Fishing is as old as human life, and a necessity for its survival in some regions. Fish are as plentiful as any other biological forms, and very interesting to eat as well as catch and study. From the skillet to the aquarium, a fish can make us feel good inside or out, depending on our interaction with it. Fishing has even been used as a spiritual metaphor in Christianity when Jesus urged His disciples to become “fishers of men.”

From the farmer’s pond to all of the seven seas, fish abound in all sizes, colors, and shapes. Their uses vary from one place to another, but predominantly we catch fish to eat them or to mount them somewhere as trophies. Some make great pets or stress relievers in fish bowls.

If you are planning a fishing trip, make sure you take along all the essentials that will make the experience worthwhile and memorable.

1. Bring the right gear. As you become a more seasoned fisherman, you will know which tackle box to bring. From lures to rod and reel, you will need to take into account the body of water where you will be, since freshwater lake fishing is very different from deep-sea fishing. Conditions and specimens will vary by watery environment and global region, so the wise fisherman will understand something of the prevailing conventions and conditions before heading out.

2. Dress for the occasion. If you’re ice fishing, don’t forget thermal underwear and insulated footgear. While in the tropics, apply sunscreen liberally and dress light. If you’re not used to large waves and are headed out to the open sea, take along motion sickness medicine or wear the patch. A hat, sunglasses, and a watch are all helpful while fishing.

3. Safety first. If you’re manning the boat, make sure you know how to operate it and what to do in case of emergency. Check weather and boat traffic conditions in the area where you plan to fish. Wear a life preserver or keep one close by. Take along a radio or cell phone so you can contact the Coast Guard if you run into trouble. Avoid using alcoholic beverages while fishing, as many boating accidents are associated with its use. Make sure the boat is in good condition before taking it out.

Wherever you go, or whatever you fish for, have fun doing it. Just be sure you plan ahead and take along everything you need to be prepared for any unexpected circumstances. Check with fishing experts before you go, or take someone who is knowledgeable with you. You can buy a book or even rent videos on many kinds of fishing, so learn all you can before you go to have a great time.

Fishing can become even more fun and easy when you visit The Fishing Directory at http://www.fishdir.com

Where to fish for salmon or the Chinook or the king salmon. The pacific salmon range from California to Alaska. These anadromous species can be found in most pacific coastal waters, streams and rivers that have a good flow of water and temperature as well as a suitable habitat for going up to spawn. You will find that they may be as many as three spawns per year: spring, summer, fall.

The average size of the Chinook can be from 16 to 20 lb. but you will see larger fish up to 55 lb. taken from the remote areas along the pacific coast. From BC Alaska you can catch the largest of the Chinook Fish up to 65 lb. which are common have been taken from the coastal areas.

The Chinook will return to the river in which they spawned from at the age of 2 to 7 years old. The salmon will travel over 7000 miles at sea to return to its spawning grounds. One of the longest river spawns is the 2000 miles battle up the Yukon River located in the state of Alaska.

With the advancement of man a lot of the smaller streams have been choked of with pollution and silt from local construction. Some of the streams have been filled in for housing and commercial use. There has been a increase of volunteers to clean up the streams and repair the gravel spawning grounds. With some success the salmon have slowly been returning to these devastated areas.

The salmon use solar navigation, smell, day light and rain fall to help guide them to the spawning grounds. Most need a gravel bed of course gravel to spawn in. The female will dig out a spot and lay her eggs and the male will fertilize the eggs with jets of milt. Both fish die with in days of spawning.

The spawning fish feed many bears, bird like the eagles and people on the run up to their spawning grounds. The decaying fish supply food for the river or stream organisms which provide food for the fry after the hatch. The fry will spend up to 18 months in the river and stream systems before heading out to sea to repeat the process all over

Before you fish for salmon you will need to check the regulations in the area you are planning to fish in every area will have different regulations. Time to fish size limits and the number of the fish you may keep. State and Provincial Regulations must be followed as the fines can be very large if you get caught fishing with out the proper license or are out of season. Always check with the regulatory body for the area you will be fishing in. Better to have what you need than to lose a boat or vehicle or go to jail.

If fishing in early spring or late summer or in the fall be aware that you may see bears of all sizes after all you are fishing in their favorite spot. Give them a wide berth they are hungry and will protect their territory. Better to play safe than to have a bad encounter you will lose if you come into contact with a bear.

Trolling from a boat will help you avoid the bears. The down rigger is very popular to get the bait down to the level to which the salmon are at. Trolling depth will vary from 10 ft to 150 ft a lead cannon ball from 2 to 10 lb. will be used. Hootches and anchovies work in most locations but best to check with the local guides to find out what is working on the given days you are fishing.

No matter what you fish with or which method you use a Chinook salmon will give you a fight you will not soon forget.

Sammy Salmon has been having fun fishing for years and wants to share all his knowledge with you so be sure to visit him at Fishing-For-Fun Bob Matsen has been providing fishing and article content for 20 years.

When it comes to fly fishing, tying a knot is not the most glamorous of subjects. Without a knot, however, you’ll not be snatching the Muskie of your dreams.

Fly Fishing Knots

First thing first, we need to get the lingo down since we wont be using illustrations in this article. Three basic terms will cover practically any aspect of the knot tying process. “Tag end” refers to the last ten inches of so of line you are holding in your hand, to wit, the pointy part you will be pushing through and wrapping around things. “Standing end” refers to the rest of the line. Yes, very complicated and difficult to understand. “Wrap” refers to the action wherein you move the tag end of the line one full revolution around the standing end. The wrap can also be called a turn, but you have the general idea.

As with practically anything in fly fishing, there are an infinite number of variations to knots. Mysterious variations include the Steroidius Double Flip [good for catching professional athlete fish], the Marigold Hammer [good for catching the neighbor’s plants while practicing in your back yard] and the Wifeous Annoyous [a complex knot that gets you in trouble with the wife since you’re supposed to be painting the garage], but you probably start with the “Aarrgg, Dammit…” knot common to beginners.

Fisherman’s Knot

Other than tying your shoes, the easiest knot to learn is the fisherman’s knot. Get your hook in one hand and tag end in the other. And a one and a two…

1. As you proceed, keep everything slack. We will be passing the tag end through loops we create. DO NOT tighten anything until told to!

2. Pull the tag end through the eye of the hook.

3. Bend the tag end back to the standing end and wrap four or five times. Make sure you do not tighten the wrap. [You should now have a closed loop through the hook.]

4. Take your tag end and push it through the loop formed by the wrap. Do not push it through the hook eye, just the bigger loop of line.

5. You will have just created another loop and should pass the tag end through again.

6. Slowly pull on the hook and stag end until the knot is tight. Watch those fingers.

Congratulations! If you’ve tied the perfect knot, it is time to hit local fishing spot. If you’ve made a mess of it, try again. Either way, you get to avoid painting the garage.

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of diary and writing journals for fly fishing. Visit NomadJournalTrips.com to read more articles about fly fishing and the great outdoors.