The Management Consulting Group

The true Angler Fish lives in both shallow and deep water and there is regularly confusion over their identity as either Angler Fish or Monkfish. It is more a case that there is more than one variety of both and at some point the two species cross over. Some Angler Fish can legitimately be called Monkfish and vice versa, but then again, there are some Monkfish (although equally entitled to the name) which are actually from the Shark family. To go into that further would involve getting into the Latin names of the species which I’m not going to do here!

It is not the sort of fish that most people target but more the type that you would happen upon by accident when fishing for Flatties. They’re prefered habitat is a sandy/mud seabed but gravel or shell beds also offer much of an attraction where they eat anything in their path, especially smaller fish and shellfish. Their enormous mouths are adorned with large, extremely sharp and backwards facing teeth and they even have teeth in their throats so as to stop their prey from escaping until it has been safely swallowed.

It is, therefore, advisable to use a wire rig when targeting Angler Fish!

A good rig to use would be the standard paternoster or flapper rig with a grip lead as an anchor on the bottom and a flowing hook trace of about 3-4 feet. This allows the bait to move freely and naturally just above the seabed giving a great presentation and covering a wider area. Good baits to try would be baitfish such as Launce, Sandeel or a strip of Mackerel, Shellfish or Squid. Use a strong forged hook.

Scotland is a good place for Angler Fish including marks such as the islands of the Firth of Forth and the Summer Isles. Also, the offshore reefs around Wales, many areas within the Irish Channel and around the Isle of Man, and the northern and southern coasts of Devon and Cornwall.

If you catch an Angler Fish, it is advised that you operate a catch and release system as the Angler Fish has been suffering from a certain amount of overfishing due to its lovely flavour. Although it is only the tail of this fish which can be eaten the taste has been likened to lobster and they are sometimes used as mock scampi. We would definitely recommend that you release any Angler Fish to fight another day!

SeaFishingSupplies.co.uk is a secure online tackle shop specific to UK sea fishing. Our shop is VAT Free and delivery starts from 99p. http://www.SeaFishingSupplies.co.uk

Are You Holding Your Mouth Right To Catch More Fish?

My young stepson and I was fishing at Rush Creek and using the same rod and reel, line and lure. Everything was exactly the same, the problem was I had caught about a dozen bass and he hadn’t caught any and we were only standing about 10 feet apart.

He finally asked me why I was catching all the fish and he wasn’t. I said “Well John, you’re not holding your mouth right”. He said “How am I suppose to Hold it?”. I said “like this”. I made some strange face and had my lip stuck out and my face all messed up. So, I looked over and seen him trying to mimic the face I made and just fishing away.

I never thought any more about it. About 2 months later, he went up to the mountains of California and was fishing for trout at his grandparent’s cabin. He was standing by the stream and his grandfather came along to check on him. His grandfather kept watching and talking to him and finally said “John is there something wrong with your face? Are you sick?”.

So John explained I had told him to make his face like that to catch more fish. His grandfather tried not to laugh and went on his way to tell John’s grandmother who told my wife and it got back to me.

I haven’t seen John in some time now due to his mother and me splitting up about 20 years ago but I will always have pleasant thoughts of him as my fishing buddy and him holding his mouth right to catch more fish.

Charles E. White has fished for bass for almost 50 years. He has fished from
Florida to California and has caught more than 6,000 bass in his lifetime. His
biggest bass is 12 pounds 14 ounces.

Charles has owned two tackle stores in his lifetime and taught dozens of people to fish for bass.

He now resides in Ohio.

Charles is webmaster for: www.bassfishingweekly.com

Fly fishing is all about finding a great location, preferably in the middle of a hatch. The Green River in Utah was one such place, but is it still?

The Secret Is Out

No less than five years ago, it seemed like you head to the Green River and see few others along your little stretch of paradise. These days, it seems like a freeway.

The Green River starts at Flaming Gorge in the far Northeast of Utah. It then winds down through the Dinosaur National Monument area before passing through the deserts of central Utah and eventually flows into the Colorado River. The best fishing is around Flaming Gorge where the scenery and water make for a great trip.

Perhaps it is just me, but this area of the river must have been highlighted in more than a few magazines. There are all manner of people on the river and jet skis aren’t unheard of. Admittedly, there has always been white water rafting groups in sections, but nothing like this. Kayakers and so on seem to be flourishing like mad. If there had been a few more boats on the river, you would’ve needed a traffic cop!

Now don’t get me wrong. The river is for everyone. It is just a bummer when a little known spot becomes a hot spot. Sort of a case of paradise lost.

While the river is certainly more busy, the fish still seem to be biting. Browns and Rainbows are the catch of the day.

Perhaps I was just there on a bad day. The Green River is so nice that even a bad day is still a good day. What the heck, I could’ve been working!

Rick Chapo is with www.nomadjournals.com - makers of writing journals. Fly fishing journals are great fly fishing gifts for anglers and fly fishing trips and vacations. Visit www.nomadjournaltrips.com for more fly fishing articles and stories.

Fishing is often viewed as a solo spare-time activity; a solitary fishing hobbyist leaving his household at some unholy hour on a freezing late autumn day to target some solitary point by a river, with his flask of tea to keep him warm. Even though this particular caricature is true for a largish constituency of angling fanatics, it’s at the same time a very false impression of numerous other angling enthusiasts who see angling very much as a people-facing hobby, taking part in a community while also a good justification to travel the country and even worldwide by getting engaged in fishing vacations.

To add to that, fishing competitions can be found up and down the country - and they’re a great means for people to get together and acquire new angling tips, while creating the perfect justification to go on a mini vacation. In fact, some people say that angling is merely a reason to meet people and travel! That being said, angling is still taken very seriously by many of its enthusiasts and they are driven by the social aspect chiefly to discover more regarding fishing through exchanging tips and tricks with other people.

Over the last decade, the internet has genuinely assisted in the growth of the fishing communities - via Facebook, Twitter etc, it’s now painless to coordinate or simply go to an angling competition or unofficial meet-up, while exchanging useful advice on blogs and forums.

When it comes to angling equipment, the internet has absolutely helped people in finding the best tackle, rod, reel, fishing dvds etc because now they can weigh up products and prices with thousands of online sellers rather than simply being restricted to their provincial angling store.

Port Renfrew is a small Canadian town with a major fishing problem. The problem is the sport fishing is great and only a few people know that.

We arrive in Port Renfrew in late afternoon. Port Captain Quigley greets us at the entrance to Osprey Cabins. Quigley and his family provide these comfortable cabins in a beautiful rural setting - and there’s an outdoor hot tub to boot! Their place is one of the most popular accommodations in Port Renfrew ,and their rates are very reasonable.

Captain Quigley is one of the most skilled and knowledgeable guides we’ve ever met. We’ve been out with the affable “Capt’n Quig” before, at his other fishing operation in Sooke, ,B.C. (45 minutes west of Victoria), so we know we’re in good hands!

The alarm shatters our solid sleep at 5 a.m. We’re on the water by 6:00. The sun is just coming up behind us as we speed westward, heading towards the mouth of the Port San Juan Inlet. Quigley’s boat is fast and powerful. We hang on to our seats as we bounce over the big waves!

We stop just off Camper’s Beach , where the West Coast Trail from Port Renfrew meets the “Pacific Ocean” for the first time. The shoreline cliffs were spectacular and carved into numerous huge dark caves.

Captain Quigley points over the port side towards the open Pacific. “Next stop Hawaii, and that-away Japan!” The water is as calm as it ever gets out here, but the rolling swells are huge. The sun is shining brightly now, but cool dark fog is already rising from the water, cloaking the cliffs. It looks like the trees are suspended in the air far above us.

Captain Quigley tells us we’re sure to catch some big ones today. Swiftsure Bank, where Juan de Fuca Strait drops off into the deep blue Pacific, is where halibut and salmon are most plentiful. It’s hard to believe we’re fishing on the edge of the open Pacific Ocean.

The first one I catch is a screamer! They call it that because it grabs the bait and takes off. The line literally ’screams’ as the fish runs. Quigley knows what to do. He puts the boat in gear and chases the fish. My eyes
almost pop when I look down at the reel and there are only about 3 wraps of line left! In seconds, the fish had run almost 300 yards of line. I reel as fast as I can until the line’s tight again and the fight’s back
on

Non-stop excitement, boats all around us are getting strike after strike. On Quigley’s radio, we can hear the guides sharing information about their catches - “Double strike, 40 feet down!” They all share their success so everyone else can succeed too. Even when there’s a lull, and the fish aren’t biting, Captain Quigley is entertaining us. He teaches us his latest fish-luring chant and the accompanying dance: “Chinook, Chinook - Bite on my hook, my hook!” There is never a dull moment on board.

And when the fish are biting, Quigley is a very patient teacher: “Let him run! That’s it… He’s got the whole boat to play with. Let him tire himself out…”

Later, Quigley tells us a story about the biggest fish ever landed on his boat. He had taken an elderly couple on an expedition, and it was turning out to be a disappointingly uneventful day - not one bite, until they decided to turn back! Then, all of a sudden, they got a nibble. It was a huge struggle, but with Quigley’s help, they reeled it in - a 52-pounder! Now that’s a really big salmon.

It went on to win several categories in the fishing derby. We catch our limit long before the charter’s over, each fish is in the twenty-pound range. We had about 100lbs of fish on board, enough to feed us all winter! (We were fishing for spring salmon as the Coho and Sockeye fisheries were temporarily closed.)

When I made dinner that night, back in Victoria, one fillet filled the grill on my barbeque! Five people dug in and there
was2/3 left over! We’re talking serious salmon here, folks!

Small town, big fishing problem - right? Now you know.

Ron Kirstein is the owner of a Canadian Travel & Tourism Web site (since 1995). Ron has traveled the length and breadth of Vancouver Island British Columbia Canada in search of adventures. For exciting additional information and color pictures of Ron’s Island Fishing Adventure visit his Travel Magazine.

You have just rolled out of bed, poured you coffee and there it is. You knew it
was coming, but it is real, it is here. What am I talking about? It’s not taxes,
the Grim Reaper or even your in-laws coming for an extended stay. It is the first
foggy Fall morning. If you have spent any time in the Northwest you know what
that means. From here on out the weather will never get quite as hot as it did
all summer, and the nights will be cooler. Sure, we may get an Indian Summer and
some nice days, but the fact is, things are cooling off. Now it is time to start
thinking about what that means for our Bass fishing.

With the falling temperatures, Bass will start to build up their Winter reserves.
This can offer some fantastic fishing opportunities if you know what to look for.
Big Bass that have been hiding deep all Summer are now moving up and looking for
as much food as they can. Their feeding periods will also lengthen as the Sun
drops to lower angles. All the better for us!


Most experts would agree that Fall Bass are suckers for the right crank bait.
This means you probably will grab lures that are a little bigger than you have
been using all Summer. The Bass that have made it to Fall are smart and will be
looking for lures that closely match the size and color of the prey fish that
spawned in the Spring. Check out what is in your lake and match up to that. Another
good choice is to grab your top water lures. Again, the big Bass are looking to
load up on food and will be watching for any easy meals above them.


Finding the Bass is of course key. But where are they? The simple answer is, where
the bait fish are. These are most likely going to be found in closer to shore
than they previously were, hanging out in the shallows and around the green plants.
My favorite tactic to find bait fish is to bring along an extra pole rigged with
a small jig and bobber and when I am exploring a lake, drop it out in front of
me and let it sit on a hole before I start throwing my Bass hooks at it. I also
toss it out when I am changing or re-tying lures. If there are bait fish there,
then odds are, the Bass are lurking near by.


Important things to look for are areas where there is cover for the Bass to move
between their deeper holding areas to the shallow feeding areas. Also remember
on cloudy and windy days or in stained water, the Bass may not retreat at all
to their holding areas, but may spend the day feeding in the shallows. Pay attention
to water that is shallower than you would normally expect to find big fish. I
have seen large Bass lurking in water as shallow as one foot.

On bright days or after a cold front has moved in, you will have to go back to their mid-day holding areas to find the Bass. Remember that a cold front will affect the shallow water first and the Bass will most likely hold to the deeper water and its more stable temperatures. In this case, it is time to finesse fish a little bit and work the deeper structure. Remember drop shotting?



Don’t think that the falling temperatures means a let up in the Bass fishing. Lunker Bass are waiting for you. Grab yourself an extra pull over and get out there on the water, the fish are waiting!

Chris Cliff is a long time fisherman that hails from the remote lands of Northern Idaho, but has now moved to the big city. He and his crew fish the waters of the Northwest filming episodes of their own web based fishing show ‘Fishing with Cliff’. You can find it at http://www.FishingWithCliff.com/ and features more great articles, photos, links and of course episodes of their show. Think of it as a fishing show crossed with reality TV.

When you are going fishing, whether nearby your home or on a long distance trip, there are many fishing safety rules that you need to keep in mind.

These rules can help prevent injury to yourself and others while shore and boat fishing.

There are several different areas of fishing safety that you should be aware of. These include the following:

• Equipment Safety

• Pier Fishing Safety

• Offshore Fishing Safety

• Shore Fishing Safety and Noodling

• Ice Fishing Safety

Equipment Safety

Before you go fishing, you need to make certain that all of your equipment is in safe working order. This should be done before you even consider going out to any waterfront. You need to check several things while looking over your various pieces of equipment.

First, you need to check your fishing rod and reel. Both of these pieces should be in top condition, with the rod having no cracks or breaks. If your rod separates, you need to make certain that it is very secure when it is built together. The reel itself should operate smoothly, with the line coiling without tangles. If the line is tangling quite a bit within the reel, you will need to unbind the line and replace it with new. If this behavior continues, you should consider a new reel.

The type of line that you use should be a consideration as well. Dependent on the conditions you are going to be fishing in, you will want to use different line. With rocky bottoms, where your line is going to get caught easier, you will want to use a lower line rating. If you are fishing for larger fish, the test on the line should be increased to match what you are planning on catching.

The final fishing safety check that you should make is on your tackle, sinkers and lures. If any of these are rusted, you should replace them with new ones, as rusted equipment can change a mild injury into tetnis or a worse illness.

Pier Fishing Safety

One type of fishing that many people enjoy is pier fishing. When you go fishing off of a pier, there are several fishing safety rules that you should keep in mind. First, you should only place your feet into the water if you know that there are not vicious fish, such as Muskie, in the water. Muskie, as well as other types of vicious fish, are renown for biting off the toes of unsuspecting fishers off of piers. For this reason, you should avoid doing this. In addition to this, you should never run on the piers, especially if you are carrying any sharp equipment. The most important thing to keep in mind when pier fishing is to use your common sense. Falling from the pier, especially taller ones, can be life threatening. Leaning over the pier edge, as well as being careless, can put yourself and others in danger.

Offshore Fishing Safety

When you go on a boat for a session of offshore fishing, you need to be extra careful. Out of all of the forms of fishing, this is the most dangerous. You need to be aware of the weather and potential weather changes at all times. In addition to this, you need to make certain that you are always wearing a life preserver. While these may be uncomfortable, or ugly to wear, they can make the difference between life and death. You should always make certain that you know you do not hit anyone with your hook when you are casting. This is the most dangerous aspect of offshore fishing, as you are most likely fishing in close quarters, which requires a higher level of skill when you are casting. Hooking yourself or a companion is a real likely hood in this style of fishing, unless you are extremely careful.

Shore Fishing and Noodling

Shore fishing is the style of fishing that most people participate. During fishing seasons, hundreds of people gather around oceans and rivers and ponds to take their hand at trying to catch the largest fish possible. Lures are constantly flying through the air, and lines get tangled more often than not. When you are shore fishing, you need to make certain you are aware of all of the people around you, and that they are aware of you. Taking children to crowded beaches for fishing can be extremely dangerous, as they can get hooked while running and playing. Injuries sustained in this manner can be severe. As long as you are careful, and you do not run or dart across the path of someone casting, shore fishing can be the safest of all types of fishing.

There is one form of shore fishing, however, that is extremely dangerous. This is called “Noodling”. Noodling, or another term for “Idiot”, is the practice of wading out to waist or chest level and bending down to search holes, logs and other hiding holes for catfish. Then you wiggle your fingers. If there is a catfish - or another type of creature in residence - they will attack your bare hand. Then the fight begins, and the Noodler needs to bring the fish to shore. Many lose their lives yearly to this extreme sport, and it should be avoided, as it is not safe.

Ice Fishing Safety

When you are going ice fishing, there are a lot of safety rules that you need to follow at all times. Unlike the other forms of standard fishing, ice fishing presents a lot of health risks. First, you should never go ice fishing without a well built shack. The shacks provide you shelter while you are ice fishing. Without this shelter, you will be susceptible to hypothermia and other health related problems.

The second thing you need to keep in mind at all times is the condition of the ice and the weather predictions. Falling through the ice while ice fishing, especially alone, is a death sentence. Being trapped on the open ice during a blizzard is also extremely dangerous, even with the shelter of an ice shack available. When you are stocking your ice shack, you need to make certain that you have enough wood for the wood stove, or heating device within the shack. This device should also be cared for and watched over at all times, so the ice beneath the shack remains stable or that the shack does not burn.

If you keep these fishing safety tips and rules in mind, you should be able to have an enjoyable time fishing without high risk of injury to yourself or others, no matter which form of fishing you choose to participate in.

About The Author

Rebecca Blain is a professional and hobbyist writer who enjoys taking care of her Siamese Fighting Fish and educating people about discount fishing reels & supplies which you can read more about here:

http://www.discount-hunting-supplies-and-tips.com/discount-fishing-supplies.html

You will find that there are several types of salmon that you could be after. You’ll find them in both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans too. In the Atlantic, you will find the founding father of all salmon. This is the original fish name of a salmon. You will also find a wide range of salmon that are in the eastern North American areas that in lakes of all sorts. These don’t migrate as they like freshwater better.

The brown trout is one of the most well known of salmons. Yes, he is a salmon even though most think he’s a trout. Red salmon is also known as Sockeye salmon. These are found off of the coast of California and into the eastern pacific. You will find them off the shores of Japan as well as in the Andayr River in Siberia. Pink salmon is another option and is found in California, Canada and in Korea.

Another common type is Chinook salmon. These are known as spring salmon as well as blackmouth, and King Salmon. You’ll find them from the southern Californian coast to the Bering Strait. You can also find them in Alaska, Russia and in the Yukon Territory.

Baits For Salmon

You can use many varieties of baits on salmon. In freshwater varieties, go with plugs, worms, lures and flies. In saltwater, go with flies, streamers, crustaceans, and lures.

Gear For Salmon

For fly fishing, you’ll need a twelve to sixteen foot graphite or fiberglass rod. You will need fly reel and line too. In bait fishing, you’ll need a ten foot spinning rod and bait caster reel with up to a twenty pound test line. For Chinook’s, you’ll need a boat or a trolling rod. As you know, the Chinook are the largest of the salmon so you will need twenty to forty five pound test line.

When you are after Atlantic’s, go for a fly fish or use spoons, natural baits and plugs to help you. On the Pacific side, use trolling just off the shoreline and use estuaries.

No matter which of the mighty salmon you are after, you are sure to get a good fight. Be prepared with a full tackle box and a large cooler when you are after King Salmon!

Niall Pesci is a keen fisherman who is always looking at new tools to help him catch more fish. Visit Fish Finder Review for more information and great deals to help you find fish finders or other GPS and Sonar marine navigation systems. www.fish-finder-review.com

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright Fish-Finder-Review.com

Until recently I never really put much thought into all of the dogfish that I have caught over the years of hunting bass & panfish. While fishing with the great Eric Allee recently, I asked him, “Eric, what were you referring to when you used the word “bowfin”?” We agreed that he was talking about what I call Dogfish. People may call this interesting breed other names, such as grinnel, blackfish, brindle, mud fish, shoe pike, cypress bass, cypress trout, choupique, scaly cat, bugle mouth bass, German bass, brindle fish, and many more.

The Bowfin(Amia Calva) can be found throughout a good portion of the US east of the Mississippi. They run the entire Mississippi River to Canada, east to Florida, and up as far along the coast as New York, but are found primarily in sloughs & ponds on the Mississippi River, her tributaries, and backwaters. Bowfin is a prehistoric fish that dates back 180 million years.

Dogfish have many unique characteristics that intrigue people today. One of the most amazing qualities they possess is their ability to breathe air. Yes, I said breathe air. Unlike most fish, bowfin use their swim bladder like a lung to grab oxygen from the air, when oxygen levels become low in the stagnant, muddy, and vegetation rich nonmoving backwaters. Another unique aspect of these fish is that when they first strike your bait it is a subtle bite, followed by a normal fight. Half way into the battle they turn aggressive & unforgiving. At this point you are fooled into believing you have the biggest Bass of your life, especially after landing a few largemouth prior to this encounter. Once the Bowfin breaks the surface, excitement turns into disappointment in a matter of seconds.

Males make the nest, watch over the eggs and infant fish until they reach 4-8 inches. The small fish school up, and the male Dogfish protects them the whole time. Their powerful jaws hammer anything getting in the way of their youngsters…even humans at times. Males also have a shorter life span, and are smaller than the females.

Bowfin, have large dorsal fins which extend a good portion of their back all the way to their tail. Their tail is paddle shaped, and allows for great swimming, maneuvering, and rolling, as well as fighting when they’re on the end of your line. There is a dark circle at the top of the tail that resembles an eye. Coloration varies between normal times to spawning periods. When not in spawn, they are darker & olive color. Their belly is usually an off-white shade, while their fins are bright green. When they spawn, they get an almost fluorescent glow to them, which is pretty beautiful.

Don’t let the description of exotic coloration fool you. These fish are still around today for a reason. Dogfish are tough and like to lie in most panfish and baitfish laden waters, which are prime honey holes for bass and panfish anglers. These fishermen are often fooled by the Bowfin’s tremendous fight. Bowfin remind me of a cross between a beaver, snake, muskie, & catfish. They will eat almost any aquatic creature & strike at will when their nest or young are jeopardized. There’s a good chance that after landing a nice sized Bowfin your spinnerbait, or weapon of choice, has seen it’s last day in the water. Dogfish destroy anything that comes into contact with their mouths, fight harder than anything you’ve ever caught, and will tear some meat loose from your body if you’re not careful. Their head is large and flat at the top, consisting of a double skull of bone and cartilage. Their teeth are sharp & strong…handling these guys isn’t an art…it takes brute force. As you’re trying to retrieve your brand new spinnerbait, you realize that this is an extremely difficult challenge, if not an almost impossible task. Because of their bony, strong mouth the spinnerbait, head to hook is virtually destroyed. Dogfish are slimy and really strong…never hesitating to try to bite you at times. Placing the middle of your shoe behind their gills allows proper bait removal…without finger removal.

The ongoing argument has always been, release or kill them. My Grandfather used to say, “you gotta slit their throats“. In my neck of the woods, common practice was crushing & throwing them onto the banks. Some anglers see dogfish as a threat to their gamefish ecosystem. I have not caught one in over 6 years, and now realize that they may actually be good for certain fisheries to thrive to their fullest, and avoid population stunting. After thinking about what I was taught, the manner in which I treated this creature of the mud, and reading some forums on bowfin, I realized this fish is famous and also unknown. Fishermen catch them all the time, never seeing or hearing of one before. Some enjoy the great battle they provide. To others they are delicacies, comparing the bowfin to crawfish, and snapping turtle. “Joy of Cooking” has recipes and diagrams on how to clean and fillet bowfin. The bowfin truly is an amazing fish once you sit back and look at it from both sides of the coin.

http://www.fishinsecrets.com

Tony Liddle grew along the banks of the Mississippi River, and became a warmwater fishing fanatic. He now lives in Colorado, and is an active contributor to Fishin’ Secrets.

http://www.fishinsecrets.com

Thousands of years ago, the first inflatable boats, made from animal skins, were used for transportation. People used them to cross rivers, ferry goods to other locations, and move military troops. Over time, inflatable boats were adapted for recreational use as well, and for rescue operations. Today there are many types of inflatable boats and over a dozen ways they are used around the world.

Different militaries across the globe helped bring inflatable boats to the public attention, and today the government still uses inflatable boats for troop transport, special military operations, and drug and other law enforcement activities. In addition, inflatable boats are also used in search and rescue operations, fisheries patrol and security patrol. They are also used as tenders on large yachts and ships.

On the recreational side, inflatable boats can be used for diving, fishing, pleasure boating, river rafting, water skiing, and many other water activities that involve a boat. Consumers can also purchase inflatable kayaks, canoes, and sailboats.

Because there are so many different types of inflatable boats and a variety of ways they can be used, it is important to be familiar with the specific operating instructions for your particular model and situation. However, there are a few general use guidelines that apply to most, if not all, inflatable boats.

Inflating

• When inflating your raft or boat, many manufacturers recommend filling each air chamber in a clockwise pattern around the boat, just until the craft takes shape. Then work your way back around the boat filling the chambers to the pressure level indicated for that particular boat.

• If the floor of the boat is inflatable, add air until the pressure relief valve releases a small amount of air.

• Don’t overfill. A properly inflated boat should have just a bit of give.

• Be aware that air temperature causes changes in the air pressure in the inflatable chambers. Many boaters fill their inflatable boats in the morning when the air is cool. But as the temperature increases over the course of the day, the air in the tubes expands, increasing the pressure. If a tube or chamber becomes too pressurized, it can explode if struck by a sharp object. You may have to let some air out at different points throughout the day if you operate your inflatable boat or inflatable kayak in the hot sun.

• Most inflatable boats deflate simply by opening the air valves.

Standard Precautions

• Because punctures are the main concern with inflatable boats, it is important to protect if from sharp objects. Use care when transporting diving knives, spears, fishing hooks, and other objects that could puncture the skin of the inflatable boat. Watch for barnacles and sharp metal or wood when tying your boat to the dock, and avoid dragging the boat over rocks and shells when landing on a beach.

• Even dull objects such as oars, ropes, or coolers can cause abrasion and deterioration of the coating material if allowed to rub for an extended period of time.

• It also is important to rinse out your inflatable boat or inflatable kayak after each use. Sand and gravel can cause abrasion and plug air valves. If left to soak into an inflatable boat, salt water can cause the material to deteriorate.

Caring For Your Inflatable Boat

• Cleaning: Armorall and other oil-based products can damage the rubber or fabric over time and prevent patches from sticking. Mild dish soap is best for cleaning your inflatable boat. There are also several cleaners designed specifically for inflatable boats.

• Storage: Because uninflated boats are more vulnerable to damage, many manufacturers recommend that you store the boat partially inflated and covered with a tarp. If this is not possible, completely deflate the boat and be sure it is dry and clean before rolling and storing in the carrying bag. If you plan to store your inflatable boat on a trailer, be sure there are no bends or kinks in the boat.

• Repairs: Sometimes, even with the best of care and safety precautions, your inflatable boat can develop a puncture or leak. Unless you have a major and obvious accident, it may be difficult to determine the location of the leak. While the boat is inflated, wipe it with soapy water and watch for bubbles to form on the surface of the boat as a result of escaping air. Don’t assume there is only one leak. Check the entire boat with soapy water to be sure before setting out on the water.

Many manufacturers recommend that you bring your boat to a professional for larger repairs, because it can be difficult to get a good seal with a patch. However, if you have a small puncture or are in a situation where you need to make immediate repairs, follow the directions on the patch kit. Some basic tips include:

-Ensure that the surface is clean and dry before applying the patch
-Be sure the adhesive is sufficiently tacky before applying the patch
-Choose a patch that extends at least three inches beyond the rip in all directions

If your inflatable boat has rough or cracked areas that are filled with tiny pinhole leaks, this is an indication that the coating on the material has aged or become damaged by sunlight, saltwater, overheating or some other type of wear and tear. While you may be able to patch some of these leaks, it is best to replace the inflatable boat if other areas show signs of wear.

Inflatable boats, canoes, and kayaks have many advantages over traditional watercraft, however, because of their special design and materials, they can require more care and maintenance. But as this article describes, it is not difficult to care for an inflatable boat, and most problems can be avoided by using common sense and by developing a consistent routine. If properly cared for, inflatable boats can provide you with years of service and recreational fun without the expense associated with traditional watercraft.

About the Author:

C.J. Gustafson is a successful writer for Inflatable-Boats-N-Kayaks.com, providing consumer information on inflatable boats and kayaks,

inflatable catamarans and

boating accessories. She and
her family make frequent fishing trips to Canada’s backcountry. The numerous
portages required to reach some of the smaller lakes have made her especially
appreciative of the lightweight, compact design of most
inflatable boats.

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