Fishing has been a sport of both pleasure and survival for many, many years. Few things are more exciting than landing a massive fish. This article has a lot of information about helping you to become better at fishing, so keep reading to learn everything you can.

Keep an eye on the birds while you fish. Heavy concentrations of fish will attract birds, so a stretch of water that birds are diving into is likely to be a good fishing spot. Birds just scoop up fish by diving down and catching them from the water. Watch the birds’ behavior often, and see what clues they can give you to help improve your fishing day.

Remember to bring along a water-resistant camera if you plan to release the fish you catch. You will have a record of your catch without having to keep the actual fish. This way your fish will live to be caught another day and the photo is your keepsake of your great catch.

When fishing a lake or river, sometimes casting near the shore leads to the best results. Fish who catch insects will find the most food in these areas, so try to cast your lure near the edge where you will be able to get the most bites. Be careful of weeds, though!

TIP! Fishing along the shoreline of a river or lake can yield amazing results. Fish who depend upon insects for food generally find them in abundance close to the shore, so you may get more bites by casting your lure in these areas.

Make sure your hands are sufficiently wet before reeling in your fish for the last catch. If your hands are wet, the fish’s skin won’t get dehydrated. This is true in scenarios where you’ll be required to put the catch back in the water.

The day before you go fishing, fatten up your live bait so that it looks better to the fish and does not take as much time to get on the hook. Let your worms, laying inside a flat container, sit in a refrigerator overnight. The cold temperature, together with the added humidity, will plump up the worms.

A great lure that is beginner friendly is spinnerbait; this is a great upgrade from earthworms. These particular lures are especially good for fishing shady areas, or murky waters. Although spinnerbait attracts mostly bass, this bait can also be utilized to catch crappie.

Use a sinker during colder months. Sinkers give the line more weight which allows it to get deeper into the warm water where most fish reside during the winter. You can choose how many and how large the sinkers should be based on how deep the water is.

TIP! When fishing during cold winter months, always use sinkers. Sinkers will weigh down the line and allow bait to go deeper, hitting the warm waters where fish hide during the winter.

When you are fishing on the bank, you must be extra careful not to set anything on fire. A lot of people smoke when they’re fishing, and you need to make sure that the embers you light do not start a fire. The immediate bank is obviously wet, but the brush around the area is quick to catch fire.

If you are planning a fishing trip to enjoy some deep sea fishing, be sure you take medicine along with you to combat sea sickness. There are few things more horrible than being stuck on a ship, far from shore, with a stomach that is churning more than the turbulent waves of the ocean. Remember that being sick can really wreck your trip, so always try to keep some medication around just in case you need it.

Fish Finder

If you practice catch and release but want to remember the fish you catch, consider taking a camera with you. This ensures that you will be able to show everyone your catch and the fish lives.

TIP! Bring your camera with you so you can show people the fish you caught before putting them back in the water. This guarantees that you get your keepsake and the fish lives on.

Whenever fishing on a boat, it is important to use your fish finder to help locate ideal spots. A fish finder will find schools of small fish using sonar. However, there are those fisherman who would rather not implement a fish finder while fishing. Many fishermen pride themselves on their skill and persistence as opposed to using equipment.

Be sure to check the weather prior to going on a fishing trip. Not all weather conditions are conducive to fishing. An overcast sky offers the best fishing conditions of all. This isn’t to say that you won’t catch anything on a sunny day, however, overcast conditions tend to be better.

There are specific casting techniques you can learn to reduce the amount of noise the lure makes as it enters the water. Fish are afraid of noise, so a noisy cast will work at cross purposes with a good day’s fishing. Use your wrist to cast your rod to achieve this.

Make live bait like earthworms more desirable to fish and easier to manipulate on a hook by fattening them up the night before you go out. Simply place a handful of worms on a flat container inside the refrigerator and remove them the next morning. The cool air and humidity causes the worms to plump up.

TIP! To make your earthworms more appealing to fish, fatten them up the evening before you go fishing. Use a flat container lined with newspaper to store the worms, and place it in the refrigerator overnight.

Make sure to leave the land and water as you found it, free of trash or debris. Trash can damage the beauty of nature and can be harmful to plant and fish life as well. Always make sure that you take out whatever you bring in, so that you preserve the fishing waters for many generations to come.

If you lose your patience while fishing, take a break and move around about once each hour. This keeps you from being bored and you can also enjoy more of the scenery. You may find a spot where a lot of fish are biting.

When you are first starting out learning how to fish, don’t bother buying expensive gear. When you are just starting out, buying the priciest rod you can find can be a costly mistake. Start with a good-quality, mid-range rod. Then, if you decide you enjoy your new hobby, you can invest in better equipment.

Many bass fishermen choose to fish with lighter-colored grubs. Grubs that have a predominantly white, chartreuse or yellow in color are some of the most effective at attracting bass. Translucent grubs, which contain metal flecks, reflect light and increase your chances of success. Choose a grub that is the same color as the water for times when fish aren’t biting.

TIP! Fishermen trying to catch bass usually stick with lighter-colored grubs. Great success can be had with yellow, white, chartreuse and smoke-colored grubs.

If the fish are not biting, analyze your bait, and consider changing colors. Different fish prefer different colors of lures, so change them up occasionally. Your bait should span the rainbow of colors, so you are prepared for any fishing situation.

The innovations in the world of fishing are significant, so even a novice fisherman can have a great day on the lake. What you have learned here should enable you to be an expert easily; therefore, practice the tricks you have learned here, and reel in some fish.