celebratingour 2 0 thyear - The Parklander Magazine

OUTDOORSImprove Your Angling ChancesBy Robert LoewendickMost anglers hold a favorite species in a higher preference thanothers. This fact provides numerous enjoyable and memorabledays afield. The element of favoritism also creates some limitsor unconscious boundaries creating additional but missedopportunities on the water.Traveling around the country, and being involved in many conversations withfellow anglers, the subject of missed opportunities are many. Some crappieanglers have tunnel vision toward the spring season as much as some largemouthbass devotees are blinded until the bass action slows. With the favoredtime of the annual fishing season approaching, springtime on the water is atthe top of discussions around the outdoor community. Is your favorite gamefish season about to begin, or are the autumn waters your time to wet a line?Writing reviews of the latest and greatest fishing lures is also the norm thistime of year for me. Each new lure that I find in my mailbox for a trial castreveals some new insight into and about a game fish species I may rarely tryfor. Before I decide to actually tie the lure on a line (or simply return it–thereare some crazy lures being developed out there), I make a few notes on my calendarto at least consider a shot at the species more than the prior year. Doingso develops more opportunities for not only being around or on the water, butalso adds excitement to the routine angling schedule during slower times.Going after a game fish species more, or for the first time, is easily done andrewards await those who apply the effort. For most anglers, what leads tohaving a favorite game species is the good luck they have had with thatspecies. Think back to your younger years and what species you had mostluck with. It’s likely still one of your favorites. My cousin, an avid bassangler, tried his angling skills at musky fishing a few years ago. Granted,the musky is a species that demands an angler to spend many hours on thewater before being likely to land one. My cousin caught two muskies beforehe gave up the quest to be a musky regular, although he did learn muchabout the musky and how to fish it. If the bass aren’t biting, he doesn’thesitate to grab a large perch imitating crankbait and go musky hunting.As the instructor of a “basics of fishing” course offered by the local communitycollege, it’s my responsibility to introduce students (both young and old) tothe sport of angling. Before the one-day course is finished, each studentshows interest in one species more than another. Since the course is taught onthe water as well as the classroom, whatever species takes the student’s firstbait offering becomes their favorite fish. What they catch most they want tocatch more of. That’sOK. They are fishingand that’s the point—get outside and enjoy.An advantage of multispeciesangling is thereare opportunities yearround instead of shortwindows of action.106 MAY 2010The outdoors providesplenty of adventures,and partaking in a newConsider some new lures and learn afew techniques and then pursue a new gamefish species to expand your angling opportunities.adventure is always exciting. Exploring new areas or waters may turn upmore than new fishing action, but also places for additional outdoorpursuits such as hiking or camping. Affordable trips have become moreimportant during the last couple years, and an abundance of angling varietyawaits within an hour or two, or less, from your home base.Have a favorite water body with lots of action and little desire to wander?No problem. Old waters reviewed with a new outlook can reveal some newaction. Once an alternate game fish is considered, and a bit of research isgained, that familiar water may now have another attraction.Learning a new species is easily accomplished by reading or watchingoutdoor media, joining friends or relatives who are experienced with thetarget species, talking with anglers at shows and bait shops, or purchasingsome species-related lures and start casting. The more known about thespecies the more successful you will be. And catching more fish year roundis always a favorite result of any angler.