One of the most popular questions asked at the annual ICAST fishing show, is which manufacturer makes the best fly fishing rods? Each year thousands upon thousands of people in search of a new but cost effective hobby take up fishing. However, only hundreds of those fly anglers ever find the right fly fishing gear for them. Here is a look at some of the best fly rods the industry has to offer.

Sage Fly Rods – Used by fishing enthusiasts who enter into tournaments for a living, the Sage Fly Rod ranges in price from $225 to $680 depending on the model. Since being created in 1980, the Sage Fly Rod has been used for 75 of the world’s best fishing expeditions. Recommended User: Elite Fishing Tournament Participant

G Loomis Fly Rods – Another big name manufacturer of fly rods is G Loomis. Fly anglers have reported to us in the past, that they have spent anywhere from $225 to $1170 on a G Loomis Rod.  For the most part, the price of the rod depends on where you plan to fish. An example of this would be if you wanted to fish at your local saltwater creek, you would spend $225 on a G Loomis Fly Rod. At the same time, if you went on vacation up to Alaska to fish for Steelhead on the ocean, you would have to spend roughly $700 to $1170 on a rod. Recommended User: Experienced Fly Fisher

Redington Fly Rods – For the cost efficient fly angler, the Redington Fly Rod brand is for you. Founded in 1992, Redington Fly Rods range from $80 - $385 maximum. Meaning to say, if you are trying out fly angling for the first time, the Redington Fly Rod is a brand that you should consider starting off with. Recommended User: Casual or first time Fly Angler

With summer arriving earlier this week, the fishing industry has seen a rise in new Icast anglers. Each year thousands of people take up the hobby of fly fishing, yet many find little success early on. Today we will be looking at how to use a fly fishing line, which is an essential part of the fishing gear needed for success.

Firstly, it should be understood that fishing and fly fishing are two totally separate things. For all intents and purposes, today’s article focuses strictly on fly fishing. Fly fishing anglers use a bait attraction method, in which they use live and artificial baits to lure their target. In order to fit the bait onto the lure, anglers must use a light line, as the lighter it weighs, the easier it is to hook to the bait.

Secondly, the main fish being sought after when fly angling, are called the steelhead, bass, trout and salmon. All of these species are located in both freshwater rivers and saltwater creeks. Steelhead and bass in particular are best caught by using live bait.

The three main things you should be looking for when fly fishing are Line Weight, Line Taper and Line Density. Here is a look at two of the main things, the Line Weight and Line Taper.

Line Weight – When you travel to your local fishing shop, the first thing one of the employees will tell you is that the fishing line weight is ranked from one to 15. Level one is considered to be the lightest weight, while level 15 as you can imagine, is the heaviest weight. Ideally, you want to pick a weight that is both most comfortable, but also not too light and too heavy. Helping matters is that the weight has to match up with the rod and reel. Meaning to say, if you find comfort using a level six rod and reel, the weight should be level six as well.

Line Taper – There are five different kinds of taper, including, level, shooting, saltwater, double bass, and bass bug taper. Each brand of taper is used for a different style of fishing. Meaning to say, if you are choosing a level six rod and reel with a six weight in order to saltwater fish, you will use saltwater taper on the line.

Salmon is one of the most popular fish eaten by people across North America. These species live in both freshwater and salt water. The average size of a salmon is 3 feet and weighs about 8 pounds. Salmon feed on insects as they migrate downriver and on insects and marine invertebrates in estuaries and near-shore marine habitats. As they eat fish mollusks, squid, and tunicates.

There are many water ways in North America that are home to this species. However many anglers agree that fishing for salmon in British Columbia is an amazing adventure and there are tons of this species for anglers to catch. The waterways are home to many fish but salmon fishing is something anglers living in this province take great pleasure in catching. Some of the species that can be caught here include chum, pink, chinook salmon and many others.

Anglers from all over North American travel to British Columbia to catch a variety of different species of salmon because of the large quantity found in the waterways. This species is also shipped out to other parts of Canada and America because of its great fresh taste. With all these different types of salmon species for anglers to target this means loading up the tackle box with the right fishing gear and heading out for a great day on the water!

For more fishing news and latest developments in fishing gear, you can check out the upcoming ICAST fishing show in Las Vegas.

When out for a day of fishing it is important for anglers to know the type of species they’re looking to target and what body of water they are fishing; saltwater or freshwater. Its vital to have the right fishing gear depending on the technique you are using, size of the species and the location of where you’re fishing.

Freshwater fishing gear is usually less expensive than saltwater and made using lighter materials. There are different types of gear used for freshwater fishing depending on the species the anglers are out to target. Many steelhead anglers use a long float rod and a light spinning reel or centerpin reel. The long rod helps reel in the strong fighting fish while using a light line. Or if you are fishing in murky waters for walleye you would use a shorter rod 6’-7’ and a 6-10 pound line test with a strong leader so these toothy critters won’t bite off your lure. Finally when fishing for crappie it is important to use a lighter rod and line because these species have very thin mouths and pulling too hard on your rod will cause ripping through the fish’s mouth.

Saltwater fishing can be more expensive then freshwater fishing because the gear must withstand rust and depending on the species they can be much heavier and larger. Tuna is one of the largest species caught by anglers and can weigh as much as 700-800 pounds. To catch one of these monster fish you need some very strong gear. Salmon do not weigh as much as tuna but it is still important for anglers to have the right gear. The rod does not need to be as heavy, although you want to make sure it can withstand larger sized salmon like 40lbs before purchasing your gear.

For more information and to check out reviews  about the latest fishing gear check online for some of the new products that were released at ICAST.

One of the best methods for picking gear is to talk to other anglers who will help you get the best bang for your buck and have the most success on the water.

When you think of Canadian fishing opportunities, you usually think of the many lakes and rivers in the back country. However, there are plenty of great places to catch fish right in the urban areas of Toronto proper. Thanks to the foresight of Canadian leadership, many of the major rivers are regularly stocked with brown and rainbow trout, chinook, coho, and even Atlantic salmon.

Just a short drive from home, water bodies such as Black Creek, Don River, and Etibicoke Creek are freely accessible via various public parks and buffers. These parks can be found on any one of the governmental or tourism web sites through a quick search. Find a place close to home, save gas, and gather up the family for a low cost fishing adventure sure to please.

Brown and rainbow trout are some of the favorite species to fish for. Choose fishing gear to enhance your experience with short rods being more workable under overhanging trees and ultra-light gear making for a more exciting fight. Since the urban rivers are mostly slow moving, you can safely try wet wading on warmer days. Children, of course, should be carefully monitored when wading.

Commercial flies that mimic local stoneflies, caddis, dragon flies, and damselflies are quite popular and affordably priced. With stocked trout, presentation of your fly is the most critical issue, not the need to match the hatch like in wilderness streams. However, urban trout can be very spooky so be careful not to disturb the water too much and always cast upstream. Thanks to stocking efforts, the trout are plentiful and offer hours of fun for the whole family at a reasonable cost.

 Mosquito Lagoon is home to a healthy population of spotted sea trout. In fact, the sea trout found in the Lagoon are some of the biggest in the world. When spring begins to warm up the water, large schools of sea trout move up onto the flats throughout the Lagoon and offer exciting fishing opportunities. For the angler chasing an active school of sea trout, here are some fishing tackle tips to turn on the bite.

Spotted sea trout are aggressive eaters that travel in large schools marked by swirls and audible pops on the water’s surface. Approach the school with care to avoid spooking them and prepare for some serious action. Proven fishing gear includes a light to medium action rod, 10 – 14 pound test line, and a sampling of plastic lures painted to resemble realistic baitfish patterns. Make sure to include lures that float as well as those that run deeper so that you are ready for changing water temperatures throughout the day. For example, you could use a top-water lure in the cooler morning hours and a deeper running lure as the day warms up.

When fishing for spotted sea trout, your most exciting hits will be on surface-swimming lures. Other good choices include lures that “walk” back and forth and ones that rattle. If all else fails, tie on a shiny spinner lure to get their attention. For best results, anchor your boat about fifty feet from the active school and cast into the school with the wind at your back, if possible. The long cast will help you keep the lure in the water longer thus attracting many more fish to the movement and vibrations. The sound the lure makes is part of the allure so definitely experiment with various lures.

Fishing for larger spotted sea trout requires a quick retrieve since sea trout feed by aggressively chasing live bait fish, often hitting them just at the surface of the water with a loud pop. You will know it when a trout hits your lure because he will explode from the water and brutally attack your bait. Although sea trout are not the hardest fighters, they are fun to catch, often plentiful, and excellent for dinner. However, be sure to check local regulations for size and catch limits so that your day ends perfectly.

On a deep sea fishing trip, the one thing that can ruin your day beyond repair is a bad case of seasickness. Most people already know whether they either are, or are not, prone to seasickness. The only way to find out is to go offshore. And, trust me, no matter how sick you may get, the boat won’t turn back to shore for you. Seasickness takes at least three days to get used to. Thus, for a one-day charter trip, you need to prepare well ahead of time.

The feeling of seasickness is one of the worst physical feelings you can experience that does no lasting harm. Once you are back on land, everything is right again. So what can you do to prevent seasickness when going deep sea fishing? Common remedies include ginger pills, Dramamine™, wrist straps, acupressure straps, and a relatively new pharmaceutical drug that must be prescribed by your doctor. Different people swear by their own remedies so often you will just have to use trial and error.

The popular TV show MythBusters© tested the various seasickness cures on their staff. The results only supported ginger pills as a “plausible” cure. The doctor-prescribed drug is pretty certain to work; however, users often feel very loopy. Of course, if the fish are really biting, you do tend to forget to be seasick.

One thing to consider is to try a four-hour party boat first. It is not as much fun and there is often some line untangling going on, but it only costs in the neighborhood of $25-$40. If that trip goes well and you find your sea-legs, a six-person private charter boat is the way to really go deep sea fishing. And, with your new-found sea-worthiness, the $125+ fee will be well worth it. Local Florida charter boats usually guarantee a healthy catch limit and a grand time.

 Now that spring has arrived, this means that millions of baitfish will begin their migration. To anglers, this means some good fishing as wherever there are baitfish, larger predatory fish will be close behind. Every year, baitfish travel south as soon as fall arrives to wait until spring when they will once again travel north. As they travel along the coast, fishermen have a chance to catch a number of fish that follow these baitfish with the hopes of feeding on them.

Often, entire schools of bluefish as large as ten pounds each will pounce on any baitfish that they are following. It is at this time that just about any fishing lure will suffice when it comes to catching these aggressive bluefish. Once this species decides it is on the hunt, they will literally strike at anything that could be potential food.

What many surf fishermen will do when looking for the best chance of catching bluefish is grab their binoculars and stand on top of their trucks or cars in order to get the best view of both sides of the surf. This is where they are likely to notice a school of bluefish that might be feeding. As soon as they are spotted, they jump off of their vehicles and grab their fishing reels.

At times it may be necessary for these anglers to wade into the water so that their casts will reach out to where the fish are at. This is when things could potentially become dangerous as many fishermen have had their fingers bitten off by the mouths of these fish.

An angler who is after bluefish will generally turn to such fishing tackle as spoons and other lures. However, every once in a while you might notice that a few of these brave anglers will make long casts using cut bait and pyramid sinkers. These are the anglers that are choosing to fish just below the school of baitfish. The Icast show provides even more advice for fishing.

Regardless of whether or not you are fishing from the shore or fishing from a boat, anglers can also expect to catch a decent amount of redfish trailing behind schools of menhaden. At times, these redfish have been recorded to reach as many as fifty pounds each and every year. In addition to large red and bluefish, you might also be pleasantly surprised when you reel in your catch only to find that you have a shark or a cobia on the other line. Wherever schools of baitfish are, you are sure to not be disappointed in your fishing pursuits.

 If you are considering adding bass fishing to your list of hobbies, you may be excited yet you may also have no idea how to begin choosing the right kind of fishing lures. Here is a short list of all of the bass fishing essentials you should be working with:

·         Tail Spinners: If it seems as if the bass are lingering a bit deep beneath the waves, you will want to break out your tail spinners in order to entice them out of their haunts. These lures work particularly well in colder waters when the bass are not very motivated to travel.

·         Plastic Worms: These are the lures that, time after time have been credited with consistently catching a significant amount of bass. Use these lures just about anywhere from the bottom of your lake all the way on up to the water’s surface.

·         Crankbaits: Crankbaits tend to look to a bass as if it were a small baitfish such as a minnow or a crawfish. This drives them crazy and they have to investigate. Purchase crankbaits in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors.

·         Spinnerbaits: These lures are also known for their ability to produce a number of bass, particularly if you are looking to cover a decent amount of water in as little time as possible. If you are looking to catch the larger sized bass, spinnerbaits are the lures for you. When selecting colors with this lure, try to match your colors to the insects and natural prey of the surrounding environment on the lake you are fishing is like.

·         Bucktails: Bucktail jigs are simple lures that are very productive when bass fishing. There are varying designs to these lures as some come with tails that are either straight or curly. These lures can be used rather well in nearly any fishing conditions.

·         Topwater Plugs: Use these lures on top of the water. Like many other Icast lures, topwater plugs come in many different colors and sizes to choose from. They are also extremely versatile lures that can be utilized in a number of different ways.

·         Jig and Pig: Jig and pigs are the lures you will want to turn to if it seems you have been fishing a while and aren’t getting any interest from the fish. In fact, many anglers have won bass fishing tournaments with these very lures as they tend to attract the larger bass as well. Use this lure on the bottom of the water so that it appears to the bass like a crawfish.

If you are thinking of taking up bass fishing but have no clue what kind of lures to start with, here is a quick list of the 8 best bass fishing lures to try out for yourself: