Many people love crawfish but are unsure how to catch the little critters. One of the best ways to catch crawfish (they are also affectionately known as crayfish, crawdads, or mudbugs) would be to use crawfish traps. If you want to make the most out of your crawfish traps then you will need a few tips to get you going in the right direction. Below are some of the best tried and true crawfish trap tips to help you be a great crayfish catcher.
o The first thing that you need to make sure of is that you have a good quality trap. Keep in mind that when you go with the traps that are just thrown together, you risk losing your catch when the trap fails or breaks. Once you are sure that you have a good quality trap you can move on to the next step in using the crawfish trap.
o Bait is the next thing that should be on your list. This is one of the most important items when using a crawfish trap. Believe it or not, the type of bait you use can actually determine the amount of crawfish that will turn up in your trap. Depending on what you choose to go with, you can expect to 15 to 20 lbs of crayfish if the bait is the right one but if you choose a poor one then you may be only obtain a maximum of 2 or 3 lbs.
o Get to know the crawfish you are trapping. One thing for sure is that they love to eat. You need to take this into account when you stock the trap with bait. Even though they love to eat, they are picky about what they eat so you need to be sure to get the stuff they love. Some of the better baits that work well in bait boxes are fish heads, guts, as well as the skin of fish. Be sure to go with fresh bait, and stay away from the baits that are based on chicken or cat food.
o Try to go with a bait box rather than a bait jar. The box allows them to feed in a more open environment, which also allows them to send off a signal, attracting other crawfish, letting them know that it is feeding time.
o Know where to place the traps. Think, location, location, location. You can pretty much count on crawfish being in just about any body of water ranging from ponds to lakes and from rivers to streams. It is best to look for the places in the body of water that the crawfish will hide such as rocky spots, particularly the spots that have an over growth of algae as this is a source of food. They will feed off the algae while they stalk their fish prey.
Using traps the correct way will give you a plentiful catch. Be sure to start with the tips above to help get you started in the right direction where crawfish traps are concerned.
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Winter time in the Lake Texoma area normally drops our lake's water temperature into the forties and it also positions fish on deep water structure. While some days can be highlighted with good numbers and size of smallmouth, largemouth or striper, many are sluggish. For those anglers looking to remedy the slower action during our winter months, there are a few options not too far away.
If you are an avid fisherman or woman and haven't experienced one of the warm water power plant lakes, you are missing out on some remarkable winter time bass fishing. Lakes Welsh and Monticello, located a couple of hours east of the Lake Texoma area along Interstate 30, offer a unique change to typical winter fishing patterns. As most lakes are slowing down for the months of December and January, the largemouth bass on Welsh and Monticello are in prime pre-spawn and spawning modes.
Both of these East Texas lakes are only one to two thousand acres in size and are utilized in the cooling of coal burning power plants located on their banks. Because of the small size and continuous inflow of warm water, these lakes remain in the 60-80 degree range throughout the winter. Lakes Welch and Monticello are excellent for numbers of fish, but are also famous for big bass as each has once held the Texas state record.
Lake Welsh, built in 1976, is a 1,200 acre reservoir located just south of Mt. Pleasant, TX. Anglers will find a multitude of fishing options as the lake has plenty of flooded timber and hydrilla and milfoil aquatic grasses. Some of the best winter fishing is to target both pre-spawn and spawning bass by throwing weight-less soft plastics in and around the edges of the flooded grass. The lake record largemouth bass, caught in December of 1983, is a hefty 15.23 pound fish. Welsh is an 18 inch minimum lake for all species of bass and is accessible by the one public boat ramp built on its west shore.
Lake Monticello, a 2,000 acre impoundment, was built in 1972 and is located just south of Interstate 30 between the towns of Mt. Vernon and Mt. Pleasant, TX. This lake is responsible for the lunker bass boom that began in the early '80's. Its lake record bass (14.90 pounds), caught in February of 1980, broke the previous Texas state record that was held for 37 years. When word of the fourteen pound largemouth spread throughout the state, Lake Monticello became one of the premier bass lakes in the southwest.
This East Texas Lake also has a variety of cover for anglers to fish including flooded timber, hydrilla and lily-pads. Some of the best winter time bass fishing is located on the northern end of the lake. Anglers can pursue spawning fish with soft plastics and spinner-baits in and around the dead lily-pad stems found in its two northern creeks. Another area to fish is just outside the hot water discharge. Carolina rigs and crank-baits work well on schooling fish that are positioned in the current. Lake Monticello has a 14 to 21 inch slot limit for bass that offers a great opportunity to catch multiple four to five pound fish.
The best time to plan a trip to these lakes is during the week as most weekends play host tournaments during the winter months. If you have never been to a power plant lake, use extreme caution when boating in the early morning hours as a thick fog will cover the entire surface. Visibility will only be a few feet until the sun warms the surrounding air.
Normally the coldest days of winter are the best on these power plant lakes. Dress in layers for warmth but also remember that the surface of the lake will be warmer than the adjacent land. If your hands or fingers get numb from the cold, just stick them in the water to heat up.
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Here are some important Illinois fishing tips to help you find the best places to go fishing in this great state. Very simply, as I have often stated before, fishing is growing an incredibly fast pace, and the Illinois is no exception.
Illinois offers many great places to go fishing, even though it might not be the most popular and famous state for the sport. Here is an Illinois Fishing Report to help you find the best places to fish on your next expedition.
Keep in mind, if you're looking to get some fishing charters, you can find many of these on Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan has a ton of different kinds and variety of fish available, including generic salmon, and coho salmon.
Simply, Lake Michigan is the third-biggest of the Great Lakes, and also the sixth biggest lake in the whole world. This makes it look up an awesome fishing location, is there are tons of fish in the lake. This is by far the top of the line for Illinois fishing. Therefore, if you do want to go fishing in Illinois, make sure that fishing on Lake Michigan is at the top of your list.
Lake Michigan is bordered by four different states; Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan. Very simply, Lake Michigan has about 6040 miles of shoreline, the average death of Blake is to earn 80 feet, and he gets his deepest to 920 feet in some areas.
Keep in mind, Lake Michigan also has the largest sport fishery of any of the Great Lakes. Therefore, this ensures at Chicago salmon fishing is in high demand today. Since salmon fishing in Chicago and in Illinois in general is so popular, you can easily find charter boats to get the fishing a crummy you need. Keep in mind, with these boats you are generally guaranteed to have a successful fishing trip, especially when you take a guide with you.
Very simply, if you are very familiar with Lake Michigan and Illinois fishing, these guides can tell you what you need to know, where the most of the fish are, etc. Without this, it will take you quite awhile to learn these tricks, but when you have a guy familiar with the area, it will dramatically speed up your learning curve for your Illinois fishing adventures.
One of the best things about Lake Michigan is that it presents great fishing opportunities for both beginners and advanced fishermen alike. Of course, as I stated before, by far the best way when you first getting started with Illinois fishing is to get a Lake Michigan fishing charter, and familiar sight familiarize yourself with the area.
Generally speaking, you'll probably shell about 0 for a full day of a charter boat, or until you've got the limit for your fish. However, this is probably quite a bit less than maintaining your own fishing boat, so if you do go fishing on Lake Michigan, this is probably the best option for you. These charter boats give you all the fishing equipment that you need, and for a great price. This is probably the best way to enjoy your Illinois fishing experience.
Also, they often times offer a great price is available for company customers as well. Generally, the fishing trips are often times utilized as incentives for employees of companies, which is a great benefit if you like fishing. To obtain a Lake Michigan Fishing Report to find the best times to go, simply do a quick internet search, and literally thousands of results will come up. Hopefully these tips will help convince you to take out a Lake Michigan fishing charter for your Illinois fishing adventure.
In addition, there are many other great Illinois Fishing Holes besides just Lake Michigan, far too many to cover in this article. To find these out, simply do your research, and better yet, check in with the local guides to find out the best places to go. However, no matter where you decide to go, make sure you spend at least one day fishing on Lake Michigan for your Illinois fishing trip; you will not regret it.
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It amazes me how many people that I've met that live in Arizona, or the surrounding areas that have never been to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The deserts of Southern California and throughout Arizona offer numerous outdoor activities like hiking, off road driving, and beautiful scenery. But in my opinion, Lake Havasu City is one of Arizona's, America's hidden treasures.
Located off I-40 on Hwy 93, roughly 2 ½ hours south of Las Vegas Nevada, is where this desert playground is located. Lake Havasu was formed when the Parker Dam, located south of Lake Havasu City, was constructed in the 1930's, creating the lake now known as Lake Havasu. Robert McCullough, the Godfather of Lake Havasu, bought the London Bridge for 2.5 million dollars, and spent another 7 million dollars to dismantle it, and ship it over from England. What used to be just a peninsula is now an island after a channel was dug out for the bridge. And yes, the song "The London Bridge is falling down" is about the Lake Havasu's London Bridge.
The below list includes some of the biggest attractions that Lake Havasu has to offer, and that only few insiders know about. So, in order to fully enjoy every minute of your stay, do yourself a favor and make sure that you schedule some time to fit them all in. Lake Havasu can be enjoyed year round, but the best times of the year are during the spring and summer months; especially if you plan on playing in the water. Winter and fall are ideal if you don't plan on swimming, boating and skiing.
So, don't let the heat from May through September stop you. Just stock up on 150 SPF plus sunscreen and enjoy yourself.
1. London Bridge - Get the bridge out of the way first. This is a no-brainer. If you go to Lake Havasu and don't see the bridge, then there's a chance you already have heat stroke. The English Village surrounds the bridge to give you the feel of London, except surrounded by a desert. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty cool, but for some reason unknown to me, the English Village doesn't stack up to its crown jewel, the London Bridge. Some really cool shops and attractions are long gone, but it's still worth your while to grab an ice cream cone and some souvenirs. Don't forget to go back at night.
2. Spring Break - College-aged kids love it, and the locals hate it. In my opinion Lake Havasu is the West Coast's best kept secret when it comes to spring break spots. If you can pull it off, try to make reservations at the Nautical Inn on the island, or the London Bride Resort located in the channel next to the London Bridge. Not to mention Lake Havasu's hottest nightclub, Kokomo's, is also located there.
3. Water sports - This is Havasu's bread and butter. Swimming, boating and jet skiing is what Lake Havasu is all about. You should have no problem finding boat rentals under the London Bridge. If you're traveling in group, consider renting a houseboat for the day. Be sure to check out the sand bars located north of the city. Just ask the locals, they'll point you in the right direction. Check out the swimming holes in the area as well. Rotary State Park located at the end of Smoketree Ave, and The State Beach located on the island, are great spots for kids and families. There are numerous swimming holes on the island if you like privacy, but make sure that you wear shoes. Lake Havasu doesn't have the plush, sandy beaches like southern California, and the rocks will tear your feet apart.
4. Fishing - If you're an angler, then you'll have a blast in Lake Havasu. Striper bass, catfish and blue gill populate the region, just to name a few. Lake Havasu is notorious for its countless coves and inlets that are just begging to be fished in. You don't have to have a boat either. So if you just want to pull up a lawn chair and relax, the island has plenty of fishing holes. Don't forget to buy a license.
5. The Island at night - Now this is what it is all about. Most of Lake Havasu's homes can see the lake because of its layout. So when you are down by the lake you can see the entire city. And, at night it's absolutely beautiful. The clear nights give way to the heavens-you get a clear view of the stars in all of their glory. Make sure to go to the very end of the island near Site Six. Just follow McCullough Blvd over the bridge until you reach the end and pull off anywhere to find a good spot. But be careful, there are a lot of dangerous ravines, and if don't pay attention it could get ugly. You'll see what I'm talking about once you are there. You can hear wild donkeys on some nights across the lake in California, or boaters living it up. I can't even tell you how many nights I spent down there throwing a few cold ones down my throat, and just taking it all in.
6. Copper Canyon - Havasu boating residents have always known about this hot spot, but MTV took this little cove to Hollywood. Made famous by MTV's 1994 Spring Break visit, Copper Canyon is now a must-see if you have a boat and like to party and jump off cliffs. During Spring Break, packed boats make for a floating walkway. This also goes for Labor Day, 4th of July, and Memorial Day weekend. If a lot of people are not your thing, you might want to experience Copper Canyon during another time of the year.
7. Boat Tours - If you just want to relax and hang out for a couple hours, and take in all of the sites, then maybe a boat tour will interest you. Narrators give you a step-by-step, play-by-play experience that is truly second-to-none. View wildlife, enjoy a dinner or relax; the choice is yours.
8. Bison Blvd - I'm about to upset the neighbors, but the view from the desert off Bison Blvd via Kiowa are too good not to tell you about. Pavement will only take you so far though, a car will do the trick if you drive very slowly; we advise only using a truck if possible. Bison is located at the base of the mountains behind Lake Havasu. See the city from the other side, and like the island, there are amazing views of the cosmos. During the day, the desert is an off road neophyte's paradise; this is where the desert really opens up.
9. Cliffs - I you like jumping off cliffs, then this is the spot for you. Located north of Lake Havasu City off I-93 in the desert hills are the cliffs ranging from 15-150 feet tall. This is not a park and parking is limited, unless you access this area using an off road vehicle or boat. The water is deep enough, but you should use extreme caution if you plan on jumping off the big boys. Again, just ask the younger locals for exact directions.
10. Off Road - The desert is wide open to the north, south and west for Lake Havasu. There are numerous dune buggy rentals in the area to choose from. But like I said, be prepared by having water, a GPS device, cell phone and a spare tire. Rent a dune buggy and hit the open desert trails. Just be careful, because if you get into trouble out there during the summer months, the Arizona heat is not very forgiving.
