s to low 80’s, fishermen  on the lake and an easy limit of bass each day for the ardent fisherman.

You will find that early morning is the easier time to catch fish on Lake Guntersville, and the tp of the water is the place to be fishing, with the fish biting avidly  particularly  the shad if you  work your Pop-R, Spook and Buzz-bait.

This  requires you to hit the lake early and late in the day find the baitfish and start working those top-water baits. Guaranteed you will catch feeding bass and have a lot of fun doing it. You have about 2 to 3 hours in the morning and couple of hours late in the evening so make use of it.

As the sun moves toward high noon your worm fishing becomes your most productive pattern. This however is a lot slower fishing than the top-water bite, your fishing for a few bites so be patient.There are different ways at this point to work the worm, the traditional way would be to find unusual grass edges and fish the edges, the most obscure would be to swim the worm in that 3 to 4 ft. of water over the grass pulling it slow and easy to generate a bite using a 1/8 oz. Weight.

Still in the early summer there are still some patterns for fast moving baits especially if you can find areas that the grass seems behind compared to the thicker grassy parts of the lake. A rattle trap, or baby 1 minus have a real shot at producing numbers.

Spinner bait too  is always a good bet in early summer and if you try using a heavier,  ¾ oz. Spinner bait and pull that in the grass ditches and edges of the humps, working it slowly, letting it tickle the grass, changing your speeds, then you will find that it works well for you. ime of year the sound aggravates those bass so buy a buzz-bait that makes a lot of noise and causes reaction bites early and often. Throw this along grass edges in the main points of lake, look for grass edges and work this bait just over the top of the water that has grass under it. Parallel the edge and you will have some fun.
Lastly get in that grass, and work a “Fluke” or ”Whacky” worm, pull this to the holes in the grass, let it drop and produce bites. Also, jerk it and move it through the grass in irregular patterns, this imitates a wounded baitfish and this time of year they are looking for easy pray. The bass cannot stand the slow drop of these baits and attack it vigorously.

A friend, colleague or failing that, a quality and reputable gun shop isn’t in the business of ripping people off because their reputation is important to them and they are looking for repeat customers. They will have inspected the gun and checked its safety and condition prior to placing it up for sale. They will be usually well able to give you the background on the gun as well as an honest appraisal of what its worth.

Winchester Hunting Rifle

Most of them will permit you to return the gun for a refund without any hassles in a reasonable amount of time, (most within 7 days) and if it doesn’t meet the normal standards for accuracy and its function they will take it back no questions asked.

Of course, as with any other return it will have to go back in the same shape as it was when you purchased it. Make sure that when you test your gun, that you check it for pattern and accuracy using only factory loaded ammunition. If you do find problems make sure that its not the ammunition that you are using.

When you purchase a gun you will want to, if possible, look up the cost and value in the current issue of the Blue book of Gun Values, which is put out by Fjestad, so that the price is within the ballpark of what the gun is worth.

Any problems or deviations from that blue book plus a reasonable markup, and you do have reason to return the gun.
This is the way a used gun sale works and in most cases, it IS the way it works, however this is dependent of course on your dealing with people who are honest and above board in their dealings.

My personal advice for first time gun owners and for seasoned veterans alike, is to not purchase over the Internet on places such as Ebay, unless that purchase is made from a licensed gun show where you have some recourse to return the item.

I don’t like personally choosing something such as a weapon or a vehicle unless I can inspect it first, which is my problem with purchasing in this way. Its not bad for jewelery or small ticket items but it is not the way to go for guns and higher priced items that need to be checked out thoroughly prior to taking them home. When buying guns its better to deal with someone who has something to lose, or face to face with your seller.

Another tip that I picked up along the way is to make sure that you get a signed purchase receipt, stating clearly how long you have to check out the gun and return it if you choose to do so.

One of the more important things necessary in purchasing a used gun is to check it out thoroughly prior to purchase. One gun manufacturer suggests the following:

How to check the condition of a used shotgun

PLEASE NOTE: Before handling any firearm, always open the action and verify that both the chamber and the magazine are empty. Every time a firearm changes hands it should be cleared.

1. Look at the overall condition of the shotgun. Notice the condition of the bluing, stock finish, checkering, butt plate or recoil pad, pistol grip cap, and so on. The action, trigger guard, tang, and forearm screws should be tight and the screw heads un-marred. Look for rust pitting on external metal surfaces. The gun doesn’t have to be perfect in every area, but it should show care rather than neglect. A shotgun could be rough on the outside, yet perfect on the inside, but the chances are that an owner who didn’t care for the external parts of a gun also didn’t care for the parts you can’t see.

Look carefully down the external length of the barrel to see that it looks straight and there are no subtle bulges or dents. Don’t buy any shotgun if you suspect that the barrel has been bulged, no matter how slightly, or is not straight.

2. The stock fit is the most important feature of any shotgun. It should be long enough to keep the thumb of your grip hand away from your face under recoil, and short enough not to snag under your armpit when you shoulder the gun.

When you mount the gun it should come up aligned with your shooting eye, and your shooting eye should be slightly above the rib or barrel so that you are looking slightly down on the barrel. You should see the barrel foreshortened in front of you. If there are two beads on the rib, they should form a figure 8. If you are looking exactly down the rib or barrel with the front bead appearing like the front sight of a rifle, or two beads exactly aligned, the stock has too much drop at the comb. The reason for this is that birds or clay targets are usually rising when shot at, and if your shotgun shoots perfectly straight you will shoot under most of them. Having the gun naturally aimed at a slight up angle gives you some built in lead on rising targets.

3. Check the condition of the stock. There should not be any splits or cracks in the stock or forearm. Pay particular attention to the top and trigger guard tang areas, and at the rear of the sideplates of sidelock doubles, where recoil can cause hairline cracks to develop. Reject any shotgun that shows a crack or split in the stock. Scratches in the finish, worn checkering, and nicks in the stock will not affect the gun’s function, but should lower the price.

Also look for discolored wood at the back of the action, top and bottom. This is a sign of an excessively oiled gun, and the oil has softened the wood. This is bad if it seems extensive and may eventually require replacement of the stock.

4. Get permission to dry fire the gun and check the trigger pull. Use dummy rounds or snap caps to protect the firing pin(s).

The Browning O/U (and other similar guns, such as several Charles Daly models) uses the recoil from the first shot to “set” the trigger to fire the second barrel. To simulate recoil after dry firing the first barrel, you can thump the butt plate against the floor (on a soft carpet), and it will usually set the trigger to fire the second barrel. Or, you can reset the safety to fire the second barrel. In any case, make sure both barrels of any double can be fired.

Whatever the trigger pull weight, it should be consistent from shot to shot. If it feels like a stock factory trigger (too heavy with some creep), fine, you can get it adjusted later. If it feels crisp and breaks at 3-4 pounds it has probably been worked on or adjusted. This is even better if done properly, but make sure that it will not jar off. To test this, get permission to bump the butt of the cocked gun against some hard but padded surface–a carpeted hardwood floor is good. If the gun has a recoil pad there is little danger to the stock even if bumped on a hard surface like concrete.

Likewise, the cocked hammer(s) should not drop when the action of a repeater is closed smartly. If you can make the gun fire by bumping it or closing the action of a repeater briskly it is unsafe. Don’t buy it!

5. Check the action. You will need a couple of dummy rounds and/or snap caps of the proper gauge to do this. Double guns should be tight when closed and the opening lever should be centered or to the right of center (when viewed from behind or with the gun at the shoulder). Top levers to the left of center indicate a worn action. Some actions can be adjusted to take up wear (the Winchester Model 21 and Lefever doubles, for example).

Hammerless doubles should cock when the barrels are lowered. Some have automatic safeties that move to the safe position when the action is opened, and others do not. Either type is satisfactory.

Check the selective ejectors on double guns so equipped to insure that they eject the fired shell, but not the unfired shell. Ditto the single selective trigger on double guns. Again, use dummy rounds or snap caps for this purpose.

Cycle a repeater to verify that it operates smoothly and properly. See that the bolt is tight and free of looseness when closed and cocked. Make sure the safety works correctly–the gun should not fire with the safety on, and should fire with it off. This is true of all types of shotguns.

On pump guns the slide should remain locked while the gun is cocked, after the trigger is pulled you should be able to cycle the action. When the gun is cocked, pressing the action release (bolt release) should allow it to be cycled. Make the action pumps smoothly, without binding.

Check that the gas seals on gas operated autoloaders and the friction rings on long recoil (Browning) designs are in good shape. Also see that the action has been kept reasonably clean for proper functioning.

6. Check the inside of the barrel(s). If it is dirty, ask that it be cleaned or for permission to clean it yourself. Do not oil the barrel after cleaning, and be suspicious of any barrel that has been oiled. The shine from the oil can hide minor barrel pitting and imperfections.

Once the barrel is reasonably clean, dry, and oil free, open the action or remove the barrel and look into it from both ends. Use a bore light. A small amount of rust or pitting inside the barrel will ordinarily not seriously degrade performance in a shotgun, but it should lower the used price.

If the gun has interchangeable chokes, make sure that they can be screwed in and out, and that you get a full set. Usually this includes Full, Modified, and Improved Cylinder tubes. If the choke is fixed, see that there is some and that it at least roughly matches the amount of choke marked on the barrel. It is a Very Good Thing if extra barrels can still be purchased for a used repeater.”

Firearms are generally built with a quality that you wish you could find in other goods

They are generally built to last several generation sand be passed down through a family. This makes them not onloy good collectors items, but also a quality investment, far more than many other collectibles.

Buying a used gun, shotgun or rifle is usually well worth the money and a good deal for both buyer and seller. Many of the guns I own currently I’ve purchased used and its been a good experience so long as you remember to pay attention to detail.. I can purchase guns I otherwise could not afford to own, and sometimes even make a profit if you later sell it.

Buy used guns, pay attention and deal with reputable sellers and the experience will be a positive one.

The preferred method today of securing your firearm and ammunition is a gun safe. Most folks who use firearms do eventually come to this conclusion following a few years of hiding them in closets, under the bed, in the drawer and whereever else they choose to use until they begin to rethink this habit.

A Sargents Gun Safe in Open position

The old favorite gun cabinet typically used for display, simply isn’t secure enough to prevent someone who has no right to, from taking your guns. A gun safe, even when equipped with a glass or viewers panel is far more secure and will prevent theft as well as children from viewing and handling the equipment without your knowledge.

When you are ready to purchase a gun safe no doubt you are going to encounter literally hundreds of brands and many more options, that are available and are touted as the best of the best, as with anything else.

You will find it easy I think to sift through the information if you go past the sales hype and simply know ahead of time what YOU want in your gun safe, and make sure that the item you select has that type option rather than things you don’t want or need..

Choose a safe that has a UL listed combination lock rather than a key lock. Such a lock will be one or the other of the following: manually rotated or electronically operated through use of a keypad. The key lock integrated into some manually operated combination locks prevents the dial from being rotated, an additional factor of safety.

patriot Gun Safe, Closed position

The purpose of the bolts in the locking mechanism is to prevent the door of the safe from being pried open. Even if the door hinges are destroyed or cut off, lock bolts on each side of a recessed door will still maintain the integrity of the safe.

You should consider that at least seven bolts are the minimum number needed to secure a gun safe adequately so that it can’t be pried open. There should be three per door side as well as one at the top of the safe.

Contrary to popular opinion or what the gun safe manufacturer would have you to believe, twice as many bolts does not provide twice the level of protection.

Good safe design will mean that you see a shield which blocks the bolts from view,that will also inhibit a frontal attack with a saw. After the locks and locking mechanism, the other thing to check into is the steel. Steel thickness is probably the single most important aspect of the safe’s construction that a prospective buyer should contemplate.

Sportsman Steel, as well as Patriot offer some superb gun safes for a price that won’t break the budget and will permit you to secure your hardware from both family and outsider alike. To check out the newest closet gun safes take a walk through the pages of Sportsman Steel Safes

If you are new to archery, there are two main aspect of choose a new bow, those being, reliability and consistency.

You want a bow that will shoot consistently where you aim it, after one shot or ten. One that isn’t consistent, that shoots differently shot after shot, that doesn’t put the arrow exactly where you aim it, whether your aim is good or bad, isn’t a bow that is worth purchasing.

If you should decide that archery hunting or competition shooting are for you, you want to know that the bow you bought is going to be a tried and true favorite, and be workable for you even if you’re in an area that doesn’t have a pro shot for archery.

The Thunderbold Compound, from PSE is among the best for beginning archers

Equipment failure, or not holding soundly together means that the bargain bow you bought for archery tournament shooting, just isn’t a bargain at all.Most hunters want maching sights, quivers, arrow rests and the like so that they have the entire set matched up. This makes it easier to retrieve the correct arrow when they need to.

When you purchase your bow, whether its used or new, check for loose parts, weathered or worn areas or joints that aren’t tight.

Most bows are adjustable but you want to make sure that it has the right range in draw weight for you, and that the length is acceptable and comfortable.

Choosing or proffering one type or variety of bow over another is really not worthwhile. In most cases its personal choice and will probably be the same in your case.

Find a friend or coworker who shoots archery. Test their bow if they permit it. Check how well it suits you and take it outdoors with them and watch them shoot, or try a shot yourself.

Bear Archery offers some wonderful selections, among them the Odyssey II compound bow setup that won’t break the bank but will give you a solid start in archery and a bow that you can use again and again and will remain consistent and in good shape.

Another fine company is Forge Bows, which are chosen by many professionals.

PSE Archery, due to their long and famous history in compound bow manufacturing is one that shouldn’t be overlooked in your quest for good archery equipment.

They also have some intense facilities to manufacture that other archery manufacturers only dream of, with design engineers and shooters on staff that constantly evaluate, and reevaluate what is being manufactured.
One of the best in the PSE bow line would be the Thunderbolt.

With their complete accessory packages as well as the fine workmanship in the bows, you will have a complete package that is tailor made to complement each other and won’t take you outside your budget.

Skeet shooting is one f the few sports where the age will range from 10 to 80 and it makes no real difference in the outcome of the match. Grandson can match up with grand father and enjoy the competition while the rest of the family watches from the sidelines, or shoots with you.

In skeet shooting clubs or tournaments, you are just as likely to see a 60 year old walk off the range as the victor as you are a 20 year old.

California Trap and Skeet Shooting Park

The equipment that you need for the sport can be rather costly to begin with but once outfitted, the overall costs for participating will be no more than it takes to golf or play tennis.

Joining a skeet shooting club is one of the expenses but if you want the best teaching and the best experience its essential, particularly if you think you might at some point like to participate in competitions and get the most out of the sport.

Participants in a Skeet Shooting Competition

Most skeet shooting clubs offer an atmosphere of relaxed learning and competition, and the members there are mor than willing to be helpful to those who are just learning or considering learning. They come prepared with plenty of helpful tips and advice from long-term members and coaches, which means that the beginners and those non-professional shooters can enjoy the sport just the same as any other.

If you are not sure whether the sport is for you, why not find the details of your nearest club and go along to their next shoot. You will get a feel for the sport and the excitement and if you are lucky you may get a chance to try a few shots yourself.

The largest ones will be found in ponds or rivers, and those can be quite large. I’ve personally pulled them in weighing about fifteen pounds and over 30 inches long from a smaller river and the Tionesta Dam area in Pennsylvania. Channel cats are omnivorous, which means they will eat a whole lot of different things, and have a super sense of smell to sniff them out.

One of the big boys, the catfish is more than a panfull.

Primarily the larger ones, those over fifteen inches, eat fish.

Their diet however will also vary according to availability, which means, according to the seasons, since catfish tend to be somewhat opportunistic feeders as well.

Late winter and early spring sees their most abundant food source as a wide variety of things, including fish, that have died due to the winter weather.

These organisms, , in various stages of decomposition, are consumed in large quantities by catfish. It is not unusual to find catfish gorged with decaying fish during winter while when the water warms into late spring and summer the diet of catfish shifts continually to food items that are again most available and vulnerable. The most prevalent foods at this time of the year are aquatic and terrestrial worms, fish, frogs, crayfish, mulberries, insects and their larvae forms.

Nation wide, streams and lakes are virtually loaded with channel catfish. Low fishing pressure on these rivers is due mostly to the relatively poor access provided by public facilities and the more difficult and challenging fishing conditions presented in flowing water. For those fishermen that don’t mind a little walk or a bit of extra work to get them, catfish are one of the biggest and best fighters, and some of the tastiest eating you will ever come across.

“One of the best ways of improving your catch of catfish is by closely observing the characteristics of locations that produce fish or likewise do not produce fish. Some careful observations and the tried and proven techniques of trial-and-error will make any angler a good stream catfisherman.”

Some of the best places to find a channel cat are places like rippled areas just above pools, cut-banks, snags, rocks, sunken trees and other submerged structures that are located in the stream.
The outside edge of nearly any river bend usually has a cut-bank and deep water which has the capacity to hold a large catfish populations.

Lakes also offer you some really good channel catfish fishing. The largest catfish caught each year are invariably taken from lakes and ponds. Fish caught in some of the man-made lakes in excess of 10 pounds are quite common.

Like catfish that inhabit rivers, lake-dwelling catfish are not evenly dispersed but concentrate into specific locations. Most ponds and fishing lakes will end up having three thermal layers 10 to 15 feet below the surface and the lower water just simply wont have any fish. so keeping your fishing to depths above there, in areas where there is cover is going to be your best bet.

The best advice we’ve seen or heard is to look for diverse habitat — the more diverse the habitat, the more attractive it is to catfish.

Baits

Using the right bait is probably the most confusing part of channel catfish fishing, and there are nearly as many concoctions as there are catfishermen.

A few of the things I’ve personally used are nightcrawlers, chicken livers, fish entrails, grasshoppers, crawdads, minnows, salted minnows, and a whole range of stink bait, and I’d have to say, depending on the day, no one really works better than another.. All of them are fine for a hungry and not too particular catfish and if you match the bait size to what you want to catch, you ‘re normally going to pull at least one or two out.

I fish mostly late afternoon or evening, and I shoot for pan-sized catfish during mid-summer — June, July and August.

Summer is the normal period of low stream flow, and smaller streams can be fished most effectively by wading in just my old tennis shoes. Catfishermen who are looking for some of the larger fish during this period use large-sized baits such as dead bluegill, live chubs, water dogs, crayfish and frogs.

Large catfish are always looking for a good sized morsel or a whole meal, so the movement will attract their attention.

A lot of folks believe they are also a fish that lives only in remote parts of Minnesota, Canada and perhaps Wisconsin.While they do live there, they are also in many northern lying states, including Pennsylvania and a visit to Pennsylvania to catch a Musky is going to be a fishing trip you won’t soon forget.

It is true that musky can be elusive and harder than heck to catch. There is more than one story going around about the fishing trip that ended after five days with no fish. Its also true that they like northern waters, and that you can, if you play your cards, or in this case, your fish, right, bring home a trophy Musky. In part because of stocking, Muskies are increasing in number and in their range across the United States.

A nice sized Musky, this one is worth a second look

Huge muskies live in the waters around Madison, Milwaukee and the Iowa Great Lakes region, while musky numbers are increasing steadily in Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. Beginner and expert musky anglers alike catch lots of muskies every year, partly because Musky are more prolific and larger, and partly because equipment is getting better.

As one Musky fisherman tells us..”The trend in rods is toward longer, slightly less stiff rods. With the advent of the super-lines, the rod doesn’t need to be quite as stiff to provide adequate hooksets. I used fifty-pound test FireLine and Whiplash for my musky fishing last year. It cast really well, and the hooksets were rock-solid. An Ambassadeur 6500 is still the most popular musky reel out there because they’re durable and affordable.”

Muskies are like any other fish. You must find them before you can catch them. This era we’re living in right now provides the best opportunity to fish for muskies, and have a good chance to catch one, than ever before. Good lakes are closer, and with the increased length limits, the number of fish that are allowed to grow up are better than ever.

Musky fishing on the big fish on the Allegheny River is an awesome escape, a wonderful trip and if you choose to use Allegheny Guide Service they can teach you some tips and techniques that will make you a better angler as well as help you to bring home the fish of a lifetime.

The Allegheny River, particularly the parts that aren’t far from the Kinzua Dam, will give you some of the largest freshwater fish in North America.

If river fishing is not your thing, Chautauqua Lake is famous for having a great population of trophy muskies and walleyes while the Allegheny Reservoir holds numerous Pennsylvania State Records.

Many marine biologists are convinced that the next state record musky will come from the deep, clear waters of the Allegheny Reservoir.

Northwestern Pennsylvania is a paradise for Musky, Pike and many other trophy sized fish primarily because the Allegheny River (near Warren) rarely freezes due to a bottom discharge flow from the Allegheny Reservoir. This bottom discharge flow is 2-3 degrees above freezing which allows open water musky fishing year around.

This means that you can try to find your Muskie well into wintertime and still be successful. The Allegheny River has an incredible population of muskie as well as trout, (both browns and rainbow) that are going to exceed twenty inches easily, while the musky and pike will hit 30 inches and longer.
For more information on planning your trip to fish Northwestern Pennsylvania visit TheFlyFishingCoach.Com

They are useful, helpful in tournaments but otherwise, they are just fun. Even for the novice fisherman, they are something that you can use to at least help you take home a minimum catch, but what kind, and why?

Fishfinders are essentially made up of three basic aspects.

The Mounting bracket, your display screen and a transducer. Unless they tell you otherwise, most fishfinders come with all these parts, and are complete to install and operate the fishfinder.

You do have options as to the transducer and mounting systems which are largely available in the accessory sections of each of the fishfinder manufactures. To be honest, the mount system isn’t all that critical, but the transducer is.
Transducers come in several “flavors” including a few that have portable suction cup transducers so you can take your fishfinder from boat to boat or put it somewhere else on the same boat.

A Furuno Color Fishfinder

Shoot through hull for mounting in plastic and fiberglass hulls, (the signal shoots right through the hull); through hull fishfinder transducers which have to be mounted in a hole through the bottom of the hull; and transom mount transducers which come as standard issue with most fishfinders.

Humminbird also has some rather good handhelp fishfinders.

Some fishfinders include a temperature capability, so that you can get the water temperature which is helpful if you’re fishing for colder water fish, and some have a speed sensor.

The GPS combo units do give you speeds but its not nearly as accurate as the other variety and won’t necessarily help you to get to an accurate trolling speed.

Further issues with transducers are the number of frequencies that they have. Some come with two or more, such as Lowrance and Eagle, which are for deeper water type fishing, and this does affect the operation of the fishfinder.

As a general rule, for shallow water fishing, such as lakes, ponds and etc, a single frequency is what you want while for deeper water, such as coastal or deep sea fishing, great lakes and this variety, you’re going to want to have a dual frequency.

For fishfinders with a dual signal, you can still use them in shallow water for bass fishing. Another thing that you might like, is side imaging, which is fantastic for shallow water fishing, but a bit more than you might want to put into the cost if you are, like me, a weekend fisherman.

Your display can come in one of several forms. LCD being one, which is far less expensive, but don’t provide great separation and in glare or bad lighting situations they simply won’t be much help. If you have it in your budget, the color fishfinder is well worth spending the money on.

Every single one of them seems to know more by instinct where the fish are going to be hanging out at any given time, and when they are going to be biting.

Nope, you’re never going to have trouble finding a boat or a guide, but finding the right one, well that’s another story. That’s going to take a little more picking and choosing to get it accomplished but spending the extra time to make sure that you’re compatible with what your guide and the rest of the members of the trip want to accomplish will be the smartest thing you do on the trip.

The charter captains in Florida, or at least the best of the best, are known not just for taking you where the fish are, and knowing by experience how to accomplish a good spot for the day, but also for knowing the best method of sharing their skills and expertise in a way that is entertaining, amusing and gets the fish caught at the same time.

Not only will the ultimate guide help you in such a way that you will catch a decent days catch, but in such a way that you want to return to do it again and again with the same guide. The guide will help you not only to have great catches and great experiences, but great stories and a very good time int the bargain.

One of the most important things to remember is to be completely honest with your guide, so that he or she know about your level of fishing experience and expertise, so that he is sure you aren’t put into a situation that you aren’t adept with or able to handle. Make sure that your guide knows exactly what you are looking for in a charter trip and that he is able to provide that for you.

A knowledgeable guide will be in tune with all the conditions and factors for the perfect fishing trip. This not only includes characteristics of the fish you are after but also additional factors such as tides, temperatures, wind, weather, and moon phases.

When you are preparing for your trip, make sure that you have what you need to get through the day comfortably and safely, such as a hat, light colored clothing perhaps white or khaki colors, sunglasses, bug repellent, sunscreen, food and plenty of water to drink.

Your guide will provide the coolers, ice, tackle and all the fishing gear you will need as most people don’t maintain the type of gear that you’re going to need. Of course you are welcome to bring your own gear, just let the guide know in advance so he can make room for your gear.

You can avoid a lot of time or people pressure by booking your trip on a weekday instead of a weekend. While doing this may mean that your trip is considered booked during “off peak” times, there are advantages to this, such as the cost and the number of people who travel with you and off peak, doesn’t mean the fish are not biting.

When it comes to making the most out of your Florida fishing charter, remember, it’s not always how many fish you catch that counts, but the strip itself as well.

If the trips is a fun experience for everyone aboard, catching no fish at all can even be remarkable..

From the time I was five, on up to fifteen or so, I watched my father, an expert angler, pull browns from those creeks four or five in just an hour or so and wanted to emulate him.

Needless to say it was frustrating to not match his catch until I got a bit older and a lot quieter, and a bit more savvy about trout fishing.

Pine Creek, a trout laden creek in Northwestern Pennsylvania

Browns are the Einsteins of the trout family, and it wasn’t just me that got frustrated by them, but a lot of beginners and pros too who were outfished.

The Brown trout, similar in body contour to the Rainbow, is found throughout the world, and very extensively in the North Eastern United States, populating the trout streams in the area. Native Browns, those born into the stream, as opposed to stocked are lovely creatures, a bit larger in size than their Rainbow trout cousins, and have a lovely pink flesh that is mild tasting.. and did I mention a little harder to get onto the plate.

Browns are famous for their intellect and for their cunning means of avoiding being caught.

When a straightforward fly fishing technique might work for the Rainbow, Browns will step away and avoid the hook and net. Still it does make it far more of a challenge and that much more rewarding.. no, I think the word is thrilling, when you get that giant Brown on the hook.

Nothing can wreck a fly fishing trip for an ardent fisherman faster than a Brown, because the level of intelligence they display about the hook and pole make them so hard to even get a hook into.

Once you do hook him though his smarts get to be that much more apparent.

Instead of jumping and twisting like the average trout, the brown will nearly always head straight off and look for any single obstacle in the whole river or creek, and very often he will snap the line, tangle you so thoroughly that you have to cut the line, or make some runs the likes of which you just can’t keep up with.

A Native Brown, absolutely a fighting fish

All to often, the trout ends up getting away since light tippets and tackle are often usually used when fly fishing for Brown Trout and they just can’t stand up to the test. Most of the One that got away stories you’re going to hear, I’d just be willing to bet, were Browns.

The Brown Trout is recognized by its buttery colored sides and has black and red spots following its body.

To a lot of fishermen, pros and amateurs alike the Brown Trout is an ugly brute. I always wondered how much of that had to do with how often they weren’t caught, and how frustrated they left the fisherman.

In my world, a 20 or 22 inch brown is the most gorgeous fish that exists.. AFTER he’s on the hook..

I’ll tell you something else.. Fly fishing isn’t the only way to catch a Brown.

Having lived in Pennsylvania nearly all my life, I can say I’ve caught as many with a simply ultralight rod and reel than anything else.

They give me a lot more sensitivity, and with the water flowing over rocks and ripples you need to be able to “feel” the fish.
Another thing I use to catch them, no matter who tells you otherwise, is a live worm.

You’d be amazed how effective a live worm can be when its properly presented and by that I mean tied out to its full length, so that its seen as it should be seen.

Brown Trout are remarkably resilient and their survival instinct is nothing less than incredible. They have the ability to live in warmer waters than other trout, along with their resistance to Whirling Disease, and this allows Brown Trout to not only live, but to thrive in areas where Rainbow Trout often struggle to survive, and to grow far bigger than the average trout since the waters are more nutrient filled when they are warmer.

I’m betting that Browns are the wave of the future and I think its best to brush up on your techniques in order to catch them.

If you want the adventure of a lifetime, try a Trout fishing trip to the creeks and streams of the Pennsylvania mountains and foothills. It doesn’t get any better than this.

I spent hours fishing for Bass in ponds, Perch in lakes and brook trout in creeks and streams.

One of the man fishfinders on the market today

My father took us fishing to Lake Erie before I was old enough to net them without help, and at that time, we’d catch fifteen or twenty in a day, putting half of them back because they were too small. It wasn’t uncommon either, to catch a lot of junkfish, and cartoon like, a few boots into the bargain.

The sixties brought us the newest gadget, the fish finder. A neanderthal gizmo that was at that time state of the art.. a wheel with a glowing red light that alerted us to .. something.. below us.. if you could read the light right, you could eventually learn to decipher between baitfish, and a submerged log, but it took some time to get it right. I never did to tell you the truth, but my dad was inordinately proud of his.

Then in the 80’s along came the LCD fish finder with sounders that used an LCD screen that permitted more accuracy and helped you to better judge baitfish from larger fish from debris in the water. Simple and straightforward, they still showed the fish as small straight lines on the screen.

Furuno FCV-620 Color Fishfinder

They weren’t all that but they were a far cry better than their ancestor.
Todays fish finders are miracles of marine electronics, showing in vast detail the things that are below your boat. They will offer you a better look at predators, baitfish and anything else thats down there.

Add them together with a chart plotter and you’ve got yourself the absolute ultimate in fishing tools.

They aren’t at all difficult to use, and you can load charts (electronic charts that it) of any body of water in the world. to give you safe and easy navigation around the body of water you’ve chosen to fish on.

One feature that you’re going to use again and again is the ability to put an icon on the chart so that you can mark the spot where you found fish and leave it in the chartplotter for several years, allowing you to go back to that place without any problems and without relying on your memory that you found accidentally while fishing, even if you wait a year or more before you try it again..

Whether you’re a beginner, a rank amateur or a well seasoned professional fisherman, one of todays fishfinders and chartplotter combinations are something that will make your fishing trips more profitable, more fun and keep you catching fish for years to come.

To check out a full range of the awesome power of the modern day fish finder and chart plotters, check out GPS NAVPRO.

Did I mention.. even a dummy can use one??

There are simple techniques and easy ways to hook, play and to land your fish that aren’t at all hard to learn.

The first thing that’s going to happen is that you feel that gentle tug that tells you that you have a fish nibbling at your bait.
You need to set the hook, which means forcing the hook into the fish.
Usually a sharp wrist snap is all that necessary to set the hook, but take a little care when you snap the line.

Netting a fish to land it

Depending on what you are fishing for, a soft mouth fish such as a crappie or some kinds of trout, will result in simply pulling the hook through and losing you your fish. Next up is going to be the fight..

When any fish feels that hook pulling against it, you will find yourself in a struggle. The fish wants to get free and you want to bring him in.

Each type of fish will fight differently. Carp, or salmon are strong and powerful and will make a long run, while a Steelhead trout will jump and run as well.

Trout will fight quite wildly, and a Pike will come to the boat pretty easily but then fight when he approaches it.

Some sunfish will zig and zag trying to get to cover that might tangle your line.. Play the fish, give him some slack and reel in..

If you’ve caught a fish in a more shallow water, they are going to be bigger fighters, more frantic than one in deep water.
Many times you can simply reel in a smaller fish, while larger fish require a technique called “pumping the rod.”

To do this, retrieve line quickly as you lower the rod until it is horizontal and pointed at the fish. Then stop reeling in line and slowly raise the rod up. When the rod is at about the 11 o’clock position, repeat the process until the fish is near and ready to be landed.

NOTE: Never let the line go slack.

Landing can be done by hand, or with a net. If you are fishing from the shore, one way to do it is called beaching the fish.
This should only be used if you plan to keep and eat the fish because it will harm the coating on its body.

To beach a fish, lead it into increasingly shallower water, gradually sliding the fish on its side onto dry land.

To net a fish, have the fish under control. Lead the fish to the net. Place the net in the water and lead the fish into the net head first. Then if the fish should try to escape, it will swim into the net. Once the fish is completely in the net, raise the net by the handle.

To handle a fish that has some very sharp teeth, such as Pike or Walleye, hold it around its body.