Some Very Good (and helpful) Links and Sites to Visit
Helpful Fishing Tool Links First
Topological Maps-
A good source for FREE, printable Topo maps can be found here courtesy of the Digital Map Store. Besides being free it will let you zoom in to any place in North America and provide you with street maps, aerial maps, topo maps or even a great looking hybrid map. You have full control of what you want to print out as well. Worth checking out. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Another good source for a quality Topo map is provided courtesy of the good folks at the USGS Store. Now this one is a little more difficult to use but still fairly easy and self explanatory. The good part is you can either order the maps from them or just download them to your hard drive and either see it, use it or print it. And downloading them is FREE! Click HERE to open page in a new window.
A similar but different site that also provides all of the above is provided by Terraserver Imagery. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
All right! You have your map or bought a lake contour map and are confused about what you're looking at? I have been often and it took me awhile to figure out just how to read one of those things. I was going to make an article explaining it but the fellas at The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide have already done a great job of doing so. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
For a MUCH more detailed guide that will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about maps,navigating,route planning,reading a topo map, etc... there is an excellent FREE EBook available online to you. It is extremely informative but stays interesting due to how well it is written. If you're not a pro at map reading and navigating then this is the site to learn. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
A good source for FREE, printable Topo maps can be found here courtesy of the Digital Map Store. Besides being free it will let you zoom in to any place in North America and provide you with street maps, aerial maps, topo maps or even a great looking hybrid map. You have full control of what you want to print out as well. Worth checking out. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Another good source for a quality Topo map is provided courtesy of the good folks at the USGS Store. Now this one is a little more difficult to use but still fairly easy and self explanatory. The good part is you can either order the maps from them or just download them to your hard drive and either see it, use it or print it. And downloading them is FREE! Click HERE to open page in a new window.
A similar but different site that also provides all of the above is provided by Terraserver Imagery. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
All right! You have your map or bought a lake contour map and are confused about what you're looking at? I have been often and it took me awhile to figure out just how to read one of those things. I was going to make an article explaining it but the fellas at The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide have already done a great job of doing so. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
For a MUCH more detailed guide that will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about maps,navigating,route planning,reading a topo map, etc... there is an excellent FREE EBook available online to you. It is extremely informative but stays interesting due to how well it is written. If you're not a pro at map reading and navigating then this is the site to learn. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Tide Tables and Charts-
Need to know when the tide is running? Very important info for the dedicated salt water angler to have. I know. Just check the paper or go online, right? Well what you usually get is high tide is 11:53am while low tide is at 5:53 pm at Aransas Pass, Tx. But you are gonna be in a boat fishing the islands around Corpus Christi and can't find out the tides closer than that? Well it's 1:00 now so what will the tide be at when you get to your favorite pass? Make your best guess or check out my Tide table I have made courtesy of Tide Tables.com. I have included 5 tables of the Gulf coast for you but you can search for tides anywhere. You can get charts,tables, for whenever, however long you want to look ahead, by the hour if you want. And they are all printable as well. It even includes awesome real color base relief images of the places you pick and did I mention that this is all FREE? So check them out and you will be awed and amazed!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Fish Identification and Information-
Caught something and can't recognize what it is? Throw it back quick! No seriously folks you can go to this link at Fishbase.org and there you stand a very good chance at identifying your fish. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Now you know what you have you want to know more about it? Well a good site that I use to find out general info is at Land big fish.com and provides a good bit of info about most commonly caught fish. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Best Fishing times calculator-
This is the best free site I've found to use for figuring out the best days of the month, as well as best times of the day to fish. That is if you believe in the solumnar tables and other almanac information. I have found that it is a great guide for best feeding times on any particular day. But I haven't seen it do so well picking out the best days to fish. I have proved them wrong too many times to buy into that. I still say the best day to fish is any day you can get on the water. That having been said I am providing you this great link as it is one of the best, easiest to use and as accurate as any out there. And best of all, it's free!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Fish Weight Calculator-
Went fishing at Grand Isle, La. last weekend and casting for trout caught a big tarpon? Or were fishing with cut bait for cats and hooked a big Striper? Did the modern angler thing (or just didn't wanna clean it) and put it back? Musta weighed at least 30 lbs, huh? What, and you forgot the camera too didn't you? Wanna know what it really weighed? Been there, done that! Well I found lots of calculators but they were mostly geared towards Bass. Well thanks to the folks at Fish Dreams.com you can now find the weight for most all species of fish. They'll even do it for you. All you hafta do is plug in the numbers. When I tried it on a big redfish it was within 4 ozs.
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Calories Burned Calculator-
Wife or doctor complaining that you don't get enuff exercise? No ammo to argue with? Or are you just making sure that you don't succumb to that dreaded lap over disease? Well I included this site because it is very specific in letting you know exactly how many calories you burned whether it was walking the bank casting, sitting on the ice fishing or riding in that new $20,000 Nitro of yours. Check it out.
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Net Making and Repair-
Always wanted to make your own net but didn't know where to start? Or you have a net and don't know how to mend it? I ran into this problem and tried knotting it closed myself and that was a disaster. Then I went online and had a LOT of fun trying to find info I could follow and understand. You'll probably get a smile from this but the best and easiest site I found to help me was at Rustic Girls.com. Yeah I know, but it's really good info!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Need to know when the tide is running? Very important info for the dedicated salt water angler to have. I know. Just check the paper or go online, right? Well what you usually get is high tide is 11:53am while low tide is at 5:53 pm at Aransas Pass, Tx. But you are gonna be in a boat fishing the islands around Corpus Christi and can't find out the tides closer than that? Well it's 1:00 now so what will the tide be at when you get to your favorite pass? Make your best guess or check out my Tide table I have made courtesy of Tide Tables.com. I have included 5 tables of the Gulf coast for you but you can search for tides anywhere. You can get charts,tables, for whenever, however long you want to look ahead, by the hour if you want. And they are all printable as well. It even includes awesome real color base relief images of the places you pick and did I mention that this is all FREE? So check them out and you will be awed and amazed!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Fish Identification and Information-
Caught something and can't recognize what it is? Throw it back quick! No seriously folks you can go to this link at Fishbase.org and there you stand a very good chance at identifying your fish. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Now you know what you have you want to know more about it? Well a good site that I use to find out general info is at Land big fish.com and provides a good bit of info about most commonly caught fish. Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Best Fishing times calculator-
This is the best free site I've found to use for figuring out the best days of the month, as well as best times of the day to fish. That is if you believe in the solumnar tables and other almanac information. I have found that it is a great guide for best feeding times on any particular day. But I haven't seen it do so well picking out the best days to fish. I have proved them wrong too many times to buy into that. I still say the best day to fish is any day you can get on the water. That having been said I am providing you this great link as it is one of the best, easiest to use and as accurate as any out there. And best of all, it's free!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Fish Weight Calculator-
Went fishing at Grand Isle, La. last weekend and casting for trout caught a big tarpon? Or were fishing with cut bait for cats and hooked a big Striper? Did the modern angler thing (or just didn't wanna clean it) and put it back? Musta weighed at least 30 lbs, huh? What, and you forgot the camera too didn't you? Wanna know what it really weighed? Been there, done that! Well I found lots of calculators but they were mostly geared towards Bass. Well thanks to the folks at Fish Dreams.com you can now find the weight for most all species of fish. They'll even do it for you. All you hafta do is plug in the numbers. When I tried it on a big redfish it was within 4 ozs.
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Calories Burned Calculator-
Wife or doctor complaining that you don't get enuff exercise? No ammo to argue with? Or are you just making sure that you don't succumb to that dreaded lap over disease? Well I included this site because it is very specific in letting you know exactly how many calories you burned whether it was walking the bank casting, sitting on the ice fishing or riding in that new $20,000 Nitro of yours. Check it out.
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Net Making and Repair-
Always wanted to make your own net but didn't know where to start? Or you have a net and don't know how to mend it? I ran into this problem and tried knotting it closed myself and that was a disaster. Then I went online and had a LOT of fun trying to find info I could follow and understand. You'll probably get a smile from this but the best and easiest site I found to help me was at Rustic Girls.com. Yeah I know, but it's really good info!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Helpful and Interesting Sites For The Sportsman
Public Fishing Ramps-
I don't know about most of you folks but I am often frustrated when I want to go check out a new fishing spot and can't find a place to put in at! I've wasted a lot of time driving around and asking directions over the years and now I don't have to. There are some good resources available on the net and I am gonna list one for you here to go to if you're anywhere on the gulf coast. This service is provided free courtesy of the folks at the Coastal Travel Guide and is a great resource!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
Duct Tape! It's Many and Varied Uses-
This first site is mostly just for fun, HOWEVER, you may find some of their selections useful. If not it does make for entertaining reading!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
This next one is also entertaining and fun and he got a LOT more ingenious with it's uses. Check it out!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
From the folks at Reader's Digest I've included this little jewel with real and actually quite useful ideas for our favorite Grey wrap!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
From the makers of Duck brand duct tape we have this excellent site to use for reference as well as enjoy. I especially liked the one about taping a flopping fish into the canoe. Interesting.....
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
And last but certainly NOT least, no section on duct tape would be complete without a link to these guys! Check it out...
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide-
This site is the best site I have found to date for info on just about anything to do with bass fishing. I hope one day to build this site to be something like theirs. Envy aside I include it here for your enjoyment and use.
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
The Wild Survive Community-
A very entertaining and informative site that is well designed and has a wealth of information for any outdoorsman.It includes everything from outdoor stories to how-to's on many different subjects. Designed around the outdoormans needs this site is VERY useful for all of us.
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
The Fish Finder Community-
While still relatively young and building the Fish Finder community is rapidly growing. With the help of new members we can make this an excellent site to be proud to belong to. It is already set up quite well and contains so many useful tools to record our trips and info for ourselves and others to enjoy. You can map out your trips in 3D and show your favorite spots(or not) to everyone and has data for most fresh and saltwater species. I belong to MS Fish Finders(Bassprochuck) but the sites are set up for all 50 states. A complete listing with links can be found here at the NY fish finder site.
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
This first site is mostly just for fun, HOWEVER, you may find some of their selections useful. If not it does make for entertaining reading!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
This next one is also entertaining and fun and he got a LOT more ingenious with it's uses. Check it out!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
From the folks at Reader's Digest I've included this little jewel with real and actually quite useful ideas for our favorite Grey wrap!
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
From the makers of Duck brand duct tape we have this excellent site to use for reference as well as enjoy. I especially liked the one about taping a flopping fish into the canoe. Interesting.....
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
And last but certainly NOT least, no section on duct tape would be complete without a link to these guys! Check it out...
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide-
This site is the best site I have found to date for info on just about anything to do with bass fishing. I hope one day to build this site to be something like theirs. Envy aside I include it here for your enjoyment and use.
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
The Wild Survive Community-
A very entertaining and informative site that is well designed and has a wealth of information for any outdoorsman.It includes everything from outdoor stories to how-to's on many different subjects. Designed around the outdoormans needs this site is VERY useful for all of us.
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
The Fish Finder Community-
While still relatively young and building the Fish Finder community is rapidly growing. With the help of new members we can make this an excellent site to be proud to belong to. It is already set up quite well and contains so many useful tools to record our trips and info for ourselves and others to enjoy. You can map out your trips in 3D and show your favorite spots(or not) to everyone and has data for most fresh and saltwater species. I belong to MS Fish Finders(Bassprochuck) but the sites are set up for all 50 states. A complete listing with links can be found here at the NY fish finder site.
Click HERE to open page in a new window.
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