By Arindam Chattopadhyaya 

If you are a die hard fishing enthusiast, chances are that you have heard of the Bamboo Fishing rods. These distinctive rods are more like antiques today, with most of them having been used in the days before the advent of the modern fishing rods. Recently, there has been an increasing trend to collect and restore these classic rods. This particular hobby is on the rise among lovers of the fishing sport and those interested in fishing equipment and accessories. Fishing gear shows normally have lovingly restored traditional fishing rods being sold to the tune of $600 and even more.

So, you can imagine the antique value of these rods! The old bamboo rod belonging to your grandfather is therefore not junk anymore. Take it out from the attic or the closet and set about restoring it- for the love of it or the money involved. This new passion is not just an extension of the craze about antiques. Instead it has come forth after the growing realization of the actual usefulness and flexibility of the bamboo fishing rod. Identifying genuine antique bamboo rods is another matter, however.

There are different ways to do this. If you are really interested, you can research on the internet. A number of websites are dedicated towards giving more information about classic bamboo rods and other old fishing rods. They will tell you how to identify these and also provide tips on their restoration. Some websites may also have information about certain books associated with the hobby of restoring classic pieces of fishing rods. However, these will be few and far in between just like the topic of their discussion, the bamboo fishing rods. Still if you manage to chance on a couple, think carefully and then purchase for they are most likely not easy on the pocket.
Other than the websites, you can use the internet for searching groups and associations that are committed towards disseminating education about these classic fishing rods, more specifically, about how to identify them. You can get in touch with them and they surely will be enthusiastic to help. This way you can swap notes by getting in touch with others who share the same hobby. This is the best way to pass information back and forth and also keep a record at the same time. This helps by putting all the original existing bamboo fishing rods on records for posterity.

Identification might be more difficult that what you think because manufacture of bamboo rods has been revived owing to their popularity. Many of these resemble the features and designs of the antiques. So, without an expert eye or opinion, it has become increasingly difficult to identify those which are authentic. A replica can be easily mistaken for a classic. One way to make out if a fishing rod is genuine vintage or not is to check out parts of the rod other than bamboo. The genuine rods will have parts made out of materials that were not obtainable till recently.
The age or worth not withstanding, bamboo rods are just one more reason for the enthusiasts to indulge in fishing more often.

Author is professional angler and running charter service for more than 10 years in Goa. He published several books on boating and fishing. He recently published an informative article on freshwater fishing equipment at his website http://www.fishingletsgo.com Download FREE report on fishing to get his secret tips on fresh water fishing.

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By; Trevor Kugler

When it comes to buying fishing gifts, finding the right gift can be like finding a needle in a haystack. Fishermen can be a fickle group, which is why I wanted to write a quick article with 3 great fishing gifts that most anglers would enjoy. Especially an angler that spends time in waders, wading their local rivers and/or streams in search of trout, steelhead, smallmouth bass, walleye, or any other fish. Some of these gifts would even work for a saltwater angler on your gift giving list that likes to wade in the surf in search of stripers etc.

For the most part these gifts (except for the last one) are for freshwater river and stream anglers, that have to be as efficient as possible when they’re out on the water fishing. And if they don’t have these products, then they simply aren’t being as efficient as they could be when fishing. Why is it important to be efficient when fishing? Simple. Because the more time that you can spend with your line in the water, where the fish are, rather than out of the water while you bait up, search for gear, etc, the more fish that will be caught.

So let’s get down to business and list these fishing gifts so that you can decide if any or all of them will work for that special fisherman on your list:

1. A Starter Kit - Now you may be wondering what a starter kit is? It’s pretty simple. A starter kit is a “sampler”, if you will, that includes gang hooks, a bait bag, and a pair of retractors, that any angler who spends time wading rivers and/or streams can use. All of these products will help any angler be more efficient, and thus catch more fish. The bottom line is that if that special someone on your list enjoys wade fishing, a starter kit would be a great fishing gift.

2. Polarized Sunglasses - Any person who spends time on the water fishing (especially wading) needs a pair of quality polarized sunglasses. As an avid fisherman myself, I know the importance of polarized sunglasses to my fishing success. When I say quality, I mean quality, which means that cheap polarized sunglasses aren’t worth the plastic they’re made out of. If you are going to get someone polarized sunglasses for fishing, make sure that they are quality polarized sunglasses, which means that they might be a bit expensive. In my experience, to get a good pair of polarized sunglasses you’re going to have to spend a $100. The good thing is that quality glasses will last for years and stand up to a ton of abuse.

3. A Set of Rod Rulers - This is the gift that’s great for any person who fishes, whether they wade fish or not. A set of Rod Rulers is a great fishing gift. These are measuring devices that stick directly to your special anglers fishing rods! This way they won’t have to search for a tape measure to measure their fish. The tape measure will be with them whenever they’re fishing. A set of JRW Rod Rulers is a great fishing gift for anyone who like to know how big their catch actually is.

Again, one or all of these fishing gifts would be great for almost any angler on your list (especially #3). These are all things that will help any angler be more efficient, which as I said earlier, means that they will catch more fish. I suppose I should say “get more bites”, because the “catching” is still up to them. In any case these 3 fishing gift choices will be appreciated by that special angler on your list.

Winter Steelhead Fishing Requires Something Special Getting up on a Winter morning to go Steelheading is a cold affair. The air is cold, the water is cold, your fingers are cold. Most of all the Steelhead are more than a little cold and sleepy. Combine this with faster flows and water that is every shade of murky and you have a recipe for not catching any fish. So what is the go-to lure when things are cold and dark? Spinners of course.

Spinners Have an Advantage in Dark Water Winter rain or snow melt can turn the rivers murky and swift. This means the fish can’t see lures as well, and often times the Steelhead will have difficulty locating a scent trail unless it is right in front of them. What they can feel though is vibration. Even admit all the turbulence in the rivers, fish can pick up on the thrumming of a spinner chopping its way through the water.

Even in Low Water Spinners Work Between rain storms, or when it is all falling as snow, water levels can drop and clear up. This is still a great opportunity to use spinners. Simply down size the lure and be aware that as the water clears the fish can see you again! If your favorite fish holding spot is full of pretty clear water, it is time to try the ‘casting up stream’ technique featured below.

Which Spinner to Use Many factors affect which spinner to use, but generally speaking a size #3 through #5 will work for Winter conditions. The Color to use is a topic of much debate. In very dark and stained water, a silver body and blade that put out the maximum flash is probably a safe bet, as there is less chance of spooking the fish. Other good options for dark water are bright orange and greens. As the water clears and visibility improves you can move to Brass colored lures or dark bodied spinners with a flash of color like Wyld Edge’s Headbanger series

How to Fish Those Spinners There are three basic ways to fish spinners.

• Casting Up Stream - This is the hardest to master, but allows you to fish deeper. Simply cast up stream, flip your bail over and retrieve just fast enough to keep your blade spinning. The idea is to keep the spinner moving and up off the bottom, but not pull it in so fast that the fish won’t follow it.
• Across the Stream - A standard presentation, casting across the flow, allowing the lure to sink and then using a steady retrieve to keep it up out of the rocks.
• Flipping into Rips - A favorite of mine, flip your spinner into the rip at the edge of a pool and let the current carry it along. Try to follow the edge of the faster water with your spinner and then retrieve slowly. Stay alert though because fish will follow lures presented this way a long ways and may surprise you with a strike when you are about to pull it out of the water.

Know Your Water Regardless of where you fish and what season, this holds true. Many true Steelheaders will also tell you to fish the waters closest to you until you know every hiding spot for Steelhead regardless of the water levels. Remember to fish the edges and don’t forget the water under your feet. The faster and darker the water, the more likely they fish are to be tucked in along the edges hiding under banks, and behind rocks.

Cover the Water Remembering that the water is murky, even a spinner can only pull fish from so far, so don’t just stand in one spot. Shai Plummer of Wyld Edge Outfitters sums it up like this:

“You can’t catch fish if you are not fishing where they are at. When I am on the river I fish from the bank and I am constantly moving even if it is only a couple of feet at a time. With spinfishing a good general rule is that if you have made four to five casts to one spot , give up on it and move on , unless you see activity that shows you that there are fish there. Fish as many holes as you can and cover them well.” So keep moving! As soon as you have covered an area take a step and start again. One good rule of thumb is to move as far between casts as you can see into the water.

Fish, Fish, Fish! Steelheading takes practice and patience, and there is nothing else that can compare to just putting in time with your line in the water. If you would like some more reading on Steelhead fishing in the Northwest you can visit Wyld Edge’s guide to Steelhead fishing with spinners, or Fishing with Cliff’s reading section and check out a couple the books there devoted to Steelheading!

Chris Cliff is a long time fisherman that hails from the remote lands of Northern Idaho, but has now moved to the big city. He and his crew fish the waters of the Northwest filming episodes of their own web based fishing show ‘Fishing with Cliff’. You can find it at http://www.FishingWithCliff.com/ and features more great articles, photos, links and of course episodes of their show. Think of it as a fishing show crossed with reality TV.

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