Outdoor Adventure

The tarpon is one of the world’s favourite sporting fish. Stunningly beautiful and known as the Silver King, their aerobatic leaps make them a favourite of anglers worldwide. From March to July thousands of tarpon travel through Key West Harbour on their way to the spawning grounds and fishermen are attracted into town for the chance to do battle with them.

There are many varying fishing styles for catching tarpon, the style varying depending on the type of water that is being fished. Tarpon can be found in shallow river inlets and also on sand and mangrove flats. For these venues the favoured method is either fishing a fly coupled to a very strong rod and line or using an artificial lure. At other venues such as Islamorada the favoured style is livebaiting with small fish such as pilchards or herring. The preferred method in Key West is chumming with shrimp boat trash. Let me explain what is meant by shrimp boat trash. Lots of shrimp fishing boats ply the waters in the Gulf of Mexico and apart from catching shrimp they also catch a lot of small fish called menhaden. These are sacked up and sold as bait to the light tackle fishing boats in Key West.

The method involves the Captain cutting these small fish into small pieces and continually dropping them behind the anchored boat to attract the tarpon. The fishermen use a whole menhaden on the hook, and it is drifted back in the tidal flow towards the feeding tarpon.

The tackle recommended when fishing for tarpon in Key West is very straight forward. Our favourite rod for tarpon fishing is the ABU Conolon Boat, 7’9” 12-20lb test curve. It retails here in the UK at £74.99. ABU also offer a 3 piece version of the rod (the Conolon Boat Traveller) which probably better suits the visiting angler. That one sells for £79.99 in the UK. By the way, I use that Conolon Boat rod to fish for sturgeon in British Columbia and last year caught my best ever fish measuring 9ft 1inch and weighing…who knows, there was just the two of us fishing and there’s no way we could lift such a beast but we estimated it at around 400 lbs. Anyhow, back to tarpon fishing. The most popular reels whilst fishing for tarpon are the TLD15 and TLD20 lever drag multipliers from Shimano. The TLD 15 retails at around £80 in the UK, whereas the TLD 20 is about £15 more expensive. Whatever reel you decide on, it has to be super free running, because you’re trying to make your bait run down in the tide at a similar speed to the pieces being introduced by the Captain. I prefer to use the larger TLD 20 because the larger spool turns more slowly when you are running your bait down in the tide and it needs less turns of the handle to reel in when your bait has drifted as far you want. You’ll want the reel fully loaded with nylon, I go for the grey Ande nylon in either 15lb or 20lb breaking strain. At the end of that is securely knotted a 10 foot leader of 50 lb fluorocarbon and a large circle hook. Naturally all of the fishing boats have prestige tackle available free of charge should you not have your own.

OK, now down to the fishing. Your skipper will have motored out to one of the favourite spots, maybe the yacht basin, Bokacheeka, the entrance to Key West Harbour or maybe the North West Channel. The boat will be anchored at the bow and if there are other boats fishing they’ll probably be only a few feet away. The plan is that if every boat is chumming then there will be a good stream of bait drifting down to the fish, keeping them in one big pod rather than splitting it up. The skipper will start throwing in the pieces of menhaden and you’ll hook a whole fish onto your hook. There’s a definite way to put these baits on the hook but don’t worry, the skipper will demonstrate how it’s done. You now let your bait drift down the current, paying very close attention to where your line leaves the reel spool. A bite can be quite subtle and will often be just a speeding up of the line leaving the spool. As soon as a bite is detected you have to reel like hell….don’t strike !!. The beauty of a circle hook is that it kind of hooks the fish itself if you simply tighten the line by reeling in as fast as possible.

When a fish is hooked all hell will be let loose, the fish will likely jump clear of the water and it will certainly start running towards Cuba !!. Don’t forget that when playing a tarpon that if he jumps he’ll throw the hook unless you immediately lower the rod to ease the tension on the line. This dropping of the rod is known as “bowing to the King”, and you’ll get plenty of stick from anybody else on the boat if you lose a tarpon because it jumped and you didn’t bow. If the hooked fish is a reasonable size the skipper will let the anchor go and set off to follow the fish. I’ve released fish that were hooked a mile or more away from where they are finally released. It can be a tiring and long fight but with a bit of luck you will eventually have the tarpon beside the boat ready for a quick photograph before it is safely released to continue its journey to the spawning grounds. I remember a ‘first-timer’ fishing with us one year. He hooked his first tarpon and as it jumped he excitedly asked “how big is that” to which one wag replied “about forty minutes” !!.

The Florida Keys stretch some 100 miles out into the ocean and have oceans on all sides and fish galore. Keys such as Islamorada have a huge reputation for top class sport but Key West wins the prize as the top spot simply for the vast variety of fish that inhabit the oceans around the island. Fishing in Key West, Florida attracts fishermen from around the world and for very good reasons.

With inshore tarpon fishing and sharks, reef fishing for snapper and grouper plus offshore fishing for sailfish, dolphin, kingfish, wahoo and countless other species, it’s a fisherman’s paradise. With such a variety of species and with water on all sides you’ll be hard pressed to find an excuse for a bad day’s fishing whatever the weather conditions.

Although there are a number of offshore boats working out of Key West, our primary interest is light tackle fishing. If you are not a regular saltwater angler you’ll be wondering what I’m talking about, so we’ll begin with a simple explanation. An offshore boat is bigger with a more luxurious setup such as air conditioned lounges bunks and showers. They cruise around offshore towing a variety of lures behind the boat and when a fish hooks itself the lucky angler sits in the fighting chair to play the hooked fish to the boat. A light tackle boat is somewhat smaller, being somewhere around 26 – 30 ft long, with an open deck and no creature comforts such as bunks or saloons. Normally powered by a pair of powerful outboard motors, they reach great speeds and are able to fish spots many miles from Key West. Each angler on board has a rod and reel, and when a bite is detected it is the angler’s job to hook and reel in the fish unaided. The offshore boats tend to fish in at least 200 ft of water whereas the light tackle boats are much more versatile operating in water anything between 20 feet deep for tarpon in the harbor to 200 ft deep offshore whilst searching for dolphin, wahoo or sailfish.

You don’t have to be an expert angler to go out on a light tackle boat, the skippers enjoy nothing better than seeing someone reel in their very first fish. All of the captains are most helpful and they’ll all do their best to ensure that you have a great day’s fishing, and hopefully a fish or two to have prepared at one of the local seafood restaurants. All of the light tackle boats have a large selection of fishing tackle for you to use if you don’t have your own gear. All you need to take with you for a great day on the water is food and drink, sunglasses, a hat and plenty of sunscreen.

Our next articles will describe in greater detail a day fishing for tarpon, tuna, sailfish or grouper, but for the time being we’d urge you to book a trip and catch some of our plentiful fish.

When looking for a boat show for any reason, whether it be simply for looking at boats or searching for a boat to purchase, there are a few things to be aware of.

Toronto International Boat Show

If you live in Canada or are planning on visiting in the next little while, the Toronto International Boat Show is a great option. Between January 10-18 is when it takes place so make your reservations early, and the Toronto in-water boat show takes place between the 11-14th in September of this year.

They will be featuring some of the top brand names in the world, including Bayliner, Bennington, Bluewater Yachts, Campion, Carver, Chaparral, Chris Craft, Cobalt, Craig Cat, Crownline, Cruisers, Edge Water, Four Wins, Grady White, Key West, Key West, Larson, Lazzara, and Lund.

Boat Show in Southampton

The Southampton Boat show cannot be missed. Just last year the show had over 127,000 visitors to see the gorgeous boats on display, this year they expect even more people.

This is only the tip of the iceberg in boat shows you can attend, regardless of your boat buying or gazing intentions. Always check for boat shows in your area because you may be surprised at what you can find close to home without all the hassle of travelling.

Unfortunately not everyone lives in an area where a boat show would be feasible, if you do not live near a body of water, it’s highly likely you will need to plan a trip.

If you are looking for a sweet new boat, these boat shows are an fabulous idea, regardless of the make or model. Be sure to spend equal time looking at all the boats, you never know which one will catch your eye.

Even if you don’t find what you are looking for, taking your friends and family will make for a very enjoyable time.

There are loads of Yamaha Boat devices you can install on your vessel to show you the way home if you become lost, help you find the fish below the surface or just make getting around the lake more fun . A lot of the Johnson Marine devices developed for boating can also be found in versions for dry land, but when fixing them on a vessel, the ability to survive the harshness of watercraft life can make them a better investment

It is not just the water spray that can get into many of the marine accessories, that make these accessories better for the aquatic life. Boats have no suspension, other than the little cushion riding on the water provides, and in choppy surf the ride can get pretty rough. The marine accessories bouncing around on their mounting hardware take a beating every time the boat leaves the dock and toughness is built into those devices made for onboard use..

On the other hand, if you are only going to use the boat when the water is smooth and don’t plan to ride through the wake of other boats, marine accessories will not be necessary and less expensive models for the home or motor vehicle use will perhaps do the job. However, in all probability life on the water will most likely be wild and wet and most boat will want marine accessories to withstand the challenge.

Boating Accessories Designed With Care In Mind

There are a lot of accessories on the market from Speedometers to Depth Finders. You may like a hummingbird depth finder that will notify you if you are too close to the waters floor. Two-way radios help boaters stay in touch with others on the shore as well as to provide communications with emergency services in case of a problem

One of the most common boat accessories sold, is a ladder to help people climb back onboard after swimming in the water. Climbing over the side can be difficult for a lot people, considering there are no footholds on the side of most boats. The removable ladder can be lifted while traveling and is one of the most common marine accessories available.

There are popular marine accessories to protect Your Watercraft like Dock ropes, fenders for the boat and bumpers for the dockto help maintain the appearance of the boat. By visiting any number of internet or conventional boating outlets, the number of marine accessories obtainable may surprise even the most knowledgeable boater.

Watch This Video

When it comes to any sport or favorite past time, there is a huge importance that is placed on having the right equipment to make the most out of the experience. This is no different when it comes to fly fishing gear because you have to have the right stuff in order to do it right and to even give yourself a shot at catching something. Nothing more important when you fly fish is you must have the right fly fishing gear, from the rods to the tackle you need to use.

When you dont have the right kind of fly fishing gear, you shouldn’t even attempt to go fly fishing because you wont catch anything. When you begin to build your collection of fly fishing gear you might find yourself a little perplexed as to what you need to buy. A good place to figure out exactly what fly fishing gear you will need is by reading through a lot of different fly fishing magazines and books. These places will have ample information that will make the most of your fly fishing trip.

Time To Start Purchasing The Goods

If your money situation can afford it, it is always best to start out by purchasing a brand new rod as a part of your fly fishing gear. Old or used rods wouldn’t be a wise choice for your first experience of fly fishing, not only will your experience be ruined but your rod will be broken as well. If you go fly fishing with brand new gear the chances of your equipment lasting a while are greater. Also, it always feels good to have new things and that can be apart of the excitement of your fly fishing adventure.

You may want to check out popular fly fishing sites when you want to stock up on your fly fishing gear, so you can have the best quality of gear for your money. Not only are these types of places known for giving the best deals on fly fishing gear but they also are known for having an incredible variety for you to pick from. A large variety of fly fishing gear will make sure that you have everything you need for your fishing trip. 

The type of exercise you do all depends on you and what you like to do. What you hate doing, paying membership fees, and whether or not to buy equipment are all things you need to consider as well as answer. If you choose something that you don’t like to do, you aren’t going to keep doing it for a long period of time. Give it some thought - if you don't like jogging, you aren't going to get up at 6 AM and go running. If you can’t find something you like to do, choose something you hate the least, which will normally be walking.

Walking is great exercise, as it suits all levels of fitness. Anyone can start a walking program at any time, it's normally the intensity and duration that differs. Walking is also a social exercise, as it isn't difficult to find a training partner to chat with while you exercise. The best thing you can do is to use a pedometer and try to track your progress. Walking with a partner will also make time go by faster. No matter what exercise you choose, you should start at a low level of intensity and build it up over a period of weeks, which is essential to the longevity of your exercise program. If you kickoff too arduous, you could finish up with an injury which will involve time off to get over.

If you are really in bad shape, you should start off by walking for 10 minutes each day. Then, increase it by 5 minutes every 2 weeks, you can use diferent sort of pedometers available to keep you interested in keep walking and progress in your daily workout. To make things more interesting, you should try walking a different course every few days. You can also roster a different friend to walk with you each day of the week. If walking Is not your affair, and then you could would like to try a good condition center. They have loads of variety and normally have trainers on hand to answer any questions you may have. When you choose a fitness center, make sure that they give good service.

If they aren’t willing to treat you well before you join, then they certainly won’t after you join. You should also make sure that the equipment they use is well taken care of. It’s easy to find out, as all you have to do is listen to the machines. If they squeak a lot or make noise, then chances are they aren’t being taken care of.

If you still aren’t sure what you should do, then you should look into golf or tennis. Both are good social activities in most areas, and you can even meet new friends. Tennis is great for fitness although it isn’t for someone who is just starting out. If you have not worked out in a while, then golf game may be the best activity for you.

ATV Guides

There is always the decision of whether to buy something new or used, but it is different depending on what the item is. For instance many people buy used cars and this is fine, but if you were going to buy a used computer it may not be such a good idea.

Now if the requirement is to but an ATV performance part then there are definitely important steps to take especially if you do not know whether you should buy the part new or used. This is to take the time and weigh out the pros and cons of buying a used ATV part, to determine whether or not this is going to be the best idea.

Pros

Certainly the most obvious advantage of buying a used ATV part is that it is definitely going to cost less than a new one. Sometimes a used ATV part can be as much as half of the price of a new item, and this means a lot of money can be saved.

Another of the biggest advantages of buying used ATV parts is that there are so many different retailers offering used ATV parts. This means that your search time will be quick and simple, enabling you to get the part that you need fast, fix your ATV, and get back on the road.

The Cons

When it comes to buyng a replacement ATV part, one the most common problems is that many consumers discover that the used ATV part does not work properly or as well as they had expected and thus just wasted money for an unsuable part. As long as you try the part out before buying it or at least make sure that there is a refund policy in effect, you should be fine buying a used ATV part and will really have nothing to worry about. As long as you take your time and are cautious when you are purchasing used ATV parts of any sort, you should not have any problems here.

Some Tips

So when you think you need any part of your ATV replaced, you can always have the choice but before you even get to this stage you should also make sure that you regularly check your ATV parts such as the ATV angine and other parts to make sure that that they are in good working condition.

scuba diving lessons

No matter what type of family getaway you have in mind, you’ll always find something for everyone throughout Newport Beach.  From young to old and everyone in between, Newport Beach easily combines the best of family fun with activities to keep everyone entertained for
hours and hours.

One of the most popular family activities in Newport Beach is going to the beach.  During the summer months, the beach is a very popular resort and getaway spot for the entire family.  You and your wife or your friends can enjoy swimming, boat riding, or even hitting the waves on a Kawasaki new jet ski.  With temperatures in the summer hitting 75 degrees and above, nothing breaks the heat better than the beach.

The beach has many different activities for the kids.  They can build sand castles in the sand, play around in the water, or simply bask in the glorious sun.  If they get tired of playing in the sand, you can simply go back to your hotel room and enjoy the fun of the safe yet confined swimming pool.

Another popular activity in Newport Beach for the family is the Balboa Fun Zone.  There is something here for everyone, with the Fun Zone keeping kids entertained the entire time they are there!  If you’ve never experienced the Fun Zone before, you’ll be in for the treat of a
lifetime!

The Balboa Fun Zone is comprised of many different areas, including restaurants and beaches.You will most likely return over and over again as there is many things to try out at the Fun Zone
has to offer.

Another activity that yields a lot of fun in Newport Beach is rollerblading.  You can rent rollerblades from many different providers, from kids sizes to adults.  There are also many places to use your rollerblades, including the sidewalks along the beach.  If you like rollerblading, Newport Beach helps to set a new standard of fun.

For the adventerous types, there’s always scuba diving lessons fun times.

When it comes to the kids enjoying themselves, nothing will please them more than the Toy Boat.  Located at 3331 East Coast Highway, the Toy Boat is the best place in Newport Beach to take the kids.  There are hundreds of thousands of toys and activities here to keep your kids and probably yourselves entertained for hours. 

After you have a day of family fun in Newport Beach or the surrounding areas, you can stop and have a relaxing meal at one of the fabulous restaurants.The dining is excellent, providing everyone in the family an opportunity to consume their favorite dishes.

It is difficult to believe that Newport Beach is an undiscovered family vacation destination.  The area has so much to offer, that it’s just a matter of time before people start to discover everything the area will provide them with.  When the time
comes for your getaway - make sure you give Newport Beach a try - you’ll be glad you did!

Bow Fishing

If a person is serious about locating archery products for their bowfishing expedition then they may have a hard time. Most retailers do not stock this type of equipment and some have never even heard of this type of fishing. However, it does exist, and for those that like to hunt big fish in both fresh and salt water areas then this is the sport for them. The key is to having the right equipment to make the hunt that much more exciting.

The key catching the big one when it comes to bowfishing is having the right archery products in had. You will need to have the right equipment such as the right bow, arrows, reel and line needed to easily pull in even the biggest of fish. The major investment in this exciting outdoor sport is however the actual bow, and a good bow for bowfishing should either be recurve bow or a compound bow, depending on the type of fish that you want to hunt.

There are a few other considerations that you have to keep in mind when you are looking for archery products to be used for your bowfishing expedition such as the line that you will use along with your bow and arrow. This cannot be a simple fishing line simply because the fish you are likely to be catching are very large and heavy, hence you will need a line that has at least an eight pound test, with the largest going all the way up to a six hundred pound test. A majority of the lines are made out of very heavy gauge nylon or braided Dacron.

The choice what archery products you but for your bowfishing adventures can make or break your success. For as long as you make choose the right bow, arrows, reel and line then you can be assured that you will have the chance of catching a whopper of a fish to take back home and brag about to your family and friends. The sport of bowfishing is unique on its own as it is the form of archery and fishing that tests the skill of shooting the bow and arrow to the ultimate test, no matter if your purpose is to have fish to eat or as trophy to mount on the wall.

Scuba Diving Vacation

Once you and your family have decided to take a diving vacation, there are a few things you should do to make sure that your planning effectively. Learning the basics of scuba diving and getting your body prepared for diving are among the key things you’ll need to do before your vacation, but don’t forget to get ready to have fun! Here are some diving vacation tips:

Whenever you can, take a swim. Whether this is done in the backyard pool, at your local club, or training at school, you have to ensure that you have a lot of swimming practice so that you will be familiar with the water and know how to get around underwater with ease. Even though your vacation should be fun, you have to know how to react and get out of harms way in a natural way, hence swimming practice is an ideal activity. Being comfortable while moving around in water is an ideal step when you try to learn scuba. Another tip is to try wearing scuba gear while swimming so that you familiarize your body with the feeling of wearing the scuba gear in a larger body of water.

When you buy scuba gear, try to get the best. You should not wait for the last minute to buy scuba equipment. Shop around at your local scuba shop or sporting goods store for wet or dry suits and even diving gear well before you even go on your diving vacation. By doing this you will be able to try on all your scuba equipment ahead of time and find any defects. You can also go online and check for great deals on scuba gear through many online stores.

Take diving classes, as many as you need to in order to be ready. When going on a diving vacation, it is essential to have scuba diving lessons, but don’t be afraid to take more than one lesson. You will want to enjoy your diving vacation, and you will not enjoy yourself if you are always concerned with whether you are doing things right. It normally takes around two months to complete the full scuba diving training course to be a qualified scuba diver, so you should keep practicing until you are totally comfortable with scuba diving.

Figure out what kind of diving you want to do. Taking the basic scuba diving lessons is essential, but you may want to broaden your interests so you can find out just what you want to do on your diving vacation. For instance, if wreck diving interests you, then try to get enrolled in some courses that will teach you how to dive through wrecked ships and artifacts to find treasure. If you’re into technical diving, take a course or two that teaches you to hold your breath for long periods of time and swim with precision. And, if free diving is more your speed, learning how to play hockey or rugby underwater may be your idea of a great diving vacation.