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Fishing pontoons have had a good run since they became something of a phenomenon back in the 90’s, and they’re still going strong, with many excellent craft available for your still water fishing expeditions.

And they don’t have to cost an arm and a leg either! Even brand new you can get an excellent 8-footer with many handy features and a comfortable seat for only a couple of hundred dollars.

So what’s the big fuss about these agile-looking craft?

Well, for a start, they are very, er… agile little fishing craft! This is largely thanks to the the particular rocker-shape of the pontoons. Other than, say catarafts, pontoon boats have less of the tube in the water per foot of tube - and therefore less resistance.

Less resistance means it becomes possible to turn in very tight circles, always getting you in the best spot for the action going on below! This maneuverability also helps you to easily navigate the river runs you’ll be making from hole to hole.

And of course, sitting comfortably in your high seat gives you an excellent view of your surroundings and where you’re heading.

Where can you go in your fishing pontoon?

These craft are primarily aimed at still water, inland lake and slow-moving river use. You will definitely want to avoid whitewater situations! Even the larger, more stable 12 footers are not designed with the stability needed for fast-water rafting. For that you will need to look at catarafts and the like!

And when it comes to getting to the river and back, most of these craft can be loaded and transported with ease on your rooftop or in a pickup or SUV.

So if you’re aiming for some quiet, sit-down fishing on your own or with a buddy - and you don’t want to break the bank - a fishing pontoon is definitely an option to look into!

For more information visit Fishing-Things.com

Rika Susan of Article-Alert.com researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.

When you start looking around for fish bait recipes you’ll be amazed at - and often amused by - the assortment of “trusted” “secret” and “sounds-gory-but-it-works” fish bait recipes you will come across!

If you want to learn how to prepare your own recipes, then get ready for some often gruesome kithen work… not to mention the aromas you will have to contend with.

Of course, if you want to avoid all of the preparation in the kitchen, you can buy commercially prepared fish bait recipes, but this can add quite a bit to your weekend fishing budget!

There is no shortage of advice available about fish bait recipes. First you have to decide what kind of fish you’re aiming to catch, as they all have different tastes.

The smell of the bait is often very important. For instance, river salmon is known for a keen sense of smell to go with their eyesight, and you should try to take advantage of this when preparing your bait.

The smell of bait also fades in the water, so you should have enough bait to be able to change your bait often to keep that irresistable smell hanging and drifting around there in the water.

California salmon fishers recommend using tuna balls. Canned tuna in oil or water can be placed in a mesh bag and tied shut when used below a float. Chopped herring or sardines make great bagged baits too.

Some fish bait recipes are really very simple. For instance, if you’re after bottom-feeding fish like carp and catfish, you can simply use bread, small pieces of cheese, and even canned corn.

However, the following doughballs recipe for carp is often used:

You start by mixing 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of yellow cornmeal, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. You then take a 1-quart container of water and pour just enough of it into the mixture to make a heavy dough. Then roll the dough into balls of 1/2 inch to 1 inch. Now you mix the rest of the water with 1 cup of molasses and pour it into a pan. Bring the molasses and water to a boil, and when the mixture is boiling, you drop in a couple of doughballs. Cook them for 2 to 3 minutes.

Many homemade fish bait recipes feature the use of marshmallows to assist in floating the bait, and some belive the color also helps to attract the fish.

Here follows a basic fish bait recipe using marshmallows:

Fill a bowl with 1/4 cup garlic powder and a small cup with water. Put about 5 miniature marshmallows in the water and make sure that they are soaked. Then put them in the bowl of garlic powder and stir them around so the powder coats them evenly. Put them in a jar for later use.

Many websites feature discussion forums where the detail of fish bait recipe preparation can be found. Here you will often find people who spill the beans about great family traditions and “secret” recipies that never fail…

For more information visit http://www.Fishing-Things.com

Neels Theron of http://www.ArticleSnap.com - where he offers original Private Label articles with a special Rewrite Kit to webmasters and publishers of niche sites - researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: Neels Theron. To republish this article please leave the links and resource box intact!