Marine Fish Food Preparation Tips

Marine fish that you have in a tank or aquarium are from a saltwater environment, such as the ocean. These fish may be herbivores or carnivores. A herbivore will eat small leafy material or algae, and a carnivore will eat meat, such as other marine fish or animals. To feed marine fish, the food needs to be prepared so the fish can easily consume it. However, you will need to obtain the food that the marine fish will eat.

Instructions

Herbivorous Fish

1 Place a section of lettuce leaf in the freezer for 3 to 4 hours. Take the section of lettuce out and allow it to thaw. This will break down the structure of the lettuce and allow the fish to easily digest it.
2 Attach the lettuce to a clip on the side of the tank or aquarium. This will keep the lettuce submerged in the water so that it does not float around.
3 Secure the lettuce to the bottom of the tank with a rock. Make sure that most of the lettuce sticks out for the fish to eat. Repeat this step to feed the fish twice a day.

Carnivorous Fish

4 Flake off the skin from a freshly thawed fish with a sharp knife. Cut the skin into small pieces.
5 Thaw the freeze-dried shrimp and then cut it into small pieces with the knife.
6 Put a small amount of the fish skin or the freeze-dried shrimp into the tank. Use enough food for the fish in the tank. Repeat this step to feed the fish twice a day.
7 Remove any uneaten food from the tank after 10 minutes. The fish should finish eating the food within a five-minute period.

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A Guides to Tie Line for Spoonbill Fishing

Spoonbill -- otherwise known as paddlefish -- can be caught in U.S. states ranging from northeast Montana to southern Louisiana. The fish are filter-feeders, and don't actively seek out baited hooks or strike at lures. Fishing for spoonbill consists of making casts in areas where the fish normally congregate, and attempting to snag one with a large, treble hook. A spoonbill snagging-rig requires strong knots, but the knots are easy to tie.

Instructions

A Spoonbill Rig

1 Bend the eye of a treble hook with a pair of pliers. Bend the eye far enough to allow the fishing line to pass through the eye of the hook, and continue straight down the shank without curving. Less bend is required for large hooks. Use the largest hook-size allowed by state regulations.
2 Cut a 36-inch length of fishing line. Push one end of the fishing line through the eye of the hook. Pull 15-inches of line through and along the shank of the hook.
3 Tie a snell-knot around the shank of the hook with the 15 inches of line. The tag-end of the line should hang below the bend of the hook.
4 Tie a bell sinker to the tag-end of the line below the hook. Tie the sinker with a clinch knot, adjusting it so the sinker is suspended approximately 4 inches under the hook. The size of the sinker depends on the water depth and speed of the current. Sinkers from 1-to-4 oz. are common.
5 Tie a surgeon's-loop knot at the end of the fishing line above the hook.

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Go Ice Fishing : The Ultimate Convenience!

Ice fishing is popular with sportsmen in the north. It's an excellent way to get away from it all or spend some relaxing, quiet time with a few fishing friends. There are a plethora of lures, baits and fishing tools to choose from. Get the basics and get started with ice fishing.

Instructions

Get Prepared

1 Dress warmly. Wear layers to keep your body temperature warm.
2 Visit local sports shops and fishing equipment stores to find out what is biting, what bait to use and where to go.
3 Get a license to ice fish.
4 Pack your bag. You'll need a fishing line and pole, bait bucket, ice auger, bait, lures, bench, a towel, a depth finder, food and water. You might even consider a waterproof heater.
5 Call for ice conditions before you walk out on the ice. It is not always as thick as it looks. The ice should be at least 4 inches thick and hard frozen. Snow depth on the top doesn't count.

Go Fishing

6 Find an ice shanty near other fisherman. The locals usually know where the fish are biting.
7 Dig a hole using an ice auger. Skim out as much of the ice chips and remnants as you can. Floating ice can break your line.
8 Use a dip net when baiting your line. It will keep your hands out of the water.
9 Weigh your line down so you can fish close to the bottom of the lake. The water in a frozen lake is warmer at the bottom and most types of fish congregate there.
10 Wait quietly and patiently. Fish not biting? Move down a few yards.

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A Humminbird Fish Finder Repairing Tips

Humminbird fish finders locate underwater obstacles, fish, and identify the water bottom surface. The devices use a display screen and a transducer. The transducer attaches to the bottom of the boat and bounces sonar waves under the boat. The transducer receives the waves as they bounce back and transfers the information to the display screen. If you have a Humminbird that is malfunctioning, use Humminbird's troubleshooting tips to repair it and get it back up and running.

Instructions

1 Turn the Humminbird unit on. If the fish finder does not power up, check the cable connections. Inspect the cable for frays or tears. If present, remove the cable by unplugging the cable from the display screen and disconnecting the cable from the power source. Push the cable into the connections to ensure the fits are snug and power the unit on.
2 Check that the fuse for the device is in working order. Check the boat's fuse box and look for any blown fuses. If present, replace. Check that the red and black cables are connected to the red and black battery terminals respectively.
3 Check the display screen for white noise. This is caused by an improperly placed transducer. To fix, locate the transducer on the bottom of the boat. If the transducer is too close to the engine or the propellers noise is created. This is due to the propeller's cavitation creating air bubbles in the water.
4 Remove the transducer, either by unscrewing the mounts or by prying off the unit and breaking the epoxy seal. Move the transducer to a spot near the middle of the boat's hull and glue it or screw it into position. Check the screen for noise as a test to the repair.
5 Inspect the transducer cord for corrosion or wear. If present replace the transducer cable by unplugging it from the transducer and display screen and then plugging the replacement in the units.
6 Wipe down the control buttons on the display screen if they are sticky and unresponsive. Use the chamois cloth and sponge with warm water to clean the buttons. Spray them with the compressed air to free sediment from under the keys.

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Adding Tippet to the Fly-Fishing Line

Now that you have your leader connected to your fly line, it's time to tie your tippet to the end of the leader using the surgeon's knot.

Instructions

1 Take your piece of tippet and lay it next to the end of your leader. Have the two lay side by side, overlapping 4 to 6 inches.
2 Tie an overhand knot in the section where the two pieces are doubled together. To do this, hold the lines together as if they were one line and form a loop.
3 Bring the end of the leader and the entire end of the tippet through the loop at the same time. Don't pull the loop tight; leave it open.
4 Double the overhand knot by bringing the same doubled section through the loop you've made once again.
5 Tighten the surgeon's knot by holding all of the ends and pulling on them firmly and steadily.
6 Trim the tag ends (the loose end of the line, the part used to tie a knot) of the leader and tippet close to the knot, leaving a little room for movement. This will allow the knot to move a little while in use without slipping apart.

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How to Fly Fishing With a Spinning Rod

While it is not the traditional hardware used for fly-fishing, it is still possible to fly fish with a spinning rod. The technique is effective for catching various types of trout, especially when the water current in a river moves too quickly for traditional fly-rod fishing, or when the fish are swimming in deep water. With a few modifications to your spin rod and line, and the correct nymph and bobber tying method, you can fly-fish using a simple spinning rod.

Instructions

1 Select a spinning rod and line that works best for the water in which you plan to fish. A 5- to 6-foot rod works in smaller streams, whereas a 7- to 8-foot rod is better for larger bodies of water, such as larger lakes and rivers. Select a line anywhere within a 1- to 6-pound range, keeping in mind that larger or swifter water and larger fish require a heavier line.
2 Tie an oblong slip float onto your main line, approximately 12 inches above the end of the line.
3 Tie a nymph or any other fly of your choosing at the end of your line. Tie the slip float or bobber approximately 12 inches above the fly. If the slip float or bobber is larger, you may need to tie it as far as 18 inches away from the fly.
4 Cast your rod upstream in a traditional manner, either with a side cast or overhead cast. The way you cast is up to you, depending on where you stand in or near the water and your comfort level. More importantly, watch to see what happens to the rig once it hits the water. If the fly and slip float do not travel downstream at the same speed as the current, then reel in your line and tie the slip float closer to the fly to increase the drag on the line.
5 Reel in any slack in the line as soon as the line hits the water. You can hold the slack in the line with your free hand, which is a technique you would use if you had a fly rod. This helps you feel the bobbing and possible tug of a caught fish. Whenever you feel the line has gone too far from your starting position or too far downstream, reel in the line and cast it again.

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