Fresh, hot biscuits, anyone? It’s hard for me to imagine a meal in any fishing or hunting camp without some of these tender, flaky morsels soaking up melted butter or swabbing a plate clean of that last bit of gravy. There have been days--and this might be one--when I’d kill for a good biscuit.

Biscuits are easy to make, yet require a deft touch so they don’t get tough and lumpy. Lard or shortening must be cold as it is crumbled through the flour so things don’t get mushy. When milk is added, don’t beat the dough to death or you’ll toughen it. And the oven must be very hot when the biscuits go in or they won’t rise properly.

The kind of flour makes a difference, too. So-called “soft” flours common in the South such as White Lily or Martha  White have fewer gluten-forming proteins than Northern flours and thus rise better in the oven and become flakier. The distinction is so noticeable that I buy southern White Lily flour by mail order for our own use here at home. That company’s website also includes some excellent recipes in case... [ Read Full Post ]

From a Southwick Associates Press Release:
In an October 2009 survey, Southwick Associates asked anglers and hunters which type of organization they trust the most for accurate information regarding fish and wildlife conservation. The results of the monthly AnglerSurvey.com and HunterSurvey.com poll show that state fish and wildlife agencies are considered the most trustworthy source of conservation information among hunters and anglers.

Of the 2,771 anglers surveyed, 54.4 percent reported state fish and wildlife agencies were their most trusted source. Of the 3,378 hunters surveyed, 50.7 percent agreed.  The second most trusted source, with 25.1 percent of anglers and 29.5 percent of hunters, was sport-fishing and hunting non-profit conservation groups.

Other options included federal agencies, outdoor television, and outdoor print media. Who do you trust most? [ Read Full Post ]

One of our readers last week had a good question: How hard can a fish pull? Or, as a corollary, what’s the hardest pulling fish for its size?

The short answer is that ... [ Read Full Post ]

One of the great things about fly fishing from a kayak is that you can cover a lot of water in virtual silence.  As such, you're inevitably connected to the environment in ways you don't really sense when riding in a power boat or wading.

For example, the other day as I paddled across a small bay among Florida's 10,000 Islands, I counted 26 sharks finning at close range to my boat (sometimes bumping against it).  Bull sharks, lemon sharks, nurse sharks, and some others.  Some longer than 6 feet.  And the thing was, I wasn't at all freaked out by their presence.  Instead, I was awed by their graceful maneuvers in the shallow water.  Watching them ambush mullet was like watching a pride of lions hunt gazelles.  Slow, deliberate, suddenly vicious... with optimal efficiency and grace.

Granted, I was glad not to be wading, and I certainly didn't want to fall out of the boat.  I don't go out of my way to commune with apex ocean predators at close range. (After all, I saw the film "Grizzly Man" and know where communing with brown bears got Tim Treadwell.)  

But I've always... [ Read Full Post ]

Every baitcaster gets a backlash once in while. Untangling the line can be a real pain, and many resort to a knife or scissors to cut away the tangle in frustration. No more. This quick video tip for clearing backlash snarls will help.

Reeling forward slightly while pressing on the tangled line with your thumb smooths the snarl and pushes those overlapping line loops free. It’s not a new idea. I first heard of this in an article by bass pro Shaw Grigsby maybe 10 years ago. But the video here by Maryland bass-blogger Kevin Scarselli is the first live demonstration I’ve seen.

Yes, it works. At least it works most of the time. The main thing in clearing a backlash by this or any other method is ... [ Read Full Post ]

Now about those sex ads. You know, the ads in the back of our print edition that tout various male-enhancement products. Some people complain about them. Others just smirk. But what if some of those things turned out to be great fishing products?

Here’s an example. Suppose you’re fishing a headwater creek for little brook trout and keep a few for dinner. The minimum legal size is 6 inches, but you’ve inadvertently kept a 5-incher. Uh-oh, here comes the game warden. Quick! Slip that little brookie into the pocket-size vacuum device and with a few fast pumps you’ve turned that trout into a legal fish!

The potential here is just wonderful. Need some bigger plastic worms or maybe a few larger dry flies? No problem. There are some pills that supposedly increase the size of certain things. So maybe you could dissolve a couple of tablets in water and then soak your size 14 Light Cahills overnight. By morning, they’d be size 12s or maybe even 10s!
Other products have a different application. There’s an aftershave lotion that  supposedly will make females more affectionate. Well, hey....my steelhead flies could use a little more love. There are lots of female steelhead in the river,... [ Read Full Post ]

Staying alive. Personal safety is high on my fall fishing list. The water temperature this morning on one of the big lakes I often fish is 51 degrees. Normally dressed, if I fall out of the boat there’s a good chance of death by hypothermia.

So a couple of years ago, I bought one of the Mustang Survival Jackets shown here. It’s a floatation coat/PFD with enough foam inside to also protect my body’s core temperature in the water. I figure that’ll be enough so I can either make it to shore or somehow struggle back into or on the boat on my own. The jacket is also plenty warm and comfortable while fishing.

This was not some free sample, by the way, but cost somewhere well north of $200. When I explained it to my wife, she who otherwise tends to parsimony immediately bought one too.

I have similar thoughts about river fishing. Neoprene chest waders aren’t as comfortable as the new breathables I most often wear, but unlike breathables the neoprene will act as a wetsuit if I take an inadvertent dive. So there would be some warmth during and after any... [ Read Full Post ]

Wanna talk to other anglers in your geographical area or perhaps for an upcoming trip somewhere else? Get info, share stories, pictures, meet fishing buddies or get the low-down on guides? Check out GoFISHn...

GoFISHn is "where anglers connect,". It's a place where anglers can easily share stories and information, and small businesses who serve anglers can discover new customers and stay in touch with existing ones.

GoFISHn is distinctive in this realm (at least I think so) by bringing in a very clean and open design that's easy to use, and it makes the creation of new content -- whether it's a quick status update or a photo gallery or a custom map -- easy to create and publish.

They've created a way to review gear and ask/answer questions, both of which are integrated...

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I clearly remember my first taste of cannibalism in the fish world. I was maybe 7 and reeling in a small bluefish when all of a sudden a bluefish five times the size of the one on my hook pounced on my catch and severed my line. This happens all the time. Big pike eat little pike. Giant brown trout eat little browns. So how big is a great white shark that cuts a 10-foot great white in half in two bites?

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Think you have a unique way of fly fishing? I'm sure it doesn't top this in regards to special techniques... I watched this video first over on Midcurrent.com and felt I had to share it with everybody over here on Flytalk. 

I have a love hate relationship with needlefish on a fly. They're aggressive as hell, but impossible to hook. If you've ever fished in the salt there's a good chance a needle's taken a swipe at your fly. 99% of the time you can't hook them. Their mouths are tiny, bony, and full of teeth - making it... 

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Chances are it’s already getting colder where you are, so here’s a warming thought: a free bonefishing trip to Andros Island in the Bahamas.

Fishing-lodge operator Deneki Outdoors is holding a drawing for a week’s fishing for one angler at their lodge on south Andros anytime between November 2009 and December 2010. All you have to do is sign up for the company’s e-mail newsletter here. The entry deadline is November 11, when the winner will be announced.

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I know this is a little off-topic for the blog, but it's too good. I had to share it. While looking at a few news sites this morning, I stumbled across this headline: "Woman Fries And Eats Pet Goldfish After Fight With Ex-Husband." Here's the story.

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