When you get a chance to fish, the temptation exists to visit a spot popular among other anglers, or where you’ve experienced success in the past. Understandable. But if you really want to up your game, change things up and try an all new stretch of water. This approach will not only make the outing more challenging, it’s also a wonderful way to discover new hot spots. When fishing “virgin” water, you’ll find yourself more alert, and braving the odds created by an unfamiliar setting adds an exciting wrinkle to the experience. Exploration and discovery is at the heart of fishing, and you won’t be a truly capable angler until you can find and catch fish in areas you’ve never visited before.

For many anglers, wind is the most hated impediment to a good day on the water. A brisk breeze can make for a choppy surface, creates a challenge when casting and can literally ruin any chance at sight fishing in shallow water. What’s often overlooked is the fact that fish go right on feeding despite a ruffled surface. To catch them, simply adjust. Provided the wind in question is not at dangerous levels, simply fish the leeward (downwind) side of whatever structure you can find, switch to slightly larger (spin cast) or smaller (fly) presentations, keep your presentations lively so they stand out and fish with the confidence that game fish can see items below or on the surface a lot better than you can see through it.

Lures that tend to tumble or spin when cast or retrieved (jigs, softbaits, etc) can put a lot of unwanted twist in your line, which in turn leads to tangles, birds-nests, and lots of colorful language. Using a swivel (the smallest version possible for a stealthy profile) when attaching your leader line will minimize the problem. But if your line does end up all kinked and springy, here’s the cure: simply snip off the lure and feed line from your reel while your boat is underway. Feed out about 75 yards of line, let is unwind for a minute or so, then reel it back in. If you’re land-bound, try tying your line to a fixed object, feed line from the reel as you walk away, untie the line and “snap” the rod as you refill the spool to work out the kinks. Voila: straightened, smoother-casting line.