Fish finders utilize sonar. These devices use sound waves to detect the bottom of the lake, calculate the depth, and will also detect anything between the surface and the bottom, such as fish. This technology gives the angler a huge advantage by letting you know right away whether or not there are any fish present.
Fish finders have become increasingly more sophisticated in recent years. Early fish finders simply flashed to indicate the presence of fish. But, today, with improved electronics, you can get things such as LCD's with a wide variety of LCD types and resolution. The best fish finders today are similar to watching a color display of the water you're fishing in and show everything with great clarity.
Fish finders vary widely in price and, like everything else; you get what you pay for. Larger units with more features will cost more. Generally, units with higher resolution will cost more than those with lower resolution. Higher resolution will give you greater detail as to what is in the water.
Many of the most popular fish finders are wrist-mounted devices and are worn just like a wrist watch. They will only have basic functions but are very mobile and easy to use. Other fish finders utilize large displays and can be mounted to your boat.
Fish finders can be found for as little as $100 and as high as several thousand dollars. There are many brands available with a wide variety of features, so it pays to do your research before you buy. You can check locally or do what most people are doing nowadays... check them out online. It faster and easier.
You can also find fish finders that include a Global Positioning System (GPS). GPS technology is great for anglers as it provides accurate information about your location. This will help you to return to that great fishing spot with ease. All you have to do is simply record the GPS coordinates of any location and you can easily find it again. The accuracy of GPS is about 9 feet so that should be good enough to find those fish again.
And one of the best benefits of GPS is the safety factor. You will never get lost as you can program your starting point and then easily find your way home... even on the largest of lakes and even in dense fog. Don't underestimate the importance of this feature.
So, having a fish finder is a great way to increase your catch each time out. It will tell you where the fish are (and are not), give you depth information, and return you to your favorite fishing hole. And, with GPS, it will get you back home easily and safely. Do your research online and find the best fish finder to suit your needs and budget. You won't regret it.
That's what many anglers want to do, right? Catch more fish? Of course. And one of the best ways to catch more fish is by learning more. The more tips and techniques you can learn the better. You never know when one of them might come in handy. Here's are a few of the best that I've learned in my past 20 years of angling :
Use Gang Hooks - One of the best things that can be done to help you catch more fish is to begin using gang hooks rather than 1 single hook for any of your bait fishing, especially with live worms. Gang hooks are the best way to present a live worm. They work very well for Powerbait as well. Powerbait floats, and when rigged with a set of gang hooks that means that you'll have 2 pieces of Powerbait floating off the bottom the next time that you're still fishing, thus doubling your chances of hooking up!
Clean Your Hands - Most fish have a very sensitive sense of smell. So if your hands are smelly (have bug spray on them for example) the fish can smell this. And if the fish smell something that doesn't seem right, that means no bites for you. A fish isn't going to bite an offering that smells like an ashtray (which is the way your hands smell, if you smoke). Simply rubbing your hands in a handful of grass or dirt will help eliminate any foreign smells that might be on your hands.
Use The Weather - Use the weather to your advantage. There are some simple aspects of the weather and how it relates to fishing. Learn what they are, and it's an easy way to increase your success. Frontal Systems are a big one. Simply do some research on the weather and fish behavior and it will pay big dividends.
Use the Moon - The phases of the moon have quite an impact on fishing. Certain phases of the moon mean that the fish will be much more active. Find out not only what these phases are, but when they occur each month. This way you can concentrate your fishing efforts when the fish are most active. Doesn't this make sense?
Maximize Your Time - We all have a finite amount of time to spend fishing. This means that the time we do spend fishing needs to be maximized. Having your fishing gear organized before you actually go fishing is a big one. That way your not spending fishing time searching for things. Employing a gadget such as a bait bag will help you maximize your time. With a bait bag, you've got your bait ready to go, rather than fumbling around with containers and such.
Begin using any or all of these tips and you will catch more fish; it's as simple as that. Many times adding one little tip to your repertoire can make all the difference. Remember, 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish. Each little tip and technique that you learn will put you closer to being in that top 10% group, which is where all angler want to be.
Both Trevor Kassulke & Trevor Kugler are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Trevor Kugler has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acid Reflux, Fishing and Fishing. Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing.com and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout. Trevor Kugler's top article generates over 27100 views. Bookmark Trevor Kugler to your Favourites.