Even the most experienced of mariners won't hesitate to admit that they would be lost without some type of navigational device, regardless if it's a sextant or GPS. The water is an unforgiving landscape, becoming confusing the moment that clouds roll in, obscuring the sky and any sense of direction. That's why it's important to have a GPS on board, and more importantly, what to know when Buying a Marine GPS.
The more features Marine GPS units have, the better. Having as many features as possible on a unit gives the user plenty of options to get themselves out of a jam, figure out where the boat is situated, even locate fish and save the hotspots where they've been found. One thing is true of marine electronics; the more you spend on a unit, the better the quality and features on a unit are.
Weather forecasters aren’t willing to say the drought of 2011 is over, but many lakes and streams are looking alive again after recent rains. There are plenty of fish out there if you know where to cast your bait.
The legendary Lake Fork is 6 feet below normal, but most boat ramps are still usable, and with less water it may be easier to find the fish. Lake Fork produced the first Toyota ShareLunker of the 2011-2012 season on December 27, and three 12-pound largemouth bass were caught there in January.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Grapevine Lake was sitting above full pool level early this week. It has good populations of white, largemouth and spotted bass, a developing population of smallmouth bass, and good populations of blue and channel catfish.
The Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River is one mean, determined stream. In the region of the country where John Henry bored railroad tunnels through mountains with his hands, the Russell Fork did the same to Pine Mountain.
In the deep past, the Russell Fork breached Pine Mountain through a fault and carved a large horseshoe-shaped canyon right through it, the deepest east of the Mississippi River. The Russell Fork’s assault on 125-mile long Pine Mountain, now called Breaks Canyon, forms the mountain’s northern end.
This geologic fight between river and mountain is preserved within the 4,600-acre Breaks Interstate Park, a joint state park between Kentucky and Virginia created in 1954.
Kayaks were originally built by the Inuit people over 4000 years ago for fishing and hunting on inland and coastal waters and the word 'kayak' literally means 'hunters boat'. Traditionally, these would have been built using a skin-on-frame construction which comprises of a wooden framework with a stitched-on watertight skin. Due to vast improvements in materials technology and manufacturing capabilities most recreational kayaks are now made from plastic or composite materials such as fibreglass or carbon-fibre.
FRANKFORT, Ky. – As the Cumberland River flowed off the Cumberland Escarpment just upstream of Burnside when the Earth was much younger, it made a spectacular waterfall. Over time, the mighty Cumberland’s flow cut back under the edge of the resistant sandstone of the escarpment until the rock wore too thin and collapsed into the river bed below it, creating a new falls.
If you're keen to find a fun family activity, then give boat fishing a try. There's nothing better than heading off on your boat with the wife and kids, talking about the fish you plan to catch that day.
It's important to realize, though, that there are lots of different types of boat fishing, and each one has specialized boat requirements. You can do everything from dangle some bait on a string over the side of a canoe, right through to high-tech rods and a powerful cabin cruiser. It just needs to be seaworthy - the rest is up to you! But if you're keen to buy a boat, you need to do some homework first. It can be very confusing walking into a boat show or dealership and seeing so many choices. You need to think about what you're planning to do with the boat before you can decide which one to buy. Here are some popular boat fishing choices.
7 New DFW Area Texas Paddling Trails to Open May 10
Trail Launches Commemorate Texas Travel Rally Day
AUSTIN – Paddlers and nature tourists will soon be able to enjoy everything from a relaxing journey down a shaded creek or across a wildlife-rich wetlands pond to a wide-open paddle across a placid lake or an exciting run of Trinity River “whitewater” within view of the Dallas skyline when seven new Texas Paddling Trails open on May 10 throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in partnership with north Texas communities will host seven events on Tuesday, May 10, beginning with an 8 a.m. kickoff of the Walnut Creek Paddling Trail on Joe Pool Lake in Grand Prairie. Other paddling trail launch events will take place throughout the day in Arlington, Bridgeport, Dallas, Lewisville and Rowlett, culminating with a 5 p.m. final trail opening ceremony at Runaway Bay on Lake Bridgeport in Wise County.
On many National Wildlife Refuges, spring means the return of visitors to water trails — and it’s no mystery why. Exploring a refuge by canoe or kayak combines adventure with physical activity and an intimacy with nature that’s hard to beat.
Whether you navigate on your own or take a guided trip, bring your own boat or rent one, many refuges make wonderful paddling destinations. Besides providing a close-up glimpse of shorebirds, mammals and other wildlife, refuges offer serenity, mapped water trails, and, sometimes, the option of multi-day camping excursions. The Refuge System boasts some 1,000 miles of marked water trails.
What Anglers and Boaters Should Know About Commercial Fishing Trap Nets
What are trap nets?
Trap nets are large, commercial fishing nets used by state licensed and tribal commercial fishers to catch whitefish in the Great Lakes. With many components, these stationary nets can pose a potential risk to recreational boaters and anglers. The following facts will help anglers and boaters recognize and avoid trap nets on the open water. Sport trolling is NOT advisable near or above trap nets.
If you take pleasure in the freedom of boating on rivers and lakes then it is very important to make sure that your vessel is safeguarded when it is not in use by purchasing a suitable boat cover. This will protect your boat from the vagaries of nature and boost the lifespan of the boat.
Often a bass boat is acquired in haste and after that neglected simply by not purchasing the required cover to protect it from wear and tear as well as weather conditions that can rapidly bring about damage.
Proudly owning a bass boat offers enjoyment for your whole family but you want to make certain that it's thoroughly protected so the boat's use is not compromised in the least. Investing in a bass boat cover is not hard on the pocketbook and it will definitely conserve many hundreds of dollars in future upkeep expenses.
