Holdzit Christmas contest#1 Hot tips

[Jennie@ifish]

http://www.ifish.net/holdzit.html

Read the above on how to win 20.00 worth of holdzit products from holdzit.com!

Jen

[Wet_Willy]

I'll go ahead and throw my hat in the ring on this one.

Here's a tip on how to organize your fishing rods in the back of your drift boat if you don't have a fancy rod holder.

Just take a bungee cord and stretch it across the back from gunnel to gunnel. You can then lay the rods across the cord pointing the tips out the back. The cord absorbs bumps and keeps them out of the way of the rower and the people in the front of the boat, but still keeps them within reach when changing rods.

Been using one for years and love it.

Wet Willy

[Dances]

my turn
If you carry your rods in your car one way of keeping your tips in tip top shape is to take and empty film container and slide it over the top of the tip.

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Work is for people who dont know how to fish

[willierower]

Ok here is the best tip ever giving to me. An old guy that fished with my dad told me this when I was 12 or 13.
Fishing is fun. Have fun while out on the river. Dont get competetive and dont get mad when you get skunked. Relax and enjoy yourself. Fishng is a lot more fun than work or school.
Its been working for my for 16 years now.

[Extreme]

Howdy. My first post here, although I have been reading "ifish" for over a year....
One of the best tips that I still follow is no matter how hungry you get from fishing, never eat the yellow snow.....
No. Wait. On a more serious note, the best tip I can offer is to simply fish when you can. Don't wait until the best river or weather conditions, don't wait until you have the best bait, boat, rod, etc. Just get out and fish. You nearly always have got to have a line in the water to catch one... Whatever works with your work/life schedule. Just fish.
Here's a freebie... buy a car that gets great gas mileage. Nowadays you need to cover a-lot of real estate to sometimes find fish. Hate to do it with a huge 8 mpg 4x4.
Bad for the environment, wallet, etc.
x

Tough to beat Willierowers tip. -- My tip is "Comprehensive preparation". That means gathering all pertinent info, such as river conditions and fish catch reports, to form a strategy planned in advance. Then have all your bait and lures and egglooped hooks, etc., ready and prerigged before you go to bed the night before you fish. That way you will relax and enjoy fishing at a high efficiency rate on the river the next day. Also, have the proper clothing, rain gear, and extras that you might need for comfort. Bring enough food and drink, especially on cold days. And make sure the boat is maintained and all is ready to work right on the water. Lastly, with everything prepped properly, adjust your mindset toward one of enjoyment and relaxing while fishing efficiently; not a competition and boat race mentality. ... That's comprehensive, and will pay dividends in fish caught and outdoor enjoyment. - Steve Hanson (RT)

[First Bite]

Here is a fishing tip that really works and will save you some cash too. The next time your wife, girlfriend, mom, etc... goes to the craft store, go along with her. When you get there, check out the acrylic pom poms that come in every color and size imaginable. I usually buy the pink or red ones in sizes that are the same as corkies. They cost about .49 for a dozen. When I get home, I'll thread the pom pom onto my pre tied leader using a needle. Above the pom pom I'll tie on some white yarn for contrast.
When you get to the river, you can add your favorite bait or use the pom pom by itself. Now the best part of the pom poms is they can be saturated with your favorite scent. When a fish takes it, the scent is squeezed out and being that the pom pom is soft, it feels natural to the fish.
Last year I was fishing for Fall Chinook and ran out of eggs. I tied on a 1" diameter red pom pom with white yarn saturated it with scent and hooked and landed the only Chinook of the day.
Mark

[Gone Fishin]

My tip:

Teach a youngster to fish! Show them and help them respect the outdoors...The future depends on it!

[Bait O' Eggs]

best tip ..... how about the following:

1. make sure you dont forget your pole at home
2. make sure the boat battery is charged before leaving the house
3. make sure the plug is in the boat before launching the boat.
4. dont forget the bait.
5. dont forget the lifejackets
6. dont forget the tackle
7. check the trailer tail lights at least a day in advance, it will take that long to get them working.
8. set 2 alarms
9. stress the importance of being on time to your fishing partner.
10. tell loved ones when you will be home should you get stuck in the mud (sorry happybrew).
11. make sure you got gas and oil in the boat.
12. better take quarters to garibaldi marina, the machine usually wont take dollars.
13. keep a pencil/pen in your tackle box to record that fish on a lucky day. fishing pencil lead doesnt work real well.
14. bring a container to put the fish in so it doesnt slime the car on the way home.
15. make sure you have plenty of warm clothes
16. make sure the boat trailer spare is not flat
17. make sure you have a lug wrench that will fit the boat trailer lug nuts.
18. make sure you have a jack for changing tires.

and last but no least dont forget your license and tag.

I have fallen victim to all of the above at least once.

[ryan fish]

Heres My tip. Being a plunker and use basicly only spin-glos on my milar wings I drill 2to3 small holes in each wing. It just changes its apperance.

[WaterDog]

Good list baitoeggs!! I too have fallen victim to all of those too!

My advice: always carry a file to sharpen you hook make sure you have extra hooks and leader!



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EAT, SLEEP, FISH!

[willierower]

I like Gone fishin's tip. My niece is only 5 and she is already a pro bluegill killer! Take the kids fishing!!!!

[Tanner]

My first tip, I am with Gone Fishin. Take a kid fishing. I have been taking my son with me on a regular basis since he was 6 and a half. He caught his first steelhead when he was seven. His first chinook when he was 8 (actually caught two that day), and now he is 9 years old and my number 1 fishing partner. He can rig his gear himself, whether it is bobber fishing, bait diving, back bouncing. He can cast a fly rod. He baits his own hooks and he can even tune a wiggle wart or a hot shot. It has really given us a very tight bond. My older son does not like to fish much, however he is interested in archery. Him and spend time doing that and it has been good for us for us.

[fishaddict]

Since taking a kid fishing has already been mentioned I'll go with this one.The night before a trip never eat foods that will cause you to have severe gas if you're going to be in a pair of neoprene waders all day. Ya just can't get away from the smell.

[This message has been edited by fishaddict (edited 12-01-2000).]

[PeterMac]

Keep a little T.P. in your vest at all times. If you need it, you will be greatful that you had it! Hey, that kind of ties in with fishadict's tip.

PeterMac

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If you think old growth forests are beautiful, you should see the lumber they make!!

[Oakie Drifter]

Hey, wait a minute Fishadict....I always thought that one should eat beans the night before going fishing in the cold. The reason is all that "hot air" really warms ya up!

[Hookset]

You know, fishaddict has a point, but I'll never admit it!!

Here are a few tips I use regulary,

* Always take a spare rod and reel.
* Carry a extra spool of line.
* Check leader and mainline often for frays.
* Check knots regulary too.
* Check hook points frequently for sharpness
* Better to learn one section of river really good then many rivers poorly.
* Buy the best gear and tackle you can afford
* Drop a line in all fishy looking spots.
* Use enough weight to stay near the bottom.
* Never stop fishing, always keep a line out.
* Let the water clarity decide your fishing speed, not your watch or other fisherman.
* Know how to use a net and practice with it.

These are just a few things I've learned over the years. Most are just common sense, but I've seen these items neglected many times.

hook

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[dogfishboy]

I'll throw in a tip.
How to start and end your fishing trip in a calm relaxed fashion and avoid RAMP RAGE!

It's simple, when you get close to the boat ramp to launch, and again before haul-out, take a deep breath and say to yourself...CHILL OUT STUPID!

This is sure to help facilitate a more relaxed experience...and isn't that what a large part of fishing is about. Try it, we'll ALL like it... if ya know what I mean.

[Snagly]

I don't have nearly the experience of most of the posters, but here are a few tips and gizmos that have worked for me:

1. Do beforehand anything that can be done off the river. If you fish yarn flies, cut the yarn to length beforehand. If you fish pink worms, rig a bunch in advance. If you fish barbless, crush the barbs. Sharpen every non-new chemically sharpened hook that goes into your vest. (My off season nights are spent with hook files in front of tube w/ hooks and wife. Bonus Snack Tip: keep peanut dish away from pile of hooks to avoid uncomfortable eating mistakes.)

2. Take the water temp a couple times a day. (No need to pay a lot for the thermometer. I pay $1 at pet stores. Carry a back-up: they break or float away.)

3. Get a holster. I wear a two-holer with 6" needlenose pliers and hook file on my hip at all times. (I couldn't find what I wanted so I wrote out the dimensions and had one sewn.)

4. Always have 10 small rubberbands on hand. I used them hold pre-rigged, broken down two-piece rods, added to dink floats with jig fishing to keep the float in place and many other applications. Visit your local jewellers and beg or buy 25 small plastic bags, too. Great for individual jigs or small items of tackle that otherwise would be in a tackle box (subjecting you a potential disaster if you spill the contents while trying to fish a Corkie out in driving rain).

5. Fish every cast all the way out.

6. If you drop a fish or two, don't get down on yourself. Concentrate on making good presentations and thoroughly cover the water before you. Don't brood on your past screw-ups.

7. Bring an extra pair of gloves.

8. Leave the river in better shape than you found it. Maybe that means releasing a keeper that you'd rather BBQ, maybe it's pulling a few gobs of line out of sweepers or policing a log that's covered in monofilament spaghetti. Or simply pick up a few pieces of trash (or soft drink or beer cans off the bottom in the shallows).

9. Keep a log. Write down what worked and didn't work. Weather and water conditions. Memorable fights -- won and lost. Wildlife seen. A few notes scribbled the night you get back can be transformed into literary masterpieces weeks later provided you recorded the exact details at the time.

10. Thank your lucky stars that you're healthy and rich enough to sport fish at all, much less for steelhead, trout or salmon. (This contributes to the 'have fun'/ 'stay cool' attitude most of the posters to this site seem to endorse -- unlike several other bulletin boards I visit, I might add.)

Fish on.

[happybrew]

Okay here's mine: first, don't get stuck in the mud! Second, no matter how many times you get skunked, it will pass. Everyone goes through fishless days. Especially Jennie! Your luck will change, and you will start catching them again. I had a horrible run of bad luck this year, but I believe it's over now.

happybrew

[fishhead5]

Happy Brew you should have told the guy the cops were chasinig that stopped at mud bay and bailed out of the car and took off across the mud. A good hearted fisherman and the policeman and the crook all had to be rescued from the mud. My tip is go and get pipe insulation, the thick kind and wrap your leaders around them. I nick a little bit of it and start rapping them there. I tie my swivel on 5 out of 20 leaders. In my boat I have dowels mounted and I slide them on, when I hang up all I have to do is grab the hook and pull. I have the leader ready to tie on. If I break everything off I just grab one with a swivel on it and am ready to go. The more time spent out of the water, the less chance you have catching a fish.

[Dances]

one more
Your never too old or youg to fish So take and old guys fishin who said you cant teach an old dog new tricks

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Work is for people who dont know how to fish

[Dances]

Yea will F-5 allways has a few choice words after he breaks off right dad
and dad your takin me fishin some where when I get home

[corrirod]

After losing a fish:

Chucking your pole, oars, tackle box, or kicker motor into the water will not recover the fish, nor any of the above mentioned items. For a brief moment you will experience some stress relief however it will soon be replaced by extreme anger once you realize how much money you just donated to the fish.

Also, when wading the banks of the Trask during extreme winter flows, please avoid becoming a "human bobber", by falling into the river with your waders on, as this tends to spook the fish for all the boat anglers down stream.

[Shannon]

Simplicity....

Nothing wrong with the ol' bread and butter. Pea size corky and a white piece of wool in the egg loop. Wool looks more like a deflated egg sack.

Make it short and sweet. My theory is their either hittin or their not. When in doubt set the hook.

Shannon

[smilesforu]

My tip is even if you don't win this contest you should get yourself some of Pat's great products. Especially the toolsaver for protecting your pliers and files....Love it!!
They also have some great reel protectors that keep your reel looking like new (boat rash savers). The canister holders that attach to your vest are more than practical. Oh ya and don't forget to suck up to the Judge by giving her your eggs.
Tight Lines

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Marty M
Steelheader.net

[Trout,myster]

Serious tip:

For boaters, stop ahead of the boatramp somewhere and get EVERYTHING ready to go BEFORE you get in line for the ramp. Things like rods situated, anchor ready, straps off the boat, coolers loaded, and especially...life jackets on the seats to be worn. Best life jacket is the one you're wearing. This helps the line move better when you're in it and saves tempers. Also, if you're ready to go and the guy in front of you isn't, offer to help.

Non serious tip:

If you wear neoprene waders, paint the bottoms of your wading boots bright orange! Won't keep you from drowning if you fall in, but since you'll float feet up, makes it easier for the searchers to spot you and recover your unlucky carcass and make it possible for your spouse to collect the insurance.

Trout,myster

[Jennie@ifish]

And.... The winner is......

Snagly!
Tip number three:
3. Get a holster. I wear a two-holer with 6" needlenose pliers and hook file on my hip at all times. (I couldn't find what I wanted so I wrote out the dimensions and had one sewn.)
Ifish comment: Interestingly enough, Holdzit makes a similar product and I got one!
It is called The Dual Tool Saver with Belt Loop! Weird!