23ac Outdoor Life

If you want to catch many more big fish then there are some exciting bait substances, fish senses, and vital energy and metabolism clues to help you attract more big fish to your hook baits! Far too many anglers ask themselves the wrong questions about fishing and baits that really are not that important! So begin by thinking more like a fish instead of an angler and get much better at asking yourself the most productive questions that bring success!

So in the beginning when considering bait at all, why start of with bait itself at all when it is far more productive by starting off with taking a much better look at the fish?! Relatively very few anglers understand carp in detail so it is no surprise they have little idea how their baits might possibly work to attract fish to take baited hooks inside their mouths. But when you understand this and the power this provides you with to use against competing anglers with little or no knowledge or insight regarding this incredibly vital aspect of fishing you will be truly amazed!

As I have found in researching for my bait secrets ebooks, the majority of carp anglers in the UK and some other countries where carp fishing has become so commercialised, are dependent on expensive ready made carp boilies, pellets etc. You could say that the bait companies just want that trend to continue so they can extract as much money out of you as possible – after all, making customers dependent on products is one of the prime goals of those wanting to make big money but that gives them a huge amount of power over you which perhaps not too many of us can afford these days! When the price of ready made baits is the deciding factor in being able to afford to catch a few fish or even go fishing, you have to begin to wonder about making your own bait at vastly less cost with the chance to catch even more fish using your own baits with all the enormous satisfaction that brings!

Everyone has different limits in terms of their fishing resources so why let someone else fix what you spend on bait by them deciding the cost of their ready made baits when making your own is much more economical and affordable and just as productive if not even more so?! It is very easy to make certain that your own potently productive baits cost less than ready made baits. You need to have the knowledge to make sure that your cheap baits are potent in certain ways that guarantee success, and again this comes from having the right sufficient fish and bait knowledge to ask the right questions to keep on making your own totally reliably consistently successful baits!

Avoiding bait making mistakes can be avoided by learning from others who have the long experience over the years to refine their knowledge and bait making methods, thinking and insights etc. My 34 years of homemade carp bait making has gone through many changing levels of experience, feedback and changing awareness but well over 80 percent of all my homemade baits have caught from at least the first cast and mistakes are really only priceless feedback towards even better baits! Certain carp waters demand specific bait alterations because no water or fish stock or ecosystem is necessarily identical, and it is very important to know how to out-fish competing baits by leverage of unique bait substances to achieve extra edges over them in many ways.

Using personal preferences, second or third-hand opinions about baits and flavours etc, and most of all, using your human perceptions of bait substances as a guide to bait making is a common mistake of beginners. Why limit the success of your baits by getting personally involved by second-guessing what carp are sensitive to when you can discover all this in advance of making your baits and be certain all your bait substances in whatever combinations will be most effective? Focus on the fish first and you will think like a fish and not an angler (which is a very severely limited perspective!)

Certain bait substances do necessarily not work on their own in water and need a bait carrier substance with which they can work synergistically to bring forth their most potent impacts on fish senses. However, many bait substances can be said to be very habit-forming and I include the essential amino acids and particular non-essential amino acids found in protein ingredients additives and liquids in this group too. I am amazed at how many anglers feel they lack confidence in a bait if it has no strong discernible flavours or smell. Think about it; carp can sense substances down to a few parts in a billion and it will be very hard for the average carp angler to incorporate any substance in their bait that has no smell, taste or aroma or effect some sort of subtle electrical impact or difference on carp senses when in water for that matter that they will detect the presence of!

Carp are constantly evolving individuals able to sense new substances to various degrees even if foreign to their aquatic environment and so are able to monopolise new potential food sources – something we can exploit to maximum effect to catch more fish! Carp an be conditioned to respond to our baits in similar ways to dogs being trained to behave in ways their owner wants by rewarding them with snacks and designing unique new baits to provide both instant and long-term rewards certainly can condition their behaviours in our unique favour when regularly applied as well as affecting their future taste and smell preferences etc! You can choose specific ingredients, additives and liquids etc to manipulate carp modes of feeding or condition senses or certain modes of behaviours or exploit or adapt preferences leading to many more bites on your baits compared to other baits, so it really pays to choose wisely and find out more! (For far more information see my website Baitbigfish and my unique carp bait secrets ebooks now!)

By Tim Richardson.

Grab your chance to change your carp catches for life using economical carp bait, right now with my unique ebooks on expert carp and catfish bait making secrets at Baitbigfish!

Are you looking for specific kinds of boat seats? There is no lack of different options for boat seats, so knowing which ones to choose is crucial so that you will have the right equipment for your craft.

Lounge seats and their variations are used on most kinds of pleasure craft such as motor yachts, and are less common on smaller fishing bats and skiffs. They can be found either inside the boat, or around the outside cockpit on bigger boats. Most have cushioned seats, fiberglass or plastic frames, and several have dry storage space underneath.

These boat seats are usually fixed to the ship, and if intended for outside use, are also weatherproofed. This to avoid that they soak up with water, which would make then useless.

One kind of pretty common lounge boat seat is the back-to-back seat, which is comprised of two boat seats that are attached together at their backrests. These are quite common on boats carrying a lot of passengers such as ferries, but also on leisure fishing pontoons for instance. They are often integrated with tables, with multiple back-to-back seat rows being alternated with tables.

Benches are also popular as seats on many boats, and especially so on smaller ones. You will find benches as main seating on vessels such as dinghies and rowboats, but they are also common on other watercraft, often mounted onto the boat’s sides.

It’s quite common for these bench boat seats to be collapsible, or also completely removable. In this way, they are often employed to add passenger seating in a pinch, and folded down or put away when not in use so that circulation of passengers is made easier.

A leaning post is also considered a boat seat – most have a little round bench to sit on it, but their main use is to offer standing passengers something to hang on to when needed.

These posts are most often used for center console boats, to give passengers some more stability when moving around. They can function as a leaning post, a seat or a bench. On fishing boats, it is common to have leaning post type seats to include up to four fishing rod holders, as well as an integrated hand and foot rail.

Boat seat types are of different kinds, and the ideal one for you will depend a lot on the kind of use that you intend to put the seat through. Are you carrying passengers, do you need a high performance cockpit seat, or are you looking for custom vintage is seating?

In all these cases, it is recommendable to search on the Internet to compare the different seat models proposed but online boat seat shops. This will allow you to compare, and ultimately, to make the best choice.

More cool stuff onmarine seating is available at BestBoatSeats.com – click a link and you will be in the right place to start for all boat seat queries.

Boating is a fantastic hobby for friends, families, work colleagues, sportspeople and even individuals to take part in together. There’s just something about going out to the open sea, or to a lake, at the end of a long week that makes the worries of the daily routine and of the world melt away.

The boat may be a yacht, a powerful speedboat with outboard motors, or even a human-powered canoe. And even if it is a ferry that you work on, it’s a very enjoyable way to spend your time.

Boat seats are important to have on any on these leisure activities, and even more so if it is your work that’s taking you out onto the water. But it’s not always desirable to pay the whole price for seating as it might turn out to be quite expensive.

For the money-wise mariner, there are plenty of alternatives to buying boat seats at full price, whether it’s buying used or just finding a cost-effective solution to buy new.

Buying used boat seats is one of the most obvious solutions – you may be able to get very good prices by looking at the local classifieds, or at sale notices posted at your local marina. And if you have any friends that share your passion for boating, you may be able to buy seats from them if they are about to get new ones. Granted, used boat seats may need a bit of repair, but it will be worth it in the long term

If you are member of a boating club or of a fishing group, buying boat seats in bulk is another option. You may be able to get substantial discounts from a retailer if you buy five or more identical sets of boat seats.

Another thing to do is to ask dealers for any special offers they may have on boat seats at the moment, Even if it isn’t advertised, just asking could get you an unexpected and maybe even hefty discount. And it doesn’t cost anything to ask.

Buying boat seats aftermarket is another possibility – there are dozens of retailers specializing in aftermarket and end-of-the-line boat seats and other accessories. Scout them out and you may just find a deal that is right for you.

Check the Internet too. Online retailers are often amongst the cheapest new boat seat sources, and the possibility to compare process from your living room will give you a good idea of what’s available even before you buy.

Another very cheap source of boat seats are auctions, whether online on sites such as eBay or off-line. Check the local and trade papers to fund out if any auctions are being held in the local area.

Boat seats are fundamental add-ons for any kind of boat, whether it is a fishing boat, a pontoon, a motor of sailing yacht, or even for commercial boats like ferries and ships.

Very often a recent owner of a new or used vessel finds that the existing seating is not sufficient for the purposes the boat was bought for, or is in need of modification often implying a complete replacement.

It’s important not to skip this step, both for safety reasons and to make sure that the boat becomes truly yours.

For instance, what would guests or colleagues think if they saw your new boat and noticed that the seating was sub-standard? Not something that you want to happen – and more so when the time will come to resell the boat.

In fact, especially when selling a boat or yacht, you will find that the investment of getting new seats will pay itself many times over.

If you are looking to buy a new seat (or more) for your boat, you will find that there is no want of choice. There are most assuredly dozens and dozens of types and variations of boat seats available at boating supply stores near you, and also through Internet boat suppliers, online catalogs and specialist retailers.

One of the most important things to bear in mind when shopping for new boat seats is that you need to look around and compare different offerings, as this will ensure that you get the most favorable deal.

The next major tip would be to have safety issues in mind, always a major point when venturing into open waters. Comfortable seating is paramount if you do not want to tire out the vessel’s crew.

Especially for boats routinely crewed by untrained passengers or by people who seldom go out onto a lake or at sea, safety is paramount and should also be considered when shopping for new boat seats.

When considering whether to independently determine the value of a boat before buying or selling, you may find the following evaluation checklist of help. We also suggest that you do this appraisal together with a friend as four eyes see better than two. You can use this checklist when looking at the vessel, to help you examine the condition of the boat, and to spot repairs or improvements that may be necessary to take into account before settling on a final price.

1) Examine the boat’s hull: Examine the hull and carefully and look for any cracks or chips in the gel coat. Look for any evidence of blistering or fading. If the boat it is out of the water, do also look beneath the waterline for recent maintenance work and antifouling.

2) Check the fittings and hatches: Check any deck or hull fittings to ensure that they are in good condition, fit well, function correctly and, where they go the hull, are watertight. Open and close all hatches to see if they’re in good working order and that they don’t show signs on water ingress inside. If they do, it can mean that they’re not watertight. Open and close any/all sea cocks to check that they’re easy to operate and are watertight when closed.

3) Check engine(s), steering & transmission: Check that the steering and throttle control cables are in good condition and that the wheel moves freely (and without squeaking) and that the transmission smooth, from forward, to neutral, to reverse. Check the oil level of the engine and examine the colour and texture of the oil. If it’s grainy or gritty, they’re possibly tiny slivers of metal that indicate potentially serious mechanical problems. If the oil has a slightly milky appearance, it signifies that there is a water leak into the engine.

4) Test electrics & switches: Test anything that has a switch or a handle, to see that they function correctly, in particular navigation lights, horn, bilge pumps, internal lights, winches, heating, generator, cooking facilities, taps, toilets. Also check all electrical cabling, looking for any signs of repair, temporary fixes, rust and loose connections.

5) What secrets do the bilges hide? Open up the floorboards to have a look. If you see any signs for oil or water, ask about previous flooding. If the bilges are dirty, maintenance on the boat has probably been haphazard.

6) Look at all the external surfaces, such as the deck, the upholstery, and the wood on the superstructure. If the boat is used some signs of consumption are normal, but have a keen eye for over-use. Even if this point may just seem cosmetic, it could have a major effect on the negotiation of the value of the boats, so don’t neglect it.

7) If there are any wooden parts on the boat, examine them thoroughly as repairs and replacements of these can be quite expensive. Is anything warped by dampness, faded or chipped? Have there been some previous restorations that were badly executed?
For sailing boats, check the sails and the rigging . Check that all the sails and rigging (including spares) are in good condition; do not only look for evidence of repairs, but also make sure everything functions easily and flows freely.

9) Are accessories included? If yes, what equipment is on board? Check whether accessories and other equipment are part of the deal. The new owner is going to need them anyway, so it’s usually of advantage to both parties to include them (unless the seller needs them for another boat).

10) Don’t neglect to look at the safety equipment. Not only do you want to ensure that it’s present and in good order, but its state of maintenance will shed light on the care that the previous owner put into the boat, which is an important consideration for boat evaluation.

Top fishermen know that by exploiting the way your target fish feed at any time of day or night or time of the season, they can reliably improve their catches and keep catching more consistently than the average angler. This is one very significant bait and rig subject which is neglected by the majority of anglers. In fact fish like carp change their mode of feeding all the time even over a 24 hour period or in an instant and you can manipulate and induce changes in feeding to catch far more fish!

Blood worms (and jokers) are notorious natural baits known for being banned owing to their extreme success at match venues. This is a good lesson to all carp anglers in how carp feed and exploit their modes of feeding. Fish like carp can feed in many ways, from dashing about after fry, to slowly sifting through silt for many hours with their heads totally buried. It makes logical sense to get to know exactly what your fish is eating at what time of day or night, where and why in order to fully exploit the form of feeding used at any point in time, or to even induce the one you wish the carp to use in order perhaps to hook them more easily by leveraging special bait formats and ingredients.

Many carp anglers do not realise carp can feed on items as small as algae and tiny zooplankton crustaceans, even under a millimetre in size and derive extremely significant nutrition from such small organisms. These are very rich foods and are often exploited when fluctuations of populations are especially favourable and in spring and summer help in the time leading up to and after spawning. The success of fine particulate feeds like fine fish meal and bread crumb ground baits in many ways echo this mode of feeding which in this case can occur at any level in the water or sediment.

You can exploit various feeds and fine liquid additives with particles in suspension to induce this kind of feeding, although there are many endless options for doing this effectively and yeast and liver powders and corn steep liquor and various less refined fish oils are obvious examples to begin with. Fish can taste their food using taste buds located in their pharyngeal cavity so this form of feeding is not sight oriented but taste oriented. Using induced filter and pump filter (gulping type feeding,) fish can get the nutritional stimulation of your free and hook baits without actually touching your baits but then having filter fed on them will often be in a far more excited physiological and mental state when they actually physically feed on them and carp filter feed predominantly in turbid waters.

When filter feeding and using similar and related modes, carp can actually benefit from you baits nutrition and attraction without even touching them which definitely has its advantages if you use this to excite them fully before they actually feed. Such things as vegetable and fish oils, fine crustacean and milk extract powders and liver and digestive tract extracts for example, can all be exploited, but there are thousands of choices. You bait substances through carp filter feeding can induce a feeding frenzy state even before your carp have even swallowed a single bait!

It is natural for fish like bream, roach, carp, tench, barbel, and even bass and trout, to filter feed at times by capturing various sized food particles within their branchial sieves. However there this sieving can be adjusted in order to capture patches of fine particles or to capture larger single items and the characteristic speed of this feeding can vary between species. In the case of carp which are termed slow suction feeders, although they can suck up finer particles from one head length away from it at surprisingly high velocities indeed.

The chemical senses of carp are often mentioned in relation to bait, but the role of the carp lateral line is far less mentioned. The electrical sensitivity of this area in food detection is often severely over-looked by anglers seeking to improve their baits and it is so finely tuned it can detect the tiny movements of zooplankton. As carp are primarily filter feeders using slower suction motions compared to other fish, it makes sense to exploit this by using fine ground baits and smaller hook baits too!

The fine filter feeding mode predominance found with carp in lakes especially is really a reflection of the most dominant abundance of smaller food items available throughout most of the year such as fluctuating populations of fly larvae, tubifex, daphnia, and other benthic organisms as well as algae etc from which carp drive essential amino acids, and pigments like cantaxanthin etc. Many anglers say smaller baits are better for catching carp even though this species and many others become conditioned to eat large boilies, pellets and particles of 20 millimetres and over. But the fact is the smaller baits are more easily consumed for less energy cost compared to many larger ones and the fact that far less anglers presently use tiny boilies on their hook rig is a bit beside the point here.

How many big carp get hooked by match anglers at the end of a day of baiting up constantly with tiny pouches of fine bread crumb and fish meal and tiny micro pellet ground baits; it happens far more often than carp anglers like to imagine. The constant ground baiting is one factor along with the fine tackle they use, but mostly, match anglers are offering carp the ideal form of ground bait to exploit their natural filter feeding modes. Literally matching up your bait to the feeding modes of fish and even influencing which mode and feeding intensity occurs can seriously improve your catches all season; it just takes a little bait know-how…

By Tim Richardson.

There are a lot of famous surf breaks and surfing beaches in Cabo San Lucas. There are so many to choose from but there are also those that are the most popular places to surf in Cabo San Lucas.

Cerritos

Do you dream of being in place of peace and tranquility where natural beauty resides? Then there’s only one place to go and that is Santa Lucia de Los Cerritos or popularly known as Cerritos.

Cerritos is known as a great surfing site with a beach break. The place can be reached forty-five minutes from Cabo San Lucas. Driving towards Cerritos is said to be an amazing experience as you will see the desert on the other side of the road and you will have an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean on the other.

Cerritos is a great place for both beginner and advanced surfers. You can easily get hooked in surfing even if you come there without any interest in being a surfer. If you have a local surfing instructor, things will get even more exciting because you’ll get to learn surfing faster this way.

Aside from surfing, Cerritos is also a place for campers. Camping is common in the area, so you might also enjoy camping after doing some surfing. Oftentimes, campers make bonfires to keep them warm at night.

Going to Cerritos may however be difficult if you have no guide with you. The roads leading to the place don’t have enough signs and landmarks, so before spoiling your surfing adventure, you may want to take a guide before heading to Cerritos.

Surf School

If you are tempted to go surfing in the waters of Cabo but is afraid to try the sport or you are not confident with your surfing skills, professional surfing instructors are available in Cabo. Hiring one would surely make your learning process fun, easy and safe.

Surfing lessons and surf schools like the Mike Doyle Surf School are also available in Cabo to provide assistance and surfing lessons to those who are interested to learn the sport. It is never too late to learn because surf schools like the Mike Doyle’s actually have courses for all ages.

Cabo San Lucas is not only a popular destination for those who want to party and sightsee. The place also has great warm weather and gorgeous beaches that attract waters sports enthusiasts around the world. In fact, surfing in the area is one of the many attractions that people would love to experience.

Cabo San Lucas surfing conditions are quite steady all through the year. Near the end of the summer months, the “chubasco” starts and carries with it a stormy weather and somewhat bigger waves.

It is said that there are still hidden surfing sites in Cabo. But there are actually a number of good surfing sites that are usual hangouts of surfing enthusiasts. Here are some of them.

1. Cerritos – a steady beach break waves roaring over the sandy beach make Cerritos among the best surfing spots in Cabo, this is good for both novice and a more advanced surfers. Additionally, this area has been depicted as one of the natural and untouched beaches in the vicinity.

2. Zippers – this spot is conveniently located around Cabo. This area is for more experienced surfers only. The waves break above a rocky reef and that is what makes it a bit dangerous for novice surfers. Onlookers usually assemble on the beach to watch the exciting actions in the water.

3. Acapulquito – This is the best spot for beginner surfers. The wave condition is moderately unswerving. The only negative aspect to this place is the big crowds on weekends and sometimes on weekdays too.

4. Roca Loca – this surfing site is best for experienced surfers. Waves in this beach usually reach a height of 3 to 6 meters that surfers would love to ride.

There are many more beaches in Cabo that will cater to the fun and exciting sport of surfing. However, if you are new to the sport and want to learn it, Cabo is also a good place to start surfing. Many beach choices will be ideal for starters. Hotels and surf shops in the place also offer surfing lessons if you want to have professional surfers teaching you.

Surfing in Cabo is actually just one of the many exciting and fun activities in Cabo. From great beaches, to golf, to riding ATVs, for sure, you can also enjoy them while you stay in Cabo.

When the air gets warmer, the days are longer, and the kids are out of school, it is time to get ready for a summer full of adventure. And, in the current economic conditions, many families are returning to good old-fashioned camping trips because they are a simple, economical, and fun way to enjoy the outdoors in the summer.

Whether you are traveling miles away from home or setting up camp in the back yard, one of the most important items that you need for a successful camping trip is a reliable and spacious gear tent. Otherwise, you may find yourself plagued with damp clothes, cold sleeping bags and swarms of mosquitoes.

When you shop for a quality gear tent; pay attention to more than the price tag though. For example, you will need to think about things like the number of people who can fit inside its walls, the kind of protection it offers from water and cold, and how long it takes to set the thing up.

With a dependable structure on your side, the rest of your camping trip should go pretty smoothly. Just make sure that you don’t forget any other essentials like fuel, food, clothing, bedding, and light.

If you already have all the camping and summer equipment that you need, spring is also a good time to stock up on winter sports equipment. So, if your family enjoys skiing or snowboarding, look for amazing discounts on skis, goggles, poles, boots, and helmets as stores try to sell their old inventory with the season’s end.

And, if you have a large family with a lot of children to equip, spring sales may be the best way to prepare for an amazing Christmas morning a couple months down the road. Just make sure you factor in their growth when you purchase the needed equipment.

And, those savings keep going as long as you use the ski equipment that you buy since you never have to pay for rentals either. If you purchase ski equipment for yourself or kids, you’ll appreciate the quality, convenience and comfort of using your own gear as well.

So, rather than spending all your time cleaning up the house, working in the yard, and packing up all the winter gear, take some time to get ready for the fun activities as well. It’s a great way to deal with spring fever and make the season more enjoyable than stressful.

I write articles about many things, and fishing is a big one for me. But to be honest, I’m not sure this particular article really belongs in the fishing category. Yet it’s my favorite fishing story to date.

You see, this was a great trip not because of weather or location or the many fish we caught. This was a great trip because of my companion; my eldest son. And it may well have been our last trip together.

I can remember his first catch at age five. A perch. He couldn’t have smiled a bigger smile (despite obvious nervousness at what might come next).

And now he is his own man, and a fine one at that. There are a million things a 21 year old could be doing instead of sitting in a boat with the old man, but I was grateful he didn’t see it that way. If this was indeed to be our last trip together, I couldn’t have asked for a better time. We seem to change out there on the lake, our fast paced life far behind us. We weren’t even father and son, just two guys enjoying a slower pace, beautiful nature, and good conversation.

It was as if we could talk about things that were normally difficult. He told me of dreams he had; his desire to see the world, to make movies one day, to get his own apartment later this year. And I offered none of the usual advice (okay, just a little). I did not judge his plans, just gladly sat and listened to him. I was so struck with how quickly time goes by, I just sat and watched him, enjoying the fleeting time we had.

Fishing and time have always been connected in a funny way for me. Time stops out on the boat. The real world isn’t there. Just the breeze and the water and the fish. And I found myself wishing we could just stay there, in that moment.

How ironic that the most natural part of having children is also the hardest: the letting go. Our task is to do the very best job we can preparing them for the day we actually will dread. I’m thankful to have somehow figured out along the way to cherish the time I spend with my kids; it truly passes too quickly.

And when he caught that perch on our last day, we glanced at each other. A nod to the past perhaps, but also to what seems to be a new life chapter and our new roles within it. Oh, and I’m happy to report that he still smiles ear to ear when he catches a perch.

For all I know there will be more fishing trips; it may not have been our last. But he’s leaving us now, striking out on his own, and it very much felt like the end of a life chapter. And though bittersweet, I am unbelievably grateful to have managed this spontaneous trip.

If you are a parent who is lucky enough to be fishing with your kids, I encourage you to stop and embrace every moment. Keep teaching them, but sometimes, just sit back and watch them. Although it sometimes feels that time stops out there in the middle of the lake, I’m sad to say, it doesn’t.