Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs - Effective in Maine

If you are a fisherman you realize how much fun and rewarding this sport can be. It gives you a chance to experience the outdoors, relax, and have fun with family and friends. It is a sport you can participate in all year round, provided you have the proper equipment. It is a chance to get away from the rush of daily life and to create memories. This not only benefits adults, but is vitally important for the youth. Thanks to Maine's Department of Inland Fisheries And Wildlife, the "Hooked On Fishing, Not On Drugs" has been implemented to get the youth interested in spending their time positively, and decreasing their interest in drugs.

Studies have shown that the reasons youth succumb to alcohol or drugs include lack of motivation, peer pressure, boredom, lack of self-esteem, family problems, inadequate social skills, and inadequate communication skills. The "Hooked On Fishing, Not On Drugs" program offers alternatives by encouraging proper problem solving, expanding communication with parents and positive family interactions, while creating responsibility. Children who have positive life skills are less apt to turn to drugs or alcohol.

Maine's 118th Legislature enacted a law that allows the Department to accept donations, services, and other goods which can only be used to promote the education of the youth. Walmart was the first to sponsor the program, and has encouraged other businesses to come on board. FET Inc. of Scarborough, Maine holds a yearly ice fishing event to raise money for the program. Donations are received from individuals, companies, and memorial funds.

The steps the Department has taken to achieve these goals are to sponsor workshops that train volunteers; work with clubs interested in sports; provide Learning To Fish clinics throughout the state; dispense information on fishing; and provide fishing tackle, assistance, and resources to the participating organizations. More than half of the children who have been in the program have never fished before. Three quarters of those who have never fished before continue to do so. Two thirds take more of an interest in their environment. Maine's 118th Legislature enacted a law that allows the Department to accept donations, services, and other goods which can only be used to promote the education of the youth. Walmart was the first to sponsor the program, and has encouraged other businesses to come on board. FET Inc. holds a yearly ice fishing event to raise money for the "Hooked On Fishing, Not On Drugs" program. Donations are received from individuals, companies, and memorial funds.

If you are a fisherman yourself, you know how great a sport fishing can be, and how the proper equipment can make it even more pleasurable. You may be interested in the following.

When you are going fishing, you want to be as comfortable as possible. You may be interested in a backpack folding chair which is on sale today, and includes a pole holder, a cup holder, and a free clamp-on umbrella. If so, check this out Fishing Backpack Chair

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Using Nightcrawlers As Fishing Bait - Some Tips

There is little question that nightcrawlers are one of the best known and most readily available fishing baits that there is. Everyone who has wetted a line has probably used a nightcrawler as fishing bait at one time or another. I have personally been using nightcrawlers as bait for more than two decades and in that time have learned some tips that will make anyone a much more successful angler when using this popular fishing bait.

As a matter of fact I consider fishing with live worms to be every bit the "art form" that other forms of fishing have been proclaimed to be throughout the years, as long as it is taken seriously and some simple rules are adhered to. My fishing mentor, who preferred fishing with nightcrawlers (or similar live worm species), taught me some of these tips many years ago and I have been using them ever since.

The first tip is to keep your nightcrawlers as cool as possible while fishing. The cooler they are the more lively the nightcrawlers are and thus the more effective they will be as bait. Obviously when temperatures are hot, this can be a challenge, but keeping your nightcrawlers cool is key anytime they are being used as fishing bait.

The next thing to consider is how the worms are carried or held while fishing. If you are fishing from a boat or still fishing in a lake this isn't a problem. The nightcrawlers can be kept in the container that they are purchased in and taken out as needed. The place where this is truly a problem is if you are wading. If you are wading (or otherwise mobile while fishing) and using nightcrawlers as fishing bait a bait bag should be employed for carrying them. A Bait bag is simply a small pouch that hangs from your fishing vest or is attached to a belt loop on your pants and holds your nightcrawlers for you while fishing. The other cool thing about using a bait bag is that when temperatures are hot, you can simply un-clip the bait bag, dip the entire bag into the water to cool off the nightcrawlers, and then simply re-attach it after the "dip". This will help keep your nightcrawlers cool while fishing in hot weather.

The next and probably most important tip when using nightcrawlers as fishing bait is to present them to the fish that you are attempting to catch in the most realistic manner possible. This is accomplished by using a set of gang hooks, which is simply a pair of small hooks tied in tandem, enabling nightcrawlers to be presented in at outstretched and natural manner. Actually, when using gang hooks and nightcrawlers, the worms should be pinched in half before rigging up, so as not to leave too much of the worm "hanging off" of the second hook. The bottom line is that gang hooks should always be used when live worms of any variety are the fishing bait.

Keep these simple tips in mind and you will experience much more success on your next fishing excursion.

Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 25 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his five year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country. Gang Hooks Ready To Fish - http://www.jrwfishing.com/gang_hooks.asp Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Trevor_Kugler

Bass Fishing Strategies

Are you ready to fill your boat with big bass? While many people enjoy the sport, only those who study fish behavior patterns and strategies for catching them will land fish regularly.

You should begin your study of bass behavior by understanding the factors that influence that behavior. Food sources, temperature, cover, and oxygen are primary factors. Learn how each impacts the life of a bass, and you will increase your catch rate.

Fish need to eat. Bass feed on many living creatures, including other small fish, worms, snakes, mice, bugs, frogs, and crayfish. You can increase your chances by studying which food sources are plentiful in the lake or river that you are fishing. If bluegill are swimming around, chances are a crank bait or minnow will catch a bass or two. If the bottom is rocky, you might have luck crawling a crayfish along the bottom. In weedy areas, try frogs; chances are the shores are lined with them, and they make a great treat for a hunting bass.

Try to adjust your presentation so that it mimics the real life food sources in the lake. Also, try adjusting your lure color based on the actual creatures in the lake, but also take water color into consideration. If the water is stained, you might need to try a different color to help the fish see the lure.

Temperature has a great impact on the life of the bass. Remember, fish are cold-blooded. That means a fish will become lethargic in very cold water. Bass will rarely bite in water below 50 degrees. That is why bass fishing is so difficult in the winter months. You can pull a lure right in front of the fish and not get a bite, because the fish has a much slower metabolism. Therefore, it eats less and reacts less quickly to food sources.

Cover is also an important factor. Bass are predators; they like to ambush prey from a safe location. Often they will hide inside weed beds, under submerged tree branches, and under boat docks. Fish these structures carefully and thoroughly.

Oxygen is also important. Living plants provide food for bugs, worms, and microscopic organisms. These, in turn, provide food for tiny fish and frogs. These fish and frogs are food for the hungry bass. Therefore, where you find plant life, you will also usually find bass. Without oxygen, underwater life can not survive, so narrow down your scope by focusing on lake areas with plenty of plant life.

For tips on catching summer bass, check out MichiganBassFishingGuide.com.

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