Based on personal experience and a few fishing forums I visited, the “release vs. keep” subject seems to be a touchy one. There are anglers on both sides of the spectrum that have extreme views on this matter.

The catch-and-release extremists believe that all fish caught should be released immediately. And if you want to eat fish, you should go out any buy it, rather than depleting a resource. These people have a problem with others that keep their full legal limits and may even confront those anglers with verbal out-lashes.

On the other side, there are those anglers that keep every single fish they catch. It doesn’t matter if it’s a 2 incher or a state record, they are keeping the fish “to eat”. Yet, their freezers are packed full of them. Many of these anglers believe that there is no point fishing if you don’t keep the fish.

Put two of these extremes into one room together and you’re sure to get a fist fight.

What do I think? I fall somewhere in the middle. I believe that as long as the angler follows the law, it’s none of my business if they keep or release. I think that the state fish and game departments do a good job of determining the limits of the fish you can catch. Therefore, I don’t really care if you decide to keep every fish you catch (within the limit) or release them all.

What do I do? I catch and release about 70% of the time, and keep about 30%. I would probably release all of my fish caught because I really don’t like to clean them, but MY WIFE CAN COOK. Every fish I catch is a potential gourmet meal (Pan-Fried Trout with Orange, Mint, and Fried Capers), so you can see why I would keep them. Just thinking about it gets me hungry, even though I just ate.

Plus, I like the idea of providing for my family and having fun at the same time. I go out fishing and bring back food for the table. There is a certain satisfaction I get from that.

What do you think about Catch and Release vs. Catch and Keep? Share your opinion in the comment section below.

                          

Check out this funny/cute video of a 3 year old boy catching his first fish. It definitely brought a smile to my face. I though you guys would like the video as much as I did. Enjoy.

                          

I’m known as an ultralight fishing promoter in my local area. When I strike up a conversation with a fellow fisherman/woman, either on the water or at a tackle shop, I almost always mention that I’m an ultralight angler. The most common question I get from non-ultralight anglers is: “Why?”. Why do I choose ultralight fishing over conventional methods of angling? For those of you who may be wondering the same thing, I will answer the question for you, right here.

There are two main reasons why I choose ultralight fishing. Here they are:

Ultralight Fishing Helps Catch More Fish.

UL fishing allows me to fish with tiny, lightweight lures. I have found that fish will more readily strike these downsized lures. Most of the lures that I use, look nothing like the natural food that fish eat. So, I think using a smaller lure helps the fish feel more comfortable in eating something unusual, therefore more strikes.

One of my buddies, who insists on using heavier tackle, has never caught more fish than me. Our fishing methods and techniques are practically identical. He just uses larger lures, thicker line, and a heavier rod. I get about twice as many strikes and catch about twice as many fish. This is not a one time thing, either. This happens constantly. Why does he still use heavier tackle? Well, he’s stubborn in his ways. Don’t worry though, I’m slowly converting him over to the other, better side.

I’ve noticed that the lighter the lure the more life-like the action is. I strongly believe this is also a contributing factor to getting more strikes from finicky fish.

Ultralight Fishing is More Challenging.

Catching a small fish on ultralight tackle is definitely not more challenging than on conventional tackle. It’s when you hook into the larger fish that things get more challenging. You get to test the limits of your tackle, knowing that with one wrong move you can loose that lunker forever. With ultralight fishing it’s more of a “fight” to get the larger fish in, and that’s why I love it. I love the high and adrenaline rush I get from that experience.

If you’re an ultralight angler, why do you choose ultralight fishing?

                          

Hello Fellow Anglers,

Thanks for taking the time to visit my website. I hope the content here is useful or at least entertaining. As you have noticed, I have not been adding new, fresh content recently. The reason is: I have been extremely busy working on my other projects. Most aren’t related to AnglerWise at all, but the biggest project is a NEW PART OF ANGLERWISE!

Within the next few months, I will be launching an online store where you can get just about everything you need for ultralight fishing. I will be updating you with the news as often as I can.

The AnglerWise Ultralight Fishing Blog should be back to normal soon. So don’t forget to stop by to see what’s going on here, or you can Subscribe By Email at the right –> to have the updates sent directly to your inbox.

Thanks Again,

William @ AnglerWise

                          

Rebel Teeny Pop-R

The Rebel Teeny Pop-R makes its way to the top of the list because of the cost effectiveness of the lure. They are cheap to buy, but last a long time. They feature a small baitfish profile that helps them cast through the air with ease. My favorite colors of the Pop-R to use are Silver/Black and Blue/Black, depending on what types of forage are in the water.

Rebel Teeny Pop-R: (See Prices and Buy Here)

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Rebel Crickhopper Popper

The Rebel CrickHopper Popper is just plain fun. It’s built to mimic a grasshopper, and absolutely slays fish in farm ponds, and golf courses. It works equally well in other waters, but when there are grasshoppers around, you need to tie on a CrickHopper Popper. I’ve caught some nice bass, and slab sized panfish on this lure. My favorite colors are the Yellow/Black back, and Green/Chartreuse back for tinted waters.

Rebel Crickhopper Popper: (See Prices and Buy Here)

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Arbogast Hula Popper

Fred Arbogast knows how to entice bites. When he designed the Jitterbug and the Hula Popper he knew that they were going to stand the test of time. The Hula Popper in the 2″ size is an excellent bait that works well popped, twitched, or jerked, depending on what the fish want that day. I keep the Frog color for daytime fishing, and the Black color for nighttime ultralight fishing.

Arbogast Hula Popper: (See Prices and Buy Here)

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Rapala Skitter Pop

Every bait that Rapala builds is constructed from some of the highest quality materials on the market, with the utmost attention paid to the details. Their 2″ Skitter Pop is no different. Because of the design of the bait, you can either pop, pop, pause, or even walk the dog by keeping your rod tip high and twitching the bait back to you. Both techniques work great for getting neutral fish to take the lure. I love the Silver and Gold Chrome models, with Silver being used in clear water, and the Gold Chrome model being used in slightly tinted or stained waters.

Rapala Skitter Pop: (See Prices and Buy Here)

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Rainy’s Rattlin’ Foam Frog

What? You’ve never tied a fly onto your ultralight fishing rod? If you haven’t, you owe it to yourself to start throwing some feathers and fluff around the water. The Rainy’s Rattlin’ Foam Frog works equally as well on your ultralight gear as it does on a fly rod. The silicone legs, and tail feathers undulate in the water to perfectly mimic a defensive posture on the surface. I have two of the colors that I use most often, the Frog body, and the Black body for night fishing.

Rainy’s Rattlin’ Foam Frog: (See Prices and Buy Here)

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Blue Fox Vibrax

My brother introduced me to the Blue Fox Vibrax line of spinners, and since then they have become my favorite. I love the fish-catching, color-combinations that are available. I’ve never had any problems with getting the blade to spin, as long as I keep it clean. The sizes I use for ultralight fishing are 0 and 1.

Blue Fox Spinners: (See Prices and Buy Here)

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Panther Martin

When I need to fish deeper water, Panther Martins are my go-to spinners. They have a heavy body that casts great and goes down deeper than most others on the market.  The smallest size, 1/32 ounce and barely over an inch, is great for luring those finicky/spooked fish into striking. I use 1/32, 1/16, and 1/8 ounce spinners when UL fishing.

Panther Martin Spinners: (See Prices and Buy Here)

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Mepps Aglia

After fishing with bait only, the Mepps Aglia was the first lure I ever used. From that day on, I was hooked on spinner fishing. My favorite ones are the super tiny size 00. Unfortunately, they don’t make a size that small anymore. Sizes 0 – 1, Aglias and Aglia Longs are the best Mepps for ultra-light fishing, and they come in 22 cool colors.

Mepps Aglia Spinners: (See Prices and Buy Here)

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Rooster Tails

Worden’s Rooster Tails are also great spinners for ultralight fishing. I have been using them for as long as I have been spinner fishing, and they’ve never let me down. These spinners do a great job at attracting strikes. And with more than 100 colors available, you can always find one that will work.

Rooster Tail Spinners: (See Prices and Buy Here)

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Wyld Edge

While I have never used these before, I’ve been hearing some good things about these spinners from Blog Cabin Angler. I think they are worth a try. They are the next spinners I will be purchasing, so stay tuned for a review on Wyld Edge Spinners.

Wyld Edge Spinners: (See Prices or Buy Here)

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BEST OF THE BEST ($130+)

G Loomis Trout Series

The G. Loomis Brand is known for their super high quality fishing rods. The Trout Series ultra light rods are no exception. They are built to be feather light, extra sensitive, and super strong. The rear grip is made with a combination of regular and composite cork for a truly unique look. Some of the quality components include an up-locking reel seat and single-foot Alconite guides. Overall, this is one of the best ultra light spinning rods available today.

G Loomis Trout Series Rods: (See Prices or Buy Here)

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Fenwick Elite Tech – River Runner

Fenwick is also considered one of the top fishing rod manufacturers. The Elite Tech – River Runner delivers what you would expect from a premium ultra light rod. Extra care is taken to make sure these rods are super balanced and lightweight. It’s built with advanced materials like high modulus graphite blanks and titanium guides with SiC inserts. This is the rod of choice for many avid ultra light anglers.

Fenwick River Runner Rods: (See Prices or Buy Here)

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GREAT ($50 – $70)

Shimano Clarus Spinning

Shimano has won many ICAST awards because of its innovation in fishing product technology. The Shimano Clarus spinning rods have become favored among ultra light fishermen because they are lightweight, sensitive, and strong. These weightless rods will sense the lightest bites while the new IM7 blanks will have the strength to muscle the fish in. They are the ultimate tools for a heightened fishing experience.

Shimano Clarus Spinning Rods: (See Prices or Buy Here)

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Diawa Spinmatic Tuflite

Daiwa is mostly known for its premium reels but they also make some excellent ultra light spinning rods like the Spinmatic Tuflite. It’s built with a solid-core graphite blank that is very strong but still has a thin diameter. It has good quality natural cork grips with protective endcaps. High quality Fuji components are used like single foot aluminum oxide guides and a custom reel seat. Overall, it’s a great rod at a great price.

Diawa Spinmatic Tuflite Rods: (See Prices or Buy Here)

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BUDGET (Under $30)

Quantum Teton Trout

The Teton Trout by Quantum has surprisingly good reviews for such a low priced ultra light spinning rod. It’s designed fairly well and will out fish most other rods in its class. It’s built with a graphite blank and has lightweight aluminum oxide guides. It has a natural cork handle and a secure reel seat. Overall, it’s a great ultra light rod if you’re looking for premium features for a cheaper price.

Quantum Teton Trout Rods: (See Price or Buy Here)

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Shimano Sojourn

The Shimano Sojourn is a well built ultra light spinning rod from a highly respected fishing brand. These rods are quite nice especially if you consider the price. They are built with graphite composite blanks, natural cork handles, and good quality components that you would expect from a company like Shimano. Good rod. Great price. What more can you ask for?

Shimano Sojourn Spinning Rods: (See Prices or Buy Here)

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Ultralight Fishing Combos

If your on a budget, it’s probably best to purchase an ultralight combo. This is an UL rod and UL reel that are perfectly matched together by the manufacturer.  This way you can save yourself some money and still get a great ultralight fishing outfit. In fact, I just finished writing a post about the Top Ultralight Combos under $60. Check it out:

Top 5 Ultralight Fishing Combos Under $60

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Go to any store that sells fishing tackle and you will see a vast array of colorful lures, baits, and hooks. You will most likely find hundreds of different colors and combinations. So what are the best colors for fishing? How is an angler to choose the best color (or colors) for fishing?

First of all, do fish even see color? I have heard yes and I have heard no. Well, the truth is… we don’t know for sure. There just aren’t enough studies to indicate that all fish see or don’t see color. There was a study done on gold fish that indicates they may see some color, but as far as the game fish of North America go, we don’t really know.

And since we don’t know, I like to put the colors into categories based on brightness instead of based on color. The categories are: bright colors, neutral/natural colors, and dark colors. When I go fishing, I don’t ask myself: “should I use white, olive, or black?” Instead I ask: “should I use bright, neutral/natural, or dark?”

When choosing the best color for fishing, it all boils down to these two things:

(1) Water Clarity – How clear is the water? Is it murky, stained, or clear? What’s the visibility range? For murky water with low visibility, use very bright colors (like white and chartreuse) and very dark colors (like black and purple). These extremes of the color spectrum will be most visible in murky water to the fish. In clear water with good visibility, use neutral/natural colors (like tan, olive, and brown). Neutral/natural colors are the best when visibility is not an issue.

(2) Color of Natural Prey – What color is the natural food that the fish eats? Does it eat bright colored food, neutral/natural colored food, or dark colored food? If the fish is used to eating dark colored food then it will strike a dark colored lure more often. So, figure out the color of the natural prey and choose your lure/bait colors accordingly.

This is how I “usually” choose the best color for fishing, and it works great. But I don’t always follow these guidelines. Sometimes I will tie on a random colored lure – that is completely the opposite color than it should be – and still catch fish. I believe that anything that even slightly resembles food can be used to catch fish. Choosing the best color for fishing just improves your chances.

One final tip: THE BEST WAY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT COLOR TO USE IS: Test, experiment, and try. Get to know the body of water. Get to know the fish in the body of water. After a while, you will learn EXACTLY which colors the fish prefer.

If such a small amount of colors will catch fish in just about any situation, then why are there so many colors and color combinations available? Well, a fisherman once said to me while shopping for lures: “These are meant to catch fishermen, not fish” And I completely agree. It’s all about the business. The fishing company’s primary goal is to sell more. The secondary is for their products to catch fish. Don’t go buying every color combination out there. Stick with the basics: Bright, Neutral/Natural, and Dark.

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