Humminbird 997c SI Combo NVB Color Fish Finder and GPS Chartplotter, pre-loaded with Navionics Gold and Hotmaps

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Mitchell 310XE Freshwater Spinning Reel (8 Ball-Bearing, Gear Ratio 5.1:1, Capacity 4/100)

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Take Your Family On An Ice Fishing Trip

Many people who have enjoyed a day’s fishing with their family during the summer have never considered repeating the repeating the experience once the winter has set in and there is ice on the water. Ice fishing can be a different way of enjoying fishing, and it is as much fun for children as regular fishing.

The best thing about ice fishing as a family activity is that it is an opportunity to get outside during the winter, to get a lungful of fresh air, and to play in the snow. Children can never resist building a snowman or getting into a snowball fight, and they will appreciate the opportunity to get out of the house and use up some energy. Ice fishing is a great excuse to get out of the house during the winter, and it also offers an interesting activity to occupy the whole family.

You should set aside a whole day when you organize an ice fishing trip. You will want to reach the ice as soon as you can, even if that means getting the kids up early. The best time to catch perch, for example, is as the sun rises. You will do best if your lines are ready and waiting in the water at sunrise. You will find that is in the early morning and the late afternoon that you will get most activity on the lines, but there will be plenty of other winter activities to occupy the family in between. In fact, this is one of the things that makes ice fishing such an interesting day out for children- they would soon get bored if you expected them to sit and wait for hours at a time.

It is hugely important to bring a good lunch and plenty of snacks with you, because it will be cold and you will be using up a lot of energy. Bring plenty of water to keep everyone hydrated, and a thermos of hot chocolate will be appreciated by the children in the group. You may want to bring tea or coffee for the grown ups, but it is not a good idea to drink to much alcohol as it will cool your body down, and it can also be harder to realize how much you’ve had to drink when you’re outside in the cold. You don’t want to end up too drunk to drive home at the end of the day.

Make sure that everyone dresses warmly, especially the children. Wear multiple layers rather than one big jumper, as the air trapped in between them will help to insulate you. A windproof jacket will keep you cozy despite the cold winter breezes. Some sturdy boots and warm gloves will make all the difference, especially if they are waterproof as you will be getting wet as you fish. A warm hat is vital as you lose a lot of heat from your head, and a pair of sunglasses will protect your eyes from the glare coming off the snow. You should also bring some sunblock to protect your face, even though the children may find the idea of sunblock in snow rather odd.

There are some excellent outfitters who will make sure you have everything you need for your ice fishing trip. This will include a cabin with a stove, some lines and minnows for bait, as well as the essential service of drilling a hole in the ice. If you need any advice to get you started, then they should be able to help you out.

You will need to prevent ice from re-forming across your fishing hole. You will have been given a metal spoon which can be used to do this. Never use antifreeze to keep the hole clear as you would be introducing a toxic substance into the water. You should also make sure that you and your family respect the environment. Don’t leave any waste behind, and be aware that other fishers may value the peace and quiet of ice fishing. Don’t disturb them with loud music or let your children be too loud.

Unless you are going to eat what you catch you should release your fish back into the water. If you catch more than you can eat you should d the same. This is a good way to teach your children to be respectful of the environment and of the need to preserve the fish for the future. Fish are very slow to replace their numbers when there is too much fishing.

The last thing to remember is that you should head for home before anyone gets over-tired. Even if you feel OK you will probably realize how tired you are once you are in the warmth of your car, and you will still have a long drive ahead of you. Everyone will also be looking forward to a good meal, and the children will be ready for bed.

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Okuma Voyager Travel Fishing Kit (100/6)

Amazon.com Product Description

Compact and easy to carry, the Okuma Voyager Travel Kit has everything you need for casual fishing while camping and hiking. The kit includes a six-foot graphite composite rod with a comfortable cork grip, ceramic guide inserts, stainless steel hooded reel seats, a ball bearing drive system, a corrosion-resistant aluminum spool, and a soft-sided carry case.

Rod Specifications:

• Action: L
• Sections: 5
• Line Capacity: 100/6
• Reel Size: 20
• Length: 6’0″

Voyager Travel Kit Features:

• 6’0″ rod and 20 size spinning reel
• Sensitive five-piece composite blank
• Durable ceramic guide inserts
• Stainless steel hooded reel seats
• Ball bearing drive system
• Machine cut brass pinion gear
• One-piece anodized aluminum spool

About Okuma
Starting as so many companies do as a spin off, in 1987 Okuma had humble beginnings as an OEM manufacturer. The founders came with decades of fishing tackle manufacturing experience, and although small, Okuma has always been a different kind of company. Under the leadership of the president and owner Charles Chang, the company has had a vision and a focus. Today Okuma is a driven company with and extremely diverse, loyal and motivated group of employees, agents, and customers. The Okuma focus is a pure and total dedication to development, raising the standards of what they can produce and what is expected, with an eye always to value. Destined to be one of the premier tackle companies in the new millennium, Okuma does not look for inspiration from other manufacturers, instead they find inspiration in fishermen. From the weekend warrior to tournament pros, the company is committed to the needs of fisherman.

Product Description

Okuma Voyager Travel Spinning Pack… just the thing for the trail! Great for travel, camping and backpacking! Take this handy Fishing Kit just about anywhere! Includes 5-Pc. 6′ graphite composite rod teamed-up with a spinning ball bearing reel. And when you’re done fishing, everything packs away in the soft-sided, space-saving carry case! Light, corrosion-resistant aluminum spool. Durable ceramic guides; Comfy cork grip; Stainless steel hooded reel seats. Save on this go-everywhere fishing kit! Order Today! Okuma Voyager Travel Spinning Pack

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Scuba Diving Trips to Cuba

Cuba may be the home of those famous cigars, exciting music and Castro’s beard, but there is much more to this unique island than that. Nature has blessed Cuba with spectacular beauty and the wealth of incredible species and sites which any diving enthusiast longs for. The beaches are the perfect place to relax between dives, or for less adventurous companions to spend their days while you discover some of the best spots under the waves.

A scuba trip to Cuba could bring you to many perfect locations where there are plenty of providers who will loan you equipment and take you out to where you need to be. There are some interesting historical sites which can be visited underwater as well as some unspoiled coral reefs, including Holguin which is so huge that only the only bigger reef is the Great Barrier in Australia. Holguin is also a beautiful dive, with a great range of interesting and colorful species to be found.

There is not a vast amount of accommodation locally, but this does mean that your stay is likely to be quieter than in one of the more tourist focused parts of the island. Another reef where you will find great natural diversity is Cayo Largo, while Cayo Coco is an unspoiled paradise underwater, but unlike Holguin, has some excellent facilities to make your stay comfortable once you get back on land.

If you prefer some human interest in your dive sites, then you should opt for Varadero or the Bay of Pigs. Varadero is fairly close to Cayo Coco, and equals it in beauty, but has the addition of some interesting wrecks of planes and ships that relate to Cuba’s involvement with what was then the USSR. Meanwhile a trip to the Bay of Pigs will combine a great diving experience with a visit to a world-famous site that is linked to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

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Reels For Saltwater Fly Fishing

Choosing the right reel for saltwater fly fishing, as well as the best rod, is essential. The most suitable reels for this type of fishing are single action ones rather than Multipliers. This will please most fishing enthusiasts since Multipliers are more complicated reels and tend to cost more too. The many moving parts in them can often end up creating trouble just when it is most annoying, so using a single action will be cheaper and more convenient as well as better suited to your purpose.

There are two types of reel within the single action range.
A direct drive reel is the most common choice. As you release the line, the spin of the reel handle is backwards. It is much easier to estimate how much line has been released when using this type of reel, and you will also be able to keep track of how much of your line you have retrieved as you start reeling it back in.

The second type of reel is the anti-reverse. This releases the spool of line in a different way. It is designed to prevent you from getting hit by the handle when the line is being pulled out. When you are fishing for large, fast-swimming fish then the force of the handle could cause some serious damage. In a reel of the anti-reverse type the handle remains unmoving as the line is released, preventing any nasty accidents. This is a good choice of reel if you are after stronger, bigger species of fish, while the direct drive is preferable when you don’t need this added safety.

The key to successful saltwater fly fishing is to have a reel with a drag system that works efficiently. If the drag on an anti-reverse type of reel is too light then the line may tend to slip as it is being reeled in. A smooth drag will greatly improve the experience of fishing for fast moving marine fish. Freshwater fish don’t tend to be as strong, or such fast swimmers, therefore it is less important when you are fishing for them.

You can find reels that are designed to be used with a range of different line weights, and which come in different sizes. A larger reel will be able to wind in your line more rapidly, as each time you crank the handle will reel in a longer length of the line. This is particularly useful when you are fishing in saltwater, since you will often be using very long lines, releasing several hundred yards. You can choose a smaller reel if you are not intending to use as much line, for example if you are fishing for trout rather than billfish. The amount of line that you can fit on the reel will depend on the weight of line you are choosing, as heavier lines take up more room.

Saltwater can cause serious corrosion, but reels that have been designed specifically for use in this environment are made out of durable metals and so will be protected against it, to a certain extent. It will still help to prolong the life of your reel if you take good care of it, making sure that it is cleaned after each use. You can do this by scrubbing it with a gentle soap and some warm freshwater, and adding some lubricant as necessary.

A good saltwater reel should be considered as a substantial investment, so it is worth your time to look at a range of different reels before you commit to buying one.

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