The following are useful tips and tricks I've learned over the years that make fishing better and more productive. I hope that you find some of them useful as well.

Tip No. 1  When drift fishing at night, make yourself a marker buoy of of a clear plastic jug or bottle. Place a light stick inside it and attach the bottle or jug to a long, strong, cord that is weighted enough to hold it in place. You will now be able to see where your drift is taking you, if you are on or off the spot you are drifting and you can return to the exact spot each time even in total darkness.

Tip No.2  Backwaters warm a lot quicker than the water that is coming into it from the outside on an incoming tide. As the water recedes, it can be as much as 10-degrees warmer than when it came in. In the spring and fall this can attract lots of bait fish as well as game fish to the warmer water flow looking for a meal.

Tip No.3  Shallow water fish are extremely spooky by nature. Be a quite as possible when you enter or approach shallow water areas. While fishing, don't drop tackle boxes, cans, sinkers, or anything else that can make a loud noise. Fish can pick up and hear noise and vibrations from a great distance. Sound travels as fast as 1-mile per second beneath the waters surface, that's five times faster than through the air. Once fish are found, quietly anchor and remain in place to catch even more fish. The less movement or the less you move around, the high the chances are of catching a lot more fish. If you drift fish, you will likely only get two or three shots at any fish before they figure out you are there and get even more cautious.

Tip No.4  Try to fish Parallel to the shoreline whenever possible as freshwater tournament anglers do. This helps in keeping your lure or bait in the strike zone for a long period of time and also allows for a more natural presentation when casting. Also use the wind to your advantage whenever possible. Fish with the wind.

Tip No 5.  Rivers are best fished on a falling tide almost always. On rising water go as far up river as you can possibly get to begin fishing. When high tide occurs during the early morning hours, first light fishing can be great as most fish will ascend the river under the cover of darkness. As the tide begins to drop, begin moving down river to follow the fish. If you are catching fish and suddenly the bite stops, that usually indicates that the fish have moved, so you should move as well.

Tip No. 6  Strong winds can speed up or slow down the flow of water as it is either coming in or going out, thereby delaying the time of high and low tide sometimes by an hour or more depending on the strength of the wind. Wind blowing with the tide, the tide will move and rise faster, wide blowing against the tide will usually slow it down therefore delaying high or low water. A strong wind also dictates what the water or sea conditions will be like. Wind against the tide usually tends to build the seas and the waves are higher, wind with the tide tends to flatten out or calm the seas as it blows with the tide.

Tip No 7.  When you are out fishing and the fishing is slow, your greatest asset to success is your ability to change and adapt to changing conditions and situations. Try new lures in shapes, sizes and colors that you wouldn't normally use. Also fish new areas that you don't ordinarily fish or go to. There just might be fish there and you may discover a new hot spot so you actually accomplish two things at once. A new spot to fish and a new lure or bait to use. Game fish change feeding areas, habits, and lure preferences on a fairly regular basis. Changing your tactics and techniques will give you an advantage over those who stick with doing the same old thing over and over again.

Tip No 8.  You can help to preserve your fishing line, lubricate it and keep it limp by using a product called Reel Magic from the Blackmore Fishing Lure Company. The spray comes in an aerosol can or pump spray bottle. Simply spray it on the spool and fish. It will not distract fish or turn them off and is environmental friendly. The stuff works great. Also, try keeping your monofilament line out of the sunlight as much as possible. Leaving your rods and reels exposed on the boat for long periods of time will cause the line break down and weaken quite fast.

Tip No 9.  Fish dislike a chemical called L-Sarine, which all of us have in our bodies. Some of us have more of this chemical than others. They also dislike gasoline, sunscreen, insect repellent, and nicotine. Keep your hands clean and use a scent if for nothing else than to mask or hide any human or chemical odor you may have on your hands that can be transferred to your lures or bait.

Tip No 10   Always carry with you some Anti-Bacterial soap and a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide on board your boat or inside your vehicle. When you get a cut, scratch or puncture, wash it immediately to prevent any possibility of infection. There are now today, a lot of different types of bacteria out there, some are in the water and some are on the fish themselves. Its a lot better to be safe than sorry so practice good hygiene tactics when fishing.

Capt Jim White