Freshwater Aquarium Fish Selection - The Do's and Dont's

So, you have decided on an aquarium for freshwater fish but haven't a clue what kind to get. Okay, take a deep breath, get a pen and paper, then let's take some time and cover a few basics you need to be aware of before picking out your fish.

First, ask yourself if you want serene, slow moving fish, providing a peaceful environment. Or maybe you like fish of a particular shape or size; perhaps you want colorful, flashy fish.

Each person is going to have their own individual style; but no matter what, you will need fish if you plan on having a freshwater fish aquarium!.

The type you choose will take some effort on your part, especially if you will be mixing breeds. Putting in the time to research now will prevent fish injury or loss later.

Research Can Prevent Fish Loss

Don't be afraid to speak to the staff at your local fish store, you will be pleasantly suppressed to find that they are just as fervent about the aquarium hobby as you are! They can respond to your questions and help keep you on the pathway to healthy, happy fish.

There are many questions to ask, including:

Does this fish want hiding places or open spaces?
What are the pH requirements of this fish. Does it need low pH or high pH?
Will this fish play nicely with tank mates?
Does this fish want live food or will flakes, pellets and the like suffice? Is this fish a bottom or top eater?
How big will this fish grow? Will it still be happy in your aquarium at its adult size!
Is the temperature range for this fish going to be compatible with the other fish you plan to have?

Providing a happy middle ground can be challenging when choosing more than one breed for your aquarium, the more you know about your fishes needs, the better you can prepare and the happier your fish will be. Happy fish = healthy fish!

We could discuss fish breeds, but after all is said and done, your choice will come down to one thing... which fish will capture your heart. To get the most value from your research, we suggest the following:

Locate several fish supply stores in your area, plan a visit and check out their stock. If you have a number of fish stores in your neighborhood, visit all of them! Your primary purpose is to identify which fish catch your eye, then make a note of the species in a note pad. Be sure to converse with the staff about any special needs and jot that down as well.

Once you get home, layout your notes and make a list of species that match the closest for pH, temperature, social compatibility and so forth; once you have that accomplished, double check your information with books or online. From there, make your choices based on best matches.

This truly is a great way to identify which breeds will be best for you.

Your Fish Will Want A Variety of Food

Be sure to account for the dietary needs of your fish when making your selections. Each fish will have different eating habits, some will stay on the bottom, and others will eat at the surface.

It is okay to mix top and bottom feeders in the same aquarium, just be observant and make certain that food pellets are arriving at the lower levels.

Providing a good dietary regimen for your fish is easier if their needs are similar. Remember, hungry fish will become stressed fish, which can lead to injury, illness and even death!

Be mindful that some fish have cannibalistic tendencies, it can be a fish eat fish world in there! This is a very real risk and needs to be taken seriously.

When pairing your fish, be aware that aggressive fish attack other fish. You may need to furnish sanctuaries for smaller, more timid fish to hide in.

Taking the time to match the aggression levels of your fish will benefit everyone. The bullies of the tank know when to retreat to avoid more serious injuries.

Managing Aggression

As a general rule fish are aggressive by nature, with the males being more so. Avoid putting more than one male in each tank if you are stocking more aggressive breeds.

Even something as simple as a fish with a similar color will trigger aggression so be mindful who you are asking to live together. Stocking two or three females for every male will normally avoid conflicts, but it does really hinge on the specific breed.

The Ultimate Offense

Making choices without being properly educated can lead to disaster; the time to discover that your fish are not compatible is before you bring them home, not when you return from that camping trip and call the police to file a missing fish report!

If you are not prepared, you will almost surely end up with a tragedy; so take the time to research the species you want, make informed choices and you will have a perfect group of fish for a very long time.

Fishing for Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass are one of the most popular types of fish in the United States. You can easily write hundreds of different articles on bass fishing and I will continue to write about the different techniques that you can use to catch bass, but this article will cover the basics of bass fishing and how to catch them through the seasons.

In the spring, you will find these fish moving into the shallows to spawn. In lakes that have crappie, you will know that the bass spawn is coming just after the crappie spawn. Check the local fishing reports and talk to the bait shops to see what's going on with the fishing in your area. If the crappie are spawning, it's about that time to get ready for largemouth bass. While the crappie are spawning, bass will be in pre-spawn and you can catch them in deeper water near the typical spawning grounds. Try fishing deeper water off of points, deeper channels near shallow water. If you remember where the good spawning areas were the previous year, try fishing the deep water that is near these great spawning sites.

Once the spawning begins, you will start seeing bass cruising all along the shorelines and starting to make beds. Some fish will be very picky and others will strike vigorously. The bass that are cruising will usually take a live worm, minnow or leech as well as a variety of lures that mimic these baits. Plastic worms are very effective, small spinners work and many anglers prefer throwing jigs and spinnerbaits. Since you can see these fish, many anglers spend way too much on the inactive fish. Here's a tip to save you some time. Most bass fishermen prefer using lures and if you are in a tournament, you don't have the option of using live bait. If you are willing to use some live bait, get some lively leeches and keep them in the boat. Fish with your preferred fishing lure and if you see bass along the shallows and they won't take your lure, put a live leech on a hook and flip it out there. Don't use a weight. Let the leech free fall and you will get so many more strikes. If the bass that you see doesn't show an interest in your live leech, move on and find more active bass.

You are not going to want to move on, but do it anyways. Go look for the active fish. There will be lots of them protecting their beds and they will usually hit your lure right away. What I like to do is mark my gps with the spots that have less active fish and I will come back to them later, sometimes even at night.

In the summer, bass fishing gets tougher, but you will still be able to catch some fish shallow. There will always be some largemouth bass in shallow water around some type of cover such as docks, weeds, etc. In the summer, many of the bigger bass will be deeper. Try fishing the deep weed edges for more success. My favorite deep water, summer lures are 11 inch plastic worms, deep-diving crankbaits and jigging spoons. If you can get out on the water early in the morning or late in the evening topwater lures work very well in 4 to 12 feet of water along weed edges and other types of cover.

During the fall, you can catch more bass in the shallows, but there will still be some fish deep. You will have the option of catching fish shallow or deep, which does give you some options. Try fishing shallow and deep to see where the best bite is coming from. In the fall, I prefer using big baits. I move away from worms in the fall and throw big spinnerbaits, big jigs, swimbaits and my personal favorite is a live chub in the 6 to 8 inch range. Go big or go home in the fall. I catch more 5 to 7 pound bass in the fall than the spring and I prefer very big baits.

The winter can be tough. If you live far enough south, fishing can be good, but up north it's time to sit inside and watch football or go ice fishing for perch, bluegill, crappie, walleye and pike.

To get more information, take a look at our largemouth bass fishing page.

Bass Fishing Techniques - Accelerate Your Skills

The sport of bass fishing is enjoyed by many fishermen around the world. The name of the game is catching the prey and to do so successfully you need to have some techniques to improve your odds of success.

Like any other sport it's all about understanding the game and in this case understanding the game involves understanding the fish you are trying to catch. That really is the first tip to developing your techniques. Knowing the fish will help you to adapt to its behavior hence making it easier to catch.

You will also need to understand the nature of the fish and how it breeds. Some species may be similar in their habits and thus certain techniques could work for both. If you really want to be informed then you need to subscribe to bass fishing reports so that you can locate the best areas to catch these fish and at what times.

In these reports techniques are often shared by other fishermen which could prove to be helpful. Along with location it is also important to understand the seasons; in the summer time for example largemouth bass can grow rapidly due to temperature changes and the availability of certain foods in the eco system.

The size of fish you want to catch will determine the equipment you will need. This is another area to brush up on your techniques. Know and understand your equipment so that you can use all of its features. Once you know how the equipment works you will know how to use it and therefore get the most out of it.

You can use different types of lures and baits which vary in size and functionality, your goal will be to get the maximum benefits from your bait. Once you have a fish on - you will need to work on your techniques of bringing the fish in.

Always keep your two feet firmly on the ground and when the fish hits do not move the rod away from you, instead move it towards you so as to get that hook in.

All and all read up on your sport, develop techniques and practice them until you find what works best for you.

Alaska Saltwater Fishing Adventures - Book Your Stay at an Alaska Sport Fishing Lodge

Halibut fishing is one of the most sought after Alaska sport fishing experiences for good reason. Imagine hooking into a 300 pound "barn door" halibut, enough fish breakfasts to last you a long time. Those who have tried Alaska saltwater fishing report days of catching 20 halibut in a single afternoon. We're talking 200 pound fish. For a truly memorable fishing experience, book a stay at an Alaska fishing lodge.

For truly great Alaska saltwater fishing, try the Uyak Bay, a large fjord bisecting Kodiak Island. It's a great place for halibut and just about every other type of fish Alaska has to offer. Besides being home to a great Alaska fishing lodge, Uyak Bay has an abundance of marine life, and most notably, tremendously large fish in great abundance. You'll find schools of salmon, halibut, yellow eye, and even salmon sharks. Alaska sport fishing makes it actually possible to catch as many as 5 species of fish in the same day. Talk about a well balanced breakfast.

Alaska saltwater fishing is ripe for salmon opportunities. You'll find a wide abundance of king and silver salmon. These babies are jumping and looking for a fight. Despite the serene beauty of Alaska, fishing is far from tranquil. Thanks to the wild spirit of these salmon, Alaska fishing is truly full contact. You're doing all you can just to get them in the boat.

In fact, the silver run at Uyak Bay is one of the best in Alaska and great for Alaska saltwater fishing. These fish are known for incredibly acrobatic jumps, long glamorous runs. The Alaskan salmon silver run is truly a site to behold, captivating even before you put your line in the water. You'll want to take pictures. If you forget your camera, you can probably buy one in the gift store of your Alaska sport fishing lodge.

There really is no limit to the varieties of fish you can catch while Alaska sport fishing. Other common species in Uyak Bay include the Lincod, the Yellow Eye, Black Bass and many varieties of rock fish. Dolly Varden are so abundant you can catch them right from the beach of your Alaska sport fishing lodge. You don't even have to leave land to enjoy this Alaska saltwater fishing.

The way to experience fishing this serene is to get away by yourself. You can likely find an Alaska sport fishing lodge that features its own fishing spots so you don't have to share with the general public. Whether you seek halibut, salmon or a salmon shark, Alaska saltwater fishing has it in abundance. Do yourself a favor and see what Alaska has in store off the beaten path. Alaska sport fishing is an adventure.

Fishing For the King of Crabs in Alaska

King crab fishing is generally and statistically considered to be one of the most dangerous jobs in North America. When we want to have king crab legs for dinner, most of us can just head down to the local fish market. But besides learning how to cook king crab legs, which sometimes proves troublesome itself, we don't quite think about how difficult it is to catch these world-famous king crabs, indisputably the most popular crab in the seafood world.

Every season, hundreds of crab fishermen live through severe and extreme weather and work conditions. The fatality rate is about 90 times more than that of the average worker in the United States. It is considered a more dangerous job than commercial fishing because of the even more dangerous conditions of the Bering Sea, especially during the seasons the fishermen head out. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 142 fatalities out of 100,000 fishermen. However, Alaskan king crab fishing reported more than 300 fatalities out of 100,000 fishermen. Drowning and hypothermia cause more than 80% of these fatalities. Also, ice buildup on the boating equipments creates many more dangers, and the crew spends much time each day chipping ice off the boats. While proper safety measures are taken seriously and followed to the letter, crew members can be injured or even killed by the heavy equipment used onboard the boats to catch Alaskan king crab. Further, most king crab fishermen are out at sea for about 3 to 4 weeks before returning to the shore.

Fishing for king crabs is clearly not as easy as just learning how to cook king crabs, but the following is a summary of a typical procedure. Fishermen use a trap called a pot. These pots are steel frames, with a wire mesh and weigh about 600 to 800 pounds. They are considered to be a better method in catching king crab as they stay in one specific location and don't disturb a large area of the ocean floor - unlike mobile equipment. The bait, usually herring or codfish, is put into the pot, which is then put on a line and lowered into the ocean. After a few days, the pots are hoisted up to the boat to be sorted through. While a majority will be stored alive in tanks, some crabs that do not meet the requirements will be put back into the sea. The requirements, mandated by the State of Alaska, are restrictions of minimum size and sex of the crab and registration of seasons and vessels, among many other legal requirements.

As impossibly harsh the work and weather environment gets in the Bering Sea for fishermen and their crews during fishing season, the Alaskan king crab remains rightfully top crab of world cuisine and undoubtedly makes its way up to the top of any seafood lover's list.

Midwest Bass Fishing Tips

Fishing for bass in the Midwest can be a very frustrating or a very enjoyable experience, according to your attitude and preparedness to undertake the mission. Each area of this country - or of the world for that matter - has different techniques that will work to land the lunkers of your choice. One of the most important things to remember is that the habits of the fish are established according to weather patterns and water quality and conditions.

The Midwestern weather patterns are extremely different for each time of the year, so fish have established yearly patterns that can be charted and used to success. If you are not familiar with these patterns you could be in for a frustrating trip, but if you do your homework you should be able to not only find the fish, but catch them easily and successfully.

For the winter, remember that the fish will be deep and suspended most of the time. Even in the cold the fish still have to eat, if in more limited amounts than other times of the year. The trick is to go to where the fish are and irritate them to the point of wanting to get rid of the annoyance. If you get lucky on a warmer day and find the spots on the lake that have plenty of sunshine or warm water run-in, you can be pretty successful with a bright lure, especially one with noise, such as a buzz bait or rattling lure. Catch them in early morning sun or late afternoon sun-warmed water, hitting those spots as they feed. This should get you catching a few fish for your ego boost and a really good time, not to mention a good story!

In the spring, as we all know, the fish are eating voraciously and preparing for the early spring spawn. Pea gravel banks will be what they are looking for, so find these and skirt the edges for the feeding fish, or the stragglers that haven't yet spawned (or are just trying to get in on the action). Hit those fallen trees in the water's edge, and any other structure that could hold food, such as hatching crawfish or newly hatched minnows. The fish will be aggressive when on the beds, but not for food - mainly for protection of their spawn!

Summertime calls for an avid fisherman to dig deep into his arsenal - and his soul - to figure out the weather conditions and feeding patterns of the elusive bass. Normally as the weather warms, so too will the water temperature. This means that the fish are going to move deeper into the water and stage except during morning and evening feeding times. Deep water lures, in particular plastic worms and deep water crank baits, will be the lure of choice during this time. Watch the fish finder, and be patient, the fish will either move eventually or you will annoy them to the point of biting out of aggravation!

Fall is such a beautiful time in the Midwest United States. The heat of summer is starting to fade out, and activity on all levels is starting to increase. For the bass it means prep time for winter sluggishness, and feeding becomes a little more frenzied - if you know where and when to look! Watch the weather channel. Ahead of the fronts at this time are usually thunderstorms or heavy rain showers. During these warmer rains the fishing can be incredibly good, and top water in particular, should catch fish like a charm. Spinnerbaits and shallow diving crank baits will be your favorite friends. Once the front passes, though, the fishing can get pretty tough, due to the activity that preceded it. It calls for a lot of determination and knowledge of the particular lake in order to have a successful fishing day. Find the fish and establish what pattern they are on. Then throw to this weakness!

Having fished all the seasons in the Midwest, you will now be ready to fish anywhere with success. In a lot of other areas of the world there is not as varied a climate change during the seasons, and the fish are a little easier to pattern since there are less seasonal changes. No matter where you fish it is always a good idea to at least read lake and fishing reports that are current for the area you would like to fish. Every lake, every stream, every ocean has its own patterns, and the fish that live there have their own way of living, so what applies for one does not necessarily apply to another. Practice and knowledge are the two most important qualities to have when Midwest bass fishing!

5 Major Contents Of A Bass Fishing Homepage

Majority of the American people are captivated by bass fishing. So, in order to keep themselves posted on the latest developments in this field of bass fishing, many anglers create their personal bass fishing home-page.

The bass fishing home-page is a complete collection of links or collection of information like pictures, audio, and video files that regard to bass fishing. This are provided to users in what appears as a single web server.

Under normal circumstances these homepages will serve as a table of contents or an index to some other articles and documents already resident in the site. This page is usually located as the initial page of all websites.

The Bass fishing home-page are devoted to providing information about bass fishing. It hosts links to, tips, stories, tactics, message board, fishing reports, boating news and products that deal in bass fishing. There are on-line forums where bass fishing devotees can share their two cents.

The Bass fishing home-page is anticipated to keep you informed and updated of the local dealings and fishing guidelines. That means the site is kept updated with fresh information every time.

Below is how to explicate the Bass Fishing Homepage contents:

The featured stories - this explains the great experiences of anglers in their daily bass fishing expeditions. Majority narrate their experiences through the home-page so as to lure customers that may be searching for the best bass experiences.

1. The Tips - tips displayed and other techniques on how to be a good angler, the baits and lures that work magic and so many more.

2. The Techniques - these are the strategies and techniques that other anglers have benefited from. In bass fishing.

The Message board/ Testimony's -, testimonies and message board from other bass fishing guide re also displayed here. Other things displayed include acknowledgement from clients of previous bass fishing services, they tell of how they enjoyed their experiences and on how they received good vacations from these guide services.

3. Boat information - it is very useful for any bass fisher aspirant to be informed about the ideas on the kind of boat used in this type of fishing. You can also find information on stores dealing in boats here.

4. The products - these sites display products from various bass guide services. They may also include the services rendered, and the type of equipments used and even their location.

5. The guides - guide services can also be found in these bass fishing homepages under the terms of advertisement. They use the home-pages as advertising platforms for products, services, and even location. They are also there to receive inquiries about whether someone is seeking to have a fishing experience.

Many bass fishing homepages you find on-line from anglers are created for the purpose of marketing and selling their services and products. They utilize this benefit for them to get every potential client and their visitor's attention.

To add on that, the homepage can also be a great source of help to people planning for great bass adventure. They could ask you for assistance and views about their plans straight through you're the homepage. Your homepage can also play the role of a directory to the services you offer.

If you are an experienced angler and you desire to have a bass fishing homepage for your self, the simplest and easiest way on how to achieve that can be a great help for you.

The first thing you must consider is to investigate the exceptional world of Hypertext Markup Language. Does that sound crazy? It might seem difficult thing to do but don't fuss yet. HTML is a combination of codes and tags that browsers read and easily convert into WebPages. You have to learn HTML in order to create your personal bass fishing homepage.

Below are some 5 hassle free steps to create a bass fishing homepage:

a) You need to register for free webpage.

b) Teach yourself HTML.

c) Learn from other homepages and adapt to their style.

d) Design your homepage to be attention grabbing.

e) Market your webpage for the whole world to see and admire it.

Another easier way is by getting a web designer to help you built your bass fishing homepage.

By following these above listed guidelines you will be on your way towards creating your personal homepage. Remember that you can generate money from your homepage. So make sure it is beautiful and attention grabbing. Otherwise, have a nice time.