Fishing for Blue Fish The average fish weighs between 4 and 10 pounds, with any fish over 20 pounds being considered a real quality fish. The recognized IGFA record is 31 pounds, 12 ounce fish caught off the coast of North Carolina in 1972. Unconfirmed monster fish have reportedly been caught in the 40-pound range. Population numbers of bluefish have been documented to follow cycles lasting about forty years. A recent disappearance occurred during the 1920s, and anglers are still enjoying a high for the fish which began in the 1970s. They are migratory fish, following schools of baitfish such as menhaden shad and mullet, heading north from Florida in spring, all the way to Maine by the end of the summer. [Read More]

Confidence in Fly Fishing For those of you who, like me, have memories of fishing that pre-date memories of school, think back to as many fishing partners and trips as you can. Even those people you only went fishing with once. Then try to recall times where the success or failure of a fly fisherman seemed to lie strictly on the fly fisherman's confidence. If you think about it in these terms, I bet you can remember numerous times, when an angler's, confidence or lack thereof, either doomed them or buoyed then until they started catching fish. At times the success of a confident fly fishing angler can be attributed to persistence. An angler, confident in their abilities is just going to fish longer when things don't start hopping right away. But other days when all things are equal, the fisherman with the most confidence often catches the most fish. [Read More]

Fly Fishing and Kids I have taught all three of my kids about fly fishing, and many of their friends as well. Like all things taught to humans, some caught on faster than others. Some pursued it, so never touched a fly rod again. I have become a patient and good teacher, and now enjoy the time I spend teaching others, in particular adolescents to fly fish. I was not always so good at this. When my two oldest kids were both younger than five, I was not as patient as I became later. Not having as much fishing time as I would have liked, I sometimes resented the feeling of having to teach fly fishing, instead of just being able to lose myself in my passion. Yet I must have done something right, because years later they are both knowledgeable fly fishermen. [Read More]

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Eldon angler second in BFL tourney
Steve Evanoff of Collinsvlle, Ill., led the two-day, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Ozark Division Super Tournament wire to wire and claimed the boater title Sunday.
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