Alaska Fisheries Board

Archive for October, 2011

Growing up in a fishing family, I learned early on how to create my own fishing gear. Yes, I used the snoopy fishing pole, but I never saw anybody in my family pay for a single fly or a single lure. Everything was homemade from scratch, and it literally saved us hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the past 30 years or more.

However, not everybody knows how to do it or can consider the cost difference. The fact is that if you want to tie your own flies, your best investment is if you are actually a dedicated fisherman and you actually want to take the time. There is equipment to buy in the beginning to stabilize your flies as you run the string around and around to get it right. You have to learn the best techniques to get better looking flies that are more attractive to the fish, and chances are, it won’t be perfect your first time around.

Over time though, not only could you save money on flies and gear, you could actually end up making money by selling to fly shops and online if you know how to do a good job. You make more money if you can find cheap deals on feathers, foam, and other important materials, but that’s for the more serious without question.

The simplest floaters can be something as simple as a twig tied to your line, though some prefer corks or certain types of foam. You could make a floater from a corn cob that you bring as part of your lunch.

While flies have become more of an art for some, there are tutorials online on how exactly to tie your own flies, and some have even started to build their own fishing rods. However, how far you go with all of this depends entirely on you and how invested you are in a regular fishing experience.

In the spirit of the moment and in light of Steve Jobs’ passing, we figured it would be the right time to go over some of the best fishing apps that can help you to find the right spots, know your fish, and be better at fishing on the iPhone. Some are games, some are more informational, and all tend to be made for amateurs and experienced fishermen alike.

Orvis Fly Fishing

Orvis is one of the bigger and older fishing companies, they know what they are doing when it comes to fishing. It gives you animated videos of everything from knots to basic fly casts to common casting mistakes. You have to pay $24.99 for it, but there’s a fair enough chance that it might actually be worth it. However, you do get a $10 gift certificate.

Animated Fishing Knots

It gives you exactly what the name suggests: animated pictures of fishing knots, how to tie them, etc. It’s basic information, and it only costs you $0.99. For what it provides, a lot of fisherman and amateurs believe that it is worth every single penny.

Flick Fishing

It’s a way of fishing on your phone. It gives you 7 fishing locations, 9 baits and tackle, 12 tournaments, and dozens of fish, both common and unique. This sells for just $0.99 on your iPhone or iTunes, and considering the fact that there have been something like 2.5 million downloads, makers have done something right.

Navionics 5.0

Considered to be the world’s best-selling marine chart, this sells for $14.99 on your iPad, iPhone, or iTunes account. It gives you a very basic navigation chart in your phone, and you can download new charts as you go if you want.