Too Cool Articles

Some Facts About Largemouth Bass Fishing by William Scott

To be a successful largemouth bass fisherman, you need to know a little about the type of fish that you are fishing for. You can tell a largemouth bass by the distinctive jagged edged stripes on either side of the fish created by a series of dark spots. The largemouth bass can also be all black in color. Another distinctive characteristic of the largemouth bass is that the upper jaw reaches past the back of the eye.

The diet of the largemouth bass changes throughout its lifespan. Filling up on plankton and insects as young juvenile fish, as it gets older it moves to smaller fish and then eventually birds and small mammals such as rats and mice in adulthood. Using sight, smell and hearing senses, they seize their prey under the cover of brush, grass or drop offs. The main sense that the largemouth bass uses is his sight.

Some of the best largemouth bass fishing can probably done in spawning beds. In shallow waters with average temperatures between 64 and 74 degrees such as small lakes and ponds are where the largemouth bass spawn. Inside the shallow depressions made by the male bass, up to one million eggs can be laid by the female during a single spawning season. Once the female lays the eggs, it is the male who turns unwanted predators away while guarding the eggs.

One of the most exciting things about fishing for the largemouth bass is the fight that is put up when it is hooked. The tug and pull of a largemouth will make anyone’s heart beat faster with the excitement. Some techniques used for largemouth bass fishing are doodling, flipping and pitching. When casting your line it is crucial that you are accurate. The different types of casting are overhand, underhand and sidearm. Some of the casting tips that you can use are as follows:

- Before casting, lower the lure just below the tip of the rod. This allows for momentum.
- If possible try to land your lure on the water with as little noise as possible.
- Cast just beyond your target.
- When casting remember to use your wrist.

There are actually two types of artificial baits used for largemouth bass fishing, soft plastic baits and hard baits. The types of soft plastic baits include tube baits, plastic worms, grubs and soft jerk baits. The types of hard baits that are used are crank baits, swimming spoons, spinner baits, jigging spoons, jigs and vibrating lures.

It is common practice among anglers to release largemouth bass alive. Largemouth bass respond well to catch and release because of their hardiness, and the ability of their large mouth to withstand repeated hook injuries without compromising their ability to feed or causing damage to their gills. There are many methods and options in largemouth bass fishing. This is just a small insight into a much larger world. Thousands of people enjoy fishing for largemouth bass. It is a fun hobby that is perfect for the single fisherman or the whole family.

If you are looking for additional bass fishing tips and advice, visit http://www.bassfishingadvice.com for more information.

Article Source: AamRas.com - Articles

Dolphin Fishing Made Easy! by Marilyn Davis

During the late spring, summer, and fall in the Keys, fishing for dolphin, also known as mahi-mahi, is the best time of fishing in the whole year

That’s dolphin the fish, mahi mahi, not dolphin, the “Flipper”, porpoise. Our dolphin fish are an exciting offshore game fish ranging in size from 6 to 60 pounds.

The best time for Dolphin Fishing is usually April, May and June. It is also commonplace for some exceptional Dolphin catches from early October through mid-December.

If you’re learning to catch fish on your own, here are a few tips to get you started. Dolphin truly are the perfect game fish. They are prolific breeders, rapid growing and short lived which make them an excellent choice as a game fish. They can withstand recreational catches without becoming over fishing.

1. Get out early - these fish are always hungry at daybreak. Most dolphins are caught before noon for this reason.

2. Bait - Sometimes we can cast and cut live bait when the schools of Dolphin are attracted to the boat. Often when we are trolling for Dolphin you will see the fish charge and strike the bait. Use Live Ballyhoo whenever possible.

Chum does not last long in a swift current so plan accordingly. I was finding almost 2 mph of current to the east. Live Pinfish and strips of Bonito were hit the best along with strips of Blue Runner and Ballyhoo plugs.

3. Fishing Tackle - One end of the wire will have a haywire twist to attach to the fishing line via snap swivel and the other end will have 7/0 or 8/0 hook attached using a haywire twist and pin rig.

Proper tackle for catching dolphin depends on the size of the fish you might suppose. Dolphin may be as small as two pounds and as large as eighty pounds; so bring a variety of tackle sizes for the fish you want to catch.

4. - Finding Dolphin - Head out to deep water to search for these fish. Regarding location, the most common reason you might not be catching Dolphin is not going far enough offshore. We recommend at least 3 miles.

Keep a look out for sea birds such as the Frigate, Man-0-War, etc. The Birds will often follow the larger fish which they can spot from the air. You will find most of the Dolphin under birds and, of course, look for debris.

Once a schoolie dolphin is hooked and brought to the boat, leave it in the water. A dolphin can grow to a weight of about 80 pounds but lives only about five years.

Work the weed lines to look for fish, particularly dolphin. In any region, the “hottest” hot spot will likely be a blue water agglomeration of floating debris and drifting Sargasso weed, guaranteed to attract roaming dolphin. These objects floating in the open sea attract smaller baitfish for shelter, and they in turn attract dolphin.

Watch the water for fish next time you head out; be aware of what is going on in the water. Baitfish attract predator fish, and there is no reason for not fishing the area around a big baitfish school.

Dolphin don’t move too far from their food source so keep your eyes open for floating weeds, other floating objects, temperature rips, and sub surface structures which may attract and provide shelter to flying fish and other sources of food.

5. Trolling

Dolphin like to chase after their food. So trolling their dinner behind the boat will be our way of catching & hooking up these fish. If the fish don’t strike your bait while you’re trolling fast, slow down, and let the bait sink a little.

Pitch a naked ballyhoo over a group of birds working over a small slick, and you might hook up with the fish of a lifetime!

When a fish hits, Let go of the line, count to five, snap the bail closed, and start cranking.

When you’ve hooked your fish, work on him so he gets tired. You don’t want to get a 40 lb fish back to the boat until he’s quieted down a bit.

Dolphin grow incredibly fast, so that a 5 pounder you let go in June might become the 30 pounder you’ll be fishing for in September. Catch & Release means just keep a few of these small dolphins (called “schoolies”) and return the rest to the sea.

Conclusion

Swordfish, Marlin, Sailfish, Dolphin, Cobia, Wahoo, Tuna and Kingfish are just a few of the species we catch off the Southeast Florida Coast.

We catch Most of our dolphin while fishing for Tuna. Whether gunning for tuna, marlin or dolphin, Fish ‘em all with Live Bait!!

Marilyn Davis has been fishing the Florida Keys for over 20 years a nd is the Webmaster for the Florida Keys Info-Net. Key West fishing: http://www.flkinfo.com/fishing-reports/fishkw.htm Instructional DVDs on How to Throw a Cast Net, Yellowtail & Mutton Snapper fishing, Live Bait Trolling, and more.

Article Source: AamRas.com - Articles

Hello From Austria – Classical Music, Hiking & Summer Tobogganing & Two Delicious Backyard Feasts II by Susanne Pacher

At 9:30 am I went to visit Klaudia, one of my best friends from high school, at her parent’s house. Our other school mate Doris was already there and it was great to see both of them again, more than 23 years after we graduated from high school. After the initial hugs and kisses and how-are-yous we started walking onto the local hill, the Weizberg. Our stroll took us through the local cemetery where we admired a very famous grave: the last resting place of Aurelia Schwarzenegger, Arnold’s mother, who was a long-time resident of Weiz.

Klaudia even mentioned that her father happened to encounter Mrs. Schwarzenegger at the cemetery a number of years ago, but she had collapsed due to a heart attack. My friend’s father called the ambulance which gave her emergency treatment and took her to the hospital. She passed away shortly after and Arnold Schwarzenegger sent a thank you letter to the ambulance employees as well as to Klaudia’s father, to thank him for getting help for his mother. Proof that in this town real celebrity connections are just steps away…

Right next to the church is the so-called “Kräutergarten” (herb garden) that was created by a group of local residents (including Klaudia’s mom) that features a wide variety of local herbs, many of which are used in the regional cuisine. Then we took the romantic stairs down the hill, a pathway that we had walked many times as children. Our local stroll took us past our former high school, where we discussed fond memories of our school years.

One of the highlights of our high school careers were two choir trips to Germany, to our partner school in Offenburg, where the two school choirs jointly performed classical songs. We most fondly recalled the actual concert where for the finale both school choirs appeared together to jointly sing the last song. Screaming our lungs out among 120 singers from two different countries was an exhilarating experience, and not surprisingly my passions for cross-cultural exchanges were kindled at an early age.

After our return to Klaudia’s parents Doris left and the rest of us started preparing a hearty meal, and I, by no means gifted in the kitchen, donned the apron and started cutting and chopping whatever needed to be done. (Good thing I was not in charge of any really important tasks…) Klaudia’s mom whipped up a delicious meal for 10+ people in next to no time and we soon sat down in the garden to have some Austrian specialties: we savoured a “Bröselknödelsuppe” (breadcrumb dumplings in a clear beef broth), stuffed green peppers and delicious mashed potatoes with caramelized onions.

Given this delicious yet substantial calory injection, we had to do a work-out and decided to do a hike up onto the Schöckel, at over 1400 m the highest local mountain. Around 2 pm we met up with Doris again and all three of us broke out our Nordic walking poles and we attacked the mountain from its steepest side. Doris, an experienced hiker, led the group at a rather hellish pace, and the two of us clambered behind her. Some areas were so steep we had to use our hands to brace ourselves climbing up between the rocks. But our walking sticks definitely aided in the ascent and about an hour later we were rewarded with an astounding 360 degree view over the Styrian hills and mountains.

The Schöckel is also referred to as the “Grazer Hausberg” or local mountain of Graz, and we had great views down into the Styrian capital and the Mur Valley. To the south the Austrian and Slovenian plains were stretching out, looking east and right saw the foothills of Eastern and Western Styria, and to the north we took in the panorama of the more imposing mountains of the Styrian Alps. We also saw several ramps for hang-gliders, a popular activity in this region.

We walked past some peaceful cows that were grazing on the mountain pastures and reached the summit area which is the location of the upper station of the cable car, of a couple of restaurants and a summer tobogganing course. The weather today was brilliant and many serious hikers, mountain bikers and tourists were congregating at the mountain top. We were quite fascinated by the summer tobogganing and Doris suggested that I should try it.

Well, I have always been a bit of a daredevil and she did not have to say it twice. She even sprang for my Euro 2.50 round, and a couple of minutes later I was sitting in the steel “buggy of death”, ready for my hair-raising descent down the serpentine curves of the course. Actually, the ride was a lot tamer than I expected, and I only occasionally pulled the brakes, but it was still an very entertaining experience. I figured if I did it again I would probably try to go down the course without breaking at all.

Once the lift had pulled my buggy back up to the summit plateau we started walking past the Stubenberghaus, a large mountain restaurant and inn, towards the summit cross which provides a beautiful view northwards into the mountainous area of Upper Styria. I have always loved mountains, and to see peak after peak after peak was just a great experience. We then started hiking back to the car and our trek back down was considerably easier than the torturous climb up. We stopped at Doris’ beautiful country house on the way back where we admired her recently created garden pond and her new dog. Equipped with some gorgeous ripe Styrian peaches from Doris’ family’s farm we returned to Weiz and I dropped Klaudia off.

About an hour later we reunited when Klaudia, her husband and two children, her parents, her sister Andrea and her daughters Nina and Katja arrived at my brother’s place. Tonight we would all get together for a great barbecue, and my brother Ewald, the passionate chef, had a few special treats waiting for us. Anneliese, my sister-in-law, had been helping all afternoon with the preparations.

After some initial chit-chatting we started off with a savoury vegetable soup, and then my brother started preparing the main course: 13 whole artic chars were waiting to be grilled in a large pan on an open fire. Ewald had already been marinating the fish in a special blend of herbs and spices the whole day. Tender young potatoes were to accompany the fish, and a solid Styrian salad with pumpkin seed oil rounded out the main course. A scrumptious raspberry parfait provided the sweet final note to our culinary symphony.

So despite a bit of rainy weather yesterday, I had had a fantastic couple of days which included classical music, hiking, a reunion with good friends and an amazing array of gastronomic delicacies. Now there is only one more full day left of my trip to Austria, and tomorrow we will explore one of the medieval treasures of Styria: the Riegersburg, a massive fortress on a basaltic outcrop dating back to the 10th century, often referred to as the “strongest fortress of Christianity” because it was never conquered.

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of http://www.travelandtransitions.com, a web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our FREE ebooks about travel.

Article Source: AamRas.com - Articles

Majorca: Holidays For Everyone by Daniel Eyre

There’s a reason why tourism in Majorca has exploded in recent years. And exploded it definitely has – the number of tourists visiting the island has leapt from 500,000 in 1960 to nearly 7,000,000 in 1997 to over 20,000,000 in 2001.

So why are holidays in Majorca so popular with English tourists?

The Majorca Weather – Sunshine, sunshine and more sunshine

Well, the first reason is obvious – the glorious weather. Majorca is famous for its warm weather, and as Britain recovers from recent flooding, it looks particularly enviable. In summer temperatures reach 30 degrees Celsius at points, making it perfect for sunbathing without ever feeling too uncomfortable. Even in winter (which is still a good time to visit the island, but you may find much of the tourist fare closed out of season) Majorca’s weather is mild and pleasant with frequent sunny days. These warm temperatures are also matched by the waters, which are clear and perfect for diving (for those not content to just recline on the beach all day).

Majorca: A Britain away from Britain

Another reason for Majorca’s popularity with Brits abroad is because it is so British in places. Resorts such as Magaluf and Palma Nova are so well catered for British holiday makers that the majority of voices you hear will be English and the home comforts are easily obtainable from the local shops and cafes – be it a full English breakfast or some Cadburys chocolate. To this end, Majorca resorts often feel like a hotter beach based version of Britain which is what people often want from a break in the sun.

Rude not to visit Majorca at that price

Holidays in Majorca are really cheap these days. The competition between the island’s hotels and the growth of internet travel companies means that everyone’s trying their hardest to undercut each other. Without putting the hard sell on too much, I feel that my company (Search Travel Online) have got some particularly decent Majorca holiday deals at the moment – but I shall try and return to neutrality now…

Once you are actually there, the prices are good as well – compared to restaurants in the UK, you are in for a pleasant surprise when you explore Majorca’s restaurants and shops for the first time.

Majorca: Something for Everyone

The other odd thing about Majorca’s popularity is the stereotypical holiday maker it attracts – there isn’t one! We regularly sell to groups of teenagers, families with young children, young couples and even elderly holiday makers. Majorca is so varied, there are attractions for everyone. From the wild club scene of Magaluf and Palma Nova, to the historical heritage of Puerto Pollensia, to the culture and shopping of Palma, to the glorious beaches of Alcudia to the various children’s attractions and fantastic restaurants dotted throughout the island, you’re sure to find something to make your Majorca holiday memorable.

And the best thing about Majorca? It’s small enough to see as much or as little of this huge variety as you like with a rental car.

Daniel Eyre is the Products Manager of Search Travel Online. Search Travel Online is part of the Co-operative Group, specialising in discount holidays to Majorca and many other popular destinations.

Article Source: AamRas.com - Articles

“Wrapping” The Impossible-To-Wrap Christmas Gift by Robert Favero

“The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value.” - Charles Dudley Warner

You’ve found the perfect gift, one completely appropriate for the recipient. But now you’ve realized that this gift also happens to be the impossible-to-wrap gift.

Maybe the gift is oddly shaped and won’t fit in a box. Maybe the gift is digital and doesn’t have a physical form. Or maybe the gift is too big and can’t fit through your door. Here are ideas about how you can easily “wrap” even the most impossible gift.

Oddly Shaped Gifts

Some gifts just were never meant to be wrapped. Try one of these ideas to get that oddly shaped gift properly covered.

- Gift bags are a popular way to wrap an oddly shaped gift. Just place the gift in the bag and cover with brightly colored tissue paper.

- Put a large sheet of wrapping paper on the floor, design side down. Place the gift in the middle, and pull the four corners of the paper up and toward the middle. Close the top by tying the corners with a festive ribbon.

Gifts Without a Physical Form

Our modern computer age has brought a whole new challenge to wrapping gifts, those gifts like electronic books, downloaded software, or downloaded music. These ideas will turn your digital gift into something that can still go under the tree.

- Burn the files for the digital gift onto a CD. Alternatively, buy a thumb drive or memory stick and copy the digital files onto the memory device.

- Print the download instructions for the digital gift. Then purchase (or make) a Christmas card and include the printed instructions inside the card.

Gifts Too Big to Fit Under a Tree

For large gifts you’ll have to find a “safe” hiding place. Some merchants might allow you to store the present at their store until just before Christmas. Alternatively, perhaps your garage or a storage shed can server as a good hiding spot. You might even consider using a neighbor’s garage (and getting your neighbor’s permission first is probably a good idea!).

With the gift in a safe spot you can still “wrap” the present and put it under the tree with one of these ideas.

- Use a Christmas card (or make one either by hand or using your computer) and announce the gift inside the card.

- Wrap a small item to represent the gift and put it under the tree. Try to choose an item that hints at what the present is without immediately revealing the secret. For example, you might use a bike tire pump to represent a new bike, a car owner’s manual to represent a new car (I think most of us won’t be giving a gift this big), or a house key to represent a new house (this one requires some possession of sizable wealth).

So don’t let the impossibility of wrapping a gift keep you from selecting the present that is most appropriate for your loved one. Use one of these fun ideas to get that present “wrapped” and “under the tree.”

Click here for even more gift wrapping ideas. Rob Favero’s Web site Unique Christmas Gifts provides a collection of unusual, just-right digital Christmas gifts.

Article Source: AamRas.com - Articles