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Fishing experiences can range from both the pleasure that comes from catching a fish to the pain and frustration that comes when “the big one” gets away. For every successful fish story you might hear at the boat ramp, there are probably many more tales about anglers left in disbelief as the fish of their dreams breaks their line -- never to be seen again. For those of you fishing for fun, the heartbreak is usually temporary. For those of us who fish for a living, that same heartbreak can also break the bank. One missed fish can be the difference between cashing a paycheck and going broke. That’s why professionals – myself included – make every effort to minimize the chances of this happening to us. First and foremost, we start with our fishing line. Your fishing line is the only connection between you and the fish. Fishing line, as it ages, comes into contact with many things that all work to break it down and make it weaker. The repeated stress and strain of fighting big fish, rubbing on rocks and timber, sunlight, water, even a fish’s teeth can cause your line to become weak and more likely to break the next time you’re fighting that big fish. The best approach is a proactive approach. That’s why I respool my reels after each day of competition. It takes some time and costs some money, but it’s better to spend a few dollars on fishing line than those several thousand because I lost a fish. For those of you who aren’t fishing every day, the best thing to do is carefully examine your line before each trip, look for cuts and abrasions. If your reels have been sitting in the garage for a long time or if they spend a lot of time in the sun, take the time to respool them. If you use colored line, check the colorfastness. If the color has faded, chances are that it is time to respool. I prefer to keep bulk spools for respooling because it helps me save money and time. I keep them closed in a cabinet in a cool, dry place with the date of purchase written on each spool. It is important to store the line away from sunlight and moisture. Today’s technology means has brought us superior fluorocarbon line like Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon and superlines like Berkley Fireline, tools that give anglers the strong, manageable line they need to land big fish. But even the best line can wear down after prolonged use. Whether you fish for fun or for a paycheck, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Respool often and avoid the heartbreak of a lost fish.

The fall season is a great time to catch lots of walleyes, and it’s a great time to catch big walleyes. There are also a lot of outstanding ways to catch walleyes this time of year, but if limited to one presentation, many of the best walleye anglers in the Midwest would choose a jig. Here’s how you can catch more and bigger walleyes on jigs in the next few weeks. Be aware that autumn walleyes can be found in a variety of locations. I’ve caught them on deep sunken islands, shallow windblown points, and in flooded timber. Where you’re fishing for them will dictate what jig to use, and what you should tip the jig with. On shallow windblown points and on the deep sunken islands, a Fire-Ball jig is tough to beat. It has a short-shank, wide gap hook that really increases your odds of getting a good hook set. It’s a great live bait jig. The only difference in the jig being used in the shallows versus the deeper structure is the weight of the jig. In the shallows, an eighth ounce head would be good, but a sixteenth ounce size would probably be better. In deep water, a quarter ounce jig or heavier would be best. You want to maintain good contact with the bottom. If you’re using live bait on the jig, it’s really hard to beat a redtail chub. Walleyes and smallmouth and just about everything else really like redtails. Redtails are hardy minnows, but the livelier they are, the better they’ll be. They’ll keep best in an aerated container. The Frabill 1404 container is my favorite. It’s quiet, but keeps the bait lively. Minnows are a good choice for tipping jigs with, but more and more, soft bait is gaining favor. In many situations, soft bait will catch more walleyes. You can work soft bait faster, and you can catch several fish per bait.

Feathers…. A Good Choice!! I was recently asked to write an article explaining why I choose to use feathers as opposed to plastic vanes. To be honest, the first reason is the fact that I am a bit of a traditionalist, and frankly, feathers were good enough for my ancestors in the past, so they are good enough for me. But, to be more specific and technically minded, test have proven that feathers just work better. Oh! By the way…They look better too!! To begin, feathers are faster than plastic vanes. In the Dec/Jan 1992 Issue of BOWHUNTER MAGAZINE, Easton arrows reported that feathers were faster up to the distance of 41 yards and were equal in speed to plastic vanes at 61 yards. Feathers weigh as much as 1/7 as much as plastic vanes and that translates to less mass to accelerate. Simply stated, if you were to remove 40 grains of weight from the total arrow weight, you will increase speed due to the lighter arrow. In addition, feathers travel over the arrow rest better due to the fact that feathers are able to collapse while sliding over the rest and therefore are able to contribute to stability of the arrow at this point of the shot. Because plastic vanes are rigid from the arrow to the top of the vane, they tend to "bounce" the arrow when coming in contact with an object and cause the arrow to "yaw." Needless to say, any movement in the rear of the arrow will serve to both slow the arrow and cause the arrow to fly in a different manner than was intended. Further, feathers provide better guidance for the arrow due to the slightly rough surface of the feather. When an arrow begins to fly from side-to-side- or "yaw", feathers are able to stabilize the arrow more quickly due to these rough edges working in unison on all sides. With vanes and their smooth sides, one vane causes the arrow to correct until the other vane is in position to correct and so on, so vanes take longer to correct arrow flight because each vane acts independently. Weather also plays a role in my shooting, and the most common weather factor I face is fluxuation in temperature. It is true that vanes handle water and snow better than untreated feathers, but with the waterproof additives available today, this point has been handled. The fact of the matter is that vanes act differently as the temperature changes and therefore cause inconsistency in arrow flight. Feathers are much more consistent in this area. Many people say that feathers aren’t the way to go with today’s faster, more advanced bows, but I would again choose to differ. With the speed of today’s bow, I think the improved clearance issues and advantages in guidance are even more important because there is less time for the arrow to correct itself before reaching the intended target. And, if you are using the technology of today for increased speeds, why would you add the extra weight to the back of the arrow? Which brings me to another point. Front of Center balance is a very important aspect of accuracy. Basically, the more the better is the rule with FOC (as with anything, too much can be bad). In windy conditions and over longer ranges, FOC is a major contributor to desired arrow flight. With this in mind it is again obvious that the added weight to the back of the arrow using plastic vanes is an oversight. Finally, In my opinion, you can’t beat the look of feathers on an arrow. Currently, I am using Gateway feathers (an Arizona based company) and they offer a great variety of colors and styles to fit nearly every need. Feathers also come in a variety of lengths and shapes to fit your desire. For more information or tips concerning the use of feathers, visit www.gatewayfeathers.com. They also provide an interactive "Build an Arrow" page for enjoyment and help in deciding on colors and styles. Of course I expect some people to disagree with my opinions, and I accept that. Nothing is right for everyone and some people are able to get better results using plastic vanes for their shooting. However, I would encourage everyone to try feathers and see for themselves if feathers are indeed…. A Good Choice.

40 yards Shooting 3-D archery is probably the best bow-hunting practice you can do. Shot opportunities at big game, during the hunting season are few, if any, leaving little or no chance to improve your bow-hunting shooting skills. Shooting 3-D targets under hunting conditions with the pressures of your peers looking on will allow you to become a better bow shot during the hunting season. This doesn’t mean winning tournaments. Gaining confidence in your bow-hunting equipment is more beneficial than pure tack driving accuracy. This is a time to improve your shooting skills, and hone your ability to estimate yardage effectively, which is the whole business of field accuracy. Long awaited big game tags that come to you, are treasures that can offer hunts of a lifetime. Prepare. I am not an advocate of shooting long range shots at critters. But, I believe that practicing shooting at 40 yards is beneficial to maximize your effective shooting range. Sighting in at 40 yards at the target butts is not enough. Clearly understanding the trajectory of your arrow will help you in your field success. Most hunting bow sights have multiple pins; some have pins for 60 yards. Shooting at these longer distances is difficult at best. Shots at big game animals are hard earned, knowing your effective range with your set-up will allow you to make a difficult decision easier. When determining your effective range use these simple guidelines: 10 yards -----1 to 2 inch groups 20 yards ----- 3 inch groups 30 yards ----- 4 inch groups 40 yards ----- 5 inch groups Once these skills are honed, practice range estimation. The real skill in estimating range is doing it accurately and quickly. Laser range finders offer an efficient solution to this problem. It is bow hunting money well spent. It is very important to pick 20-yard reference points in a flash. Once you’ve found 20 yards, it is easy to come up with a quick, and usually surprisingly accurate, estimate out to about 40 yards. 40 yard shots at critters in open country look like 30 yards. When faced with a 3-D target at this distance, embrace the opportunity to learn where you stand with your skills. If you fall short, don’t be embarrassed, crack shots with specialized 3-D gear have trouble too. Focus on maximizing your hunting skills by adapting your 3-D shooting to fit your goals. Keep things simple and in perspective. If your effective range is 40 yards or more, than by all means take that hard earned shot. But know what your effective range is and hunt accordingly, it will help you hunt like a bow-hunting machine.

Aiming • Aiming • Aiming There is no trick that I know of to help steady a bow while aiming other than shooting with confidence and self-assurance. Only after all of the basic fundamentals in form and technique does the subject of precise aiming come into play. Sufficient strength is needed to hold your bow steady, and aim at a specific target. The aiming part of your game should be ingrained in your mind and should be automatic. Do not put too much energy into aiming. As you raise your bow, you will be looking at your target; it won’t take long to find the middle. While you are there in the middle of the bulls-eye, you will be floating in and out. Concentrate on shot execution as your pin floats in and out of the middle. You cannot stop the pin from moving. This is where the strength issue comes in to play. You will need time to hold on target for 7-9 seconds for maximum accuracy. The pin will come back to the middle, time and time again. After about 7-9 seconds, concentration deteriorates and the shot process begins to break down. LET DOWN and try again! Free your mind from the task of aiming. Accuracy Aiming Tips: 1. Relaxation – relax your body and mind. Very important. 2. Do not be over-bowed (too much poundage); be able to hold your bow steady for 7-9 seconds. 3. Stable platform also helps– proper foot position, good ankle support, even weight distribution all play a role. 4. Use optics – know exactly where the middle is located on the target. Exactly. 5. Center your pin guard or pin in the peep. Check your bubble. 6. Do not force your pin on the target. Float your pin in the middle and allow it to freely float around. You will time and time again float back into the middle. You can not stop the pin from moving. 7. Do not think about aiming. 8. Do not think about where the arrow is going. 9. Continue aiming after the shot. 10. Practice shooting at dots; increase the size of the dot as you increase yardage so the dot stays proportionately the same size. Most archers have an aiming process. Some archers raise their pin; others may lower their pin to the bulls-eye or come in from the right or left side. Personally, I raise my pin from below the bulls-eye. I do not start concentrating on the release until I am floating in the middle. Keep in mind that the best exercise for shooting a bow is…shooting a bow. Accurate aiming should be an effortless skill. Keep practicing, be patient and you will profit.

ARE YOU LEFT OR RIGHT EYE DOMINANT? That is the eye in that you will naturally use to focus at the target. How do you determine this? Easy. Follow the steps below. 1. Make a triangle aperture with both of your hands by overlapping your thumbs and the top of your fingers. 2. Extend your arms toward your target. 3. Look through the triangle aperture at the target. 4. Keep your triangle aperture small enough so that only one eye can look through it up close. 5. Keep both eyes open. 6. Move your hands back to your face; still looking at the target through the aperture made by your hands. Whichever eye your hands move towards is your dominant eye. 7. Double check by holding the triangle at arms distance again and closing your non dominate eye. The target will remain centered in the opening. Note: Right eye dominant people will find it easier to shoot right handed and vice-versa. Thus right eye dominates should shoot right-handed bows and all related equipment such as sights, triggers, etc.

Arrows Now that you have chosen a bow you're ready find arrows to fit it. There are many different types of arrows but the basics are Cedar shafts, Carbon or Aluminum. The first thing you need to do is select an arrow shaft spine that is appropriate to the draw length and weight of your bow. Any bow shop can help you with this decision. Determine what your primary usage of the bow will be, target shooting, hunting, or maybe both. Cedar shafts are generally used for traditional or recurve bows, definitely not a compound. Carbon and Aluminum can also be used with either a stick or recurve bow as long as the spine is appropriate. All the people I know shooting a traditional bows tend to use the Cedar shafts but I do know a few that have chosen aluminum to shoot with their recurve. A good consideration for a compound would be either carbon or aluminum. Depending on you goal, carbons are more durable, and lighter resulting in a flatter trajectory. Aluminum's are typically a bit less expensive and a little heavier in weight. Carbons might be used for long distance shooting and aluminum’s for slightly higher kinetic energy but in hunting or target shooting, either arrow will do fine. In any case, a properly tuned arrow will work. Carbon arrows are more expensive, but will generally take more beating than aluminum with a direct hit on the field point, carbons do not take much abuse to a hit or slap on the side, they tend to break. Aluminum's are a little cheaper but instead of breaking they bend and in turn have to be straightened, without an arrow straightener each arrow cost money to straighten and adds cost to the initial purchase of the arrows. Carbon vs. Aluminum is a debate that that has been and will be around for a long time and everyone has their own reason for making their choice in arrows. Both do a good job but in the begging a new archer may want to look at an inexpensive arrow because you will tend to miss a target or two until you get the hang of it.

Bows There are many different bow manufactures on the market today, all are reliable and offer great bows. Depending on your desire of the sport you should start by selecting the type of bow you feel you are going to shoot, a traditional bow, a recurve, or a compound bow. The first step is to determine eye dominance. There is a very simple one minute test that will determine your eye dominance and any archery shop can assist you in this test. A right-handed person is not always right eye dominant. If you are right handed and left eye dominant you can still shoot a right handed bow you will just need to close your left eye in order to view your sight properly and the same goes for a right eye dominant person shooting left handed. The next thing to be considered is the draw length of the bow and its draw weight. This is another one of those things that a local archery shop will help you with, it is important to have your draw length determined by an experienced professional. Whether you shoot a compound or recurve, your draw length is critical information to know before you proceed to purchase a bow. Eye dominance, draw length and draw weight can all be determined in about 30 minutes during one trip to an archery shop. Select a bow that has a comfortable draw weight for you. Don't make the mistake of getting an over powered bow with hopes of growing into it. Most compound bows and some recurve bows have a draw weight adjustment of about 10 lbs so you may choose to get one that can be adjusted down to you draw weight and then adjust the weight up as your muscle tone increases. An overpowered bow will result in bad shooting form along with bad habits that will be hard to break in the future. In order to determine what draw weight is comfortable for you allow yourself to shoot many different bows set at different draw weights. Consider how the bow feels to you, the grip, bow vibration, actual weight of bow, noise etc., all things being equal, the individual "feel" of the bow will make a major difference in the way you shoot it. Once you know which eye is dominant, your draw length and have decided on a comfortable draw weight you are ready to start shopping for a bow. Visit many different bow shops to determine what bow you are really happy with. Different archery shops carry and cater to different bow manufactures, you owe it to yourself to try as many different brands as you can. If considering a traditional bow, or a recurve bow, for an adult male a bow within a 50 to 60 pound max range is usually more than enough to do a good job and not too much for one to handle. A compound bow consideration might be a 60 – 70 pound range for an adult male. Generally speaking, if you can handle a recurve of a certain weight, your compound should not be more than 10 pounds more weight than a recurve due to the let off that is part of the design of a compound bow. If you have a 50 lb. Recurve you draw and hold 50 lbs., if you have a 50 lb. compound you will draw 50 lbs. but once you get it past the break point you will only hold 15 to 20 lbs. Depending on what percentage of let off. If you are considering a compound bow, you should look for one with a higher brace height (the distance from the string to the riser or handle of the bow) and longer axle length (the distance from the center of each wheel or cam). Bows of this nature tend not to exaggerate shooting form errors quite as much as the shorter brace height and axle length bows. For a new archer they are more forgiving which makes them a better place to start.

General Tips * Always check your bow every-so-often to make sure it is properly tuned and that the arrow is flying right. This may be troubling for some. but it will put a smile on your face when that arrow flies true during the season. * Numbering your arrows is an easy way to identify a flawed arrow. Often in practice you will find that one of your arrows in each set is slightly out of your group. If your arrows are numbered its easy to identify if its the same number each time that's out of the group. You know then its time to set that one aside for tuning later. * Concentration is a very important part of any shot. Whether your hunting or shooting 3-D you need concentration to make the best shot. To build concentration when practicing do not shoot bunchs of arrows at a time. Shoot fewer arrows maybe 3 to 5 on some days with breaks in between and try to make each shot your best. Each time you do this try to make your groups tighter or your scores higher. On some days you may even go as far as only shooting one arrow. These exercises will train you to regain your concentration at will or focus most when you really need to. * When you practice shoot from farther distances. If you can hit your target consistently at longer distances it builds confidence and keeps your form in check. At longer distances flaws in form really show up. Please don't misinterpret my comments as saying it is alright to take longer shots at game. Only you know where your comfort zone is and we must all stay within them. * This may sound obvious but you must start any endeavor with straight arrows. Just because you buy new arrows this does not guarantee they are straight. They are handled many times before they actually go on your string. While your checking for straightness you should also check for balance. If your arrow doesn't balance on a spin tester just think of what the wobble will do to it while it's in the air. Remember the key to good shooting is consistency. I'm not just talking about hitting the target, I mean shooting form, anchor point, pre shot routine and a consistent release, fingers or release aid. You can't group arrows that aren't consistent in weight, and balance perfectly. It's good to check your arrows periodically. Sometimes when pulling arrows from a target we can bend them just by not pulling them out straight. I have my spin tester with me at every practice session. Numerous times I've checked my arrows or a friends who wasn't grouping as tight as usual and found a flawed arrow. If after checking your arrows and they are all straight and balance and your still not hitting the mark, at least you've ruled out one possibility.