Finding Bass on Your Mini Pontoon Boat

One of the greatest challenges of bass fishing is determining the best spot to fish. It takes a little understanding of the bass to figure it out. Once you have it, you can more consistently identify bass areas and reel in more fish. Determining the best area to fish for bass depends on what type of bass you are hunting. Large mouth bass, small mouth bass, spotted bass and black bass all behave differently. Furthermore, they all are very sensitive to conditions. They may exhibit different characteristics at different times, depending on the weather, temperature, lighting and food supply.

One thing that all bass keep in common is their love of cover. Whether it is a downed tree, underwater grasses, a sunken canoe, or a pier, they will most likely be near it or under it. This holds especially true for large mouth bass. They are avid hunters and want to stay concealed.A lot of bass, especially spotted and small mouth bass, like to hang out alongside cliffs. This is where your equipment can come in handy. Many lakes also have topographic maps that can clue you in to where cliffs may be.

If you frequent a specific lake or waterway, keep track of where you find bass. You will need to record everything about the conditions, the time of year, time of day, and temperature of the water, whatever you can. You may not find bass in the same spot again for a while. They tend to migrate around depending on conditions. They like to move to warmer, usually shallower waters to spawn in the spring. But, they may not feed much during this time and they can be difficult to catch. They will mainly be concentrating on egg protection. For this reason, bass fishing is usually best in deeper water, starting in the summer.

As the water warms up in the summer, the bass will want to escape the heat and get into cooler deeper water. They will hang around in large schools around cliffs and deep structures. Large rocks, submerged trees and docks over deep water are good places to find bass during this time. If the water gets too warm, they will want to escape to even cooler deeper water, but the lack of oxygen in really deep water will force them to stay in the shallower warm water. These types of conditions can make the bass act ill, they do not eat a lot, and they can be very hard to catch.
Submerged rocks offer a cool cover in warm water and a lot of bass will stick close to ledges and large rocks to stay cool. During winter, they will return to the shallows and can be a lot easier to catch.The best time to determine good bass fishing areas is in the early morning or late afternoon. During these times you will likely see the bass surfacing for food, and you will know where to go. Choose your lures, keep a bass fishing diary, and get out there for a good year of fishing on your mini pontoon boat.

About the Author: Brad Metzler is the owner of Pond King Inc., an industry leader in the production and sale of Pontoon Boats, Mini Pontoon Boats, Floating Docks, Honey Hole Trees, and Turtle Traps. Pond King Inc. also consists of Lake and Pond Managment Professionals that are dedicated to finding the most economical solutions and strategies for your fish stocking needs. For more information, please visit http://www.pondking.com/.

Angling for Crappie: Mini Pontoon Boat Fishing

There is nothing quite like fishing from a mini pontoon boat. The agility and stability of the compact designed mini pontoon makes a perfect platform for crappie fishing. Crappie can be found in almost every kind of fresh water. The mini pontoon boat makes it possible to navigate around from backwater streams to open lakes. Many anglers enjoy crappie fishing because the equipment and technique needed to catch crappie is fairly simple.
Drift fishing is a popular way to catch crappie in the summer months. Crappie, like most fish, will head for deeper water in the summer to cool off. They will not go far below 25 feet due to the low oxygen content of the underlayers of the lake. They prefer still waters, so if you are fishing rivers and streams, look for deeper areas with little current to locate your favorite crappie hole. Drift fishing is fairly simple and works well for these crappie holes, as well as the lake. You will want to locate an area that seems crappie friendly. Do not drive your motor directly over the fish or they will scatter. What you want to do is to use the trolling motor and quietly drift past the hole with your line in the water. Work the line up and down to attract the most fish.
In lakes, many crappie congregate along dam walls to feed. This is where the lake naturally collects things that crappie consider food. Using a mini pontoon boat to drift fish a lake dam is the perfect strategy. You will have a quiet drift along the dam while easily conquering other boats’ wakes.
One of the best times of year to fish for crappie is in the spring. As water temperatures rise in the shallows, crappie move towards them for spawning. Male crappies will be building their nests at this time. Look for grasses that rise above the water, submerged structures and big rocks. Nests are usually made near vegetation in the shallow water. This is where that mini pontoon boat can really pay off!

Think about spawning behavior when fishing for crappie. The males protect the nest. This means that they will become aggressive and attack certain bait. Using this strategy, you can figure out how to catch them. A lot of fishermen are fans of the worm on the hook type of bait, but the male crappie is not necessarily interested in a lot of eating at this time. He will, however, attack larger jigs and bait that looks like a threat to the nest. This is how you can catch a large quantity of crappie in the spring.

Utilizing a mini pontoon boat in your favorite lake, river or stream can help you to have your most productive crappie season yet.

About the Author: Brad Metzler is the owner of Pond King Inc., an industry leader in the production and sale of Pontoon Boats, Mini Pontoon Boats, Floating Docks, Honey Hole Trees, and Turtle Traps. Pond King Inc. also consists of Lake and Pond Management Professionals that are dedicated to finding the most economical solutions and strategies for your fish stocking needs. For more information, please visit www.pondking.com.

Tips for Taking your Kid Fishing

Taking your child fishing is a time honored tradition unparalleled by other childhood memories. Most fathers dream of fishing with their kids, relaxing and teaching them the patience and skill that it takes to reel in the big one. If you are considering taking your kid fishing for the first time, here are a few tips to ensure that you have a memorable trip.

The first rule of fishing with your child is to make it a fun experience. Do not make promises that you cannot keep. Make sure that they are aware that it is possible to have a lot of fun, even if you do not catch anything. You can have a lot of fun out on the water, whether it is on a pier, in the grass or on a mini pontoon boat. Canoes and pontoon boats can be fun for a kid whether they actually fish or not.

Allow your child to explore the water. Aquarium nets are great for catching tadpoles and minnows. Do not force your child to fish if they are too young to be interested for very long. Let them try to skip rocks and see what floats and what sinks.

Be prepared when you go. Kids’ fishing poles are relatively inexpensive and often come with a small tackle box. Bring some different kinds of bait and let your child pick which ones they like. Using live bait is always a treat and usually an effective lure for just about any type of fish. Bring enough snacks and drinks to keep your kid going. Packing a picnic is a good idea. Kids also get a kick out of using leftover bread or lunchmeat as tackle. Use imaginative language and say things like, “I wonder if the fish will like to eat the same things we do.” Self-casting rods are fun for kids and they don’t tangle very easily. You can teach your child to cast in the yard before you go fishing if you would like.

Remember to keep the mood light and don’t put any undue pressure on the child. Don’t forget to bring a camera with you on the trip! Be encouraging and give lots of praise. This is your chance to spend some uninterrupted quality time together. You can instill a lifelong love of fishing and the outdoors in your child during trips like this. Point out the importance of keeping the water clean for the fish. Talk about how beautiful and precious nature is and encourage them to care about their environment.

If the goal is to really catch some fish, then you might consider a stock pond for your trip. Stock ponds are generally easy to fish and even an inexperienced child can actually catch a lot of fish. If you have the land, you might consider getting your own stock pond in your yard. Also, getting a mini pontoon boat or fishing pontoon boat can make any fishing trip a real adventure no matter what your age!

About the Author: Brad Metzler is the owner of Pond King Inc., an industry leader in the production and sale of Pontoon Boats, Mini Pontoon Boats, Floating Docks, Honey Hole Trees, and Turtle Traps. Pond King Inc. also consists of Lake and Pond Managment Professionals that are dedicated to finding the most economical solutions and strategies for your fish stocking needs. For more information, please visit www.pondking.com.