J.H.'s Fishing Wharf

Types of fish:

Bass, Sun Perch, Bluegill, Panfish and Crappie:
Smallmouth or largemouth bass are the most common type of freshwater gamefish and can be found in most freshwater inland bodies of water. Bass are easily caught using just a plane old hook and worm in the summer months. For fish like crappie, panfish and sun perch you may use a light tackle, a 4lb line and hook sizes ten or twelve. Small insects such as crickets, red worms or mealworms will do well as bait for panfish. And keep in mind that your chances are better for catching fish where there is plenty of cover (i.e. trees, submerged bushes, underwater shelves etc.), especially if you are fishing without a boat.

Catfish:
Catfish are among the most common freshwater fish and can be found in most freshwater bodies such as lakes, ponds or rivers. The best time to catch Catfish is in the spring or summer. However catfish may still be found in some holes at the bottom of a lake, pond, river etc in the winter. Catfish are known to eat just about anything that is small enough for them to swallow, ranging from worms to garlic and cheese. If you want to catch catfish you should be using at least a medium action rod, 12lb test line, fishing hook sizes 2 to 4 and a 1 ounce weight. And be careful of the spines on the lower forward fins and the top fin when handling catfish as they can be very sharp.

Carp:
Freshwater carp can grow very big and can be found in almost all lakes or rivers. Carp have been considered undesirable fish for many years in America, and therefore they are often tossed away or thrown back into the water. However, carp is delicious and is often steamed, boiled or broiled with spices and seasonings. Remember that carp have a lot of bones so it is often best to steam them in order to soften up the bones. Carp is easily caught with small treble hooks and dough type baits with garlic flavoring, but keep in mind that they can get very big so use at least a 12lb test line.

Miscellaneous:

There are many other creatures to be found in rivers, lakes and ponds besides bass, carp or catfish. Crawfish, for instance, can sometimes be caught very quickly by hand or by the bucket-load in some shallow ponds and streams. Some have even built small cages from wire mesh with opening and closing doors and bait such as chunks of dead fish or chicken inside. Crawfish make for a delicious meal, you should boil them in seasoned or salted water and afterwards you remove the tail from the rest of the body and peel the shell off it.

Various techniques:

Catfish and carp are often found close to the edges of bodies of water in spawning times. This gives you a god opportunity to catch them by hand, provided you are fast enough. Alternately you can fashion a spear by tying a knife to a pole or use a fishing net.

For those living in populated areas, and have few other options, you may want to observe other people fishing to see how an what they do. Chances are, they may also let you have fish that they've rejected if you ask them for it. For those living in, or visiting, less populated areas keep in mind that lakes, ponds etc tend to have most game early in the morning, noon and also early in the evening. You'll find many great opportunities for catching game in the more secluded ponds.

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