Rubber Raw Materials

Hair Lost and Found

Hair loss in women is actually more common than you may think, and can be caused by many common bodily occurrences. The loss of hair occurs when the phases of hair growth are triggered to change, and become unbalanced.

The two phases of hair growth are anagen and telogen; a short anagen phase or an increase in the amount of hair follicles that enter the telogen phase cause up to 70% of this telogen-phase hair to fall out after the trigger occurs. This is known as stress alopecia, or telogen effiuvium. Some triggers can occur due to drastic hormone level changes in the female body. In times when birth control or hormone replacement therapy is ceased, hormone levels can drop drastically. The loss of pregnancy hormones post pregnancy can also cause hair loss.

The many different causes of hair loss

Diet is a major issue in hair loss. In fact, severe dieting (like anorexia or bulimia), can cause the body to lose hormones. Acute traumas (physical and psychological), high fevers, and certain diseases/infections, such as Diabetes, Lupus, Ringwom, Syphillis, Pernicious Anemia, Addison’s, and rheumatoid arthritis contribute to hair loss in women as well. Other hormone-affecting medications such as Retinoids, blood pressure medications, anti-depressants, and NSAIDS (such as Ibuprofen) can also cause hair follicle amounts to fall out. Chemotherapy during cancer treatment is a known cause of hair loss for men and women.

Even beauty regimens such as pulling hair too tightly (into braids or ponys), hair extensions/tracks can cause what is known as traction alopecia. One known autoimmune disease, alopecia areata, causes antibodies to attack hair follicles, causing patchy hair loss. New scientific discoveries have found that thyroid conditions in women can cause thinning hair.

Luckily, there are cures that work!

The good news is, there is hope for thinning hain in women. Products such as corticoid steroids suppress the immune system to cease hair follicle fall out. Other medications such as Monoxidil 5% (Rogaine), Anthralin can remedy hair loss, but run the risk of not working, and stop working when the drug use ends. Sultasalazin treats the autoimmune disorder of alopecia areata, and topical sensitizers stimulate allergic reaction (like itching and scaling) while stimulating hair follicles. Adding heart-healthy omega 3s found in fish and flaxseed, have been found to strengthen and enhance hair follicles. Along the lines of natural solutions, Provillus, a new FDA-approved two part formula specifically designed to meet the needs of female hair loss, prevents hair loss while stimulating hair growth by using vitamins and minerals the body already needs!

The age-old question has been asked more and more lately. What defines a Fighter? Well, depending how many people you ask, you’ll typically get that many different answers. We’ll get the obvious out of the way. Sport oriented motorcycle removed of anything unnecessary to its function. Typically stripped of most bodywork, fitted with higher rise handlebars, smaller, lighter parts to reduce weight and as much performance mods as available to make it wicked fast. So now that we have the basic idea in our head, I’d like to expand on this view of how fighters are perceived around the world.

Let’s start with the motherland of Streetfighters. The grand old U.K. Home to Big Ben, Fish and Chips, Teatime and the Queen Mum. Some will argue it started back in the ’50′s with the Café racer. Some say true fighters begin in the early ’80′s with the bike messengers fighting London traffic and marring their fairings. Bike messengers don’t exactly make grand salaries so instead of replacing their war torn bodywork, they simply removed them.

The basic style has remained constant over the decades. Remove fairings, add flat bars, secure dual spot headlights, and kick up the tail. For the most part the styling has remained somewhat reserved. Swap your tail section for some more attractive OEM unit from another model. Some trick paint and polish. Maybe update the running gear for the latest and greatest in go fast hardware. To top it all off, we tear the motor out and either build some octane-snorting monster or replace it all together for the biggest fastest lump that will fit.

Some things never change. There has been some crossbreeding of the genres as of late. Longer lower bikes are starting to become more popular. Not exactly slammed but set for better launch control. Also, Paint has gotten more detailed with large murals and wild colors. The drag racing scene has more them likely brought on this new trend. But also we see some return to the old school with some retro styled Café fighters. Embracing history in a very positive way.

Next we move across the channel to Germany. Fast Luxury cars, Cold Beer, Hot Bratwurst and Lederhosen, huh!? OK, the later probably isn’t as prominent but it made you laugh right? Now here is a scene that pulls out all the stops. Mad amounts of Polish and Chrome, Extreme amounts of Custom Billet parts, Big Horsepower motors, Wild almost demonic bodywork, Fat Rubber and paint that jumps off the sheet metal.
Walking into a Fighter show here looks like a Candy colored Horror movie. Maybe Rob Zombie should have a look into this.

Maybe not the originators, but definitely innovators.

And here we can definitely start dissecting the genre. Here we can see a lot of unique ideas that started in this area, but there’s also some Euro Cruiser/ Chopper inspiration as well. Fork tube covers are becoming more present. These covers usually smooth out the front end to make more of a seamless tube from top to bottom. Some have even gone as far as to machine grooves and designs in them to add a little extra flash to the front of the bike. More influence from the custom scene is found in dressing up the cables with bright braided lines, cleaner shinier engine covers, Stylized billet grips, Hidden axle covers, integrated handlebar risers and clamps. The list goes on forever.

Their big claim to fame being the very exaggerated tail heights compounded by short tail lengths. And the crazy looking bodywork that has got the Fighter world wanting more. Very sculpted and aggressive looking. And going along with sculpture in motorcycles is some of the tank mods that look like they were pulled from scenes of a Friday the 13th movie.

Tire size seems to be getting wider and wider around the world, but instead of just focusing on the rear tire they are paying just as much attention to the front. Widening the front wheels to except rear tire widths. 180′s and 190 section tires matched with 240 and larger rears. Bringing a whole new look to the fat tire game.

If we head north we find the Nordic fighters. The land of the long night brings out some seriously mean bikes when the ice thaws. With less then 6 months of daylight let alone favorable riding weather this leaves a lot of time to tinker in the shed.
These new age Vikings like to go FAST!!!

Turbos are not uncommon when they start building fighters. And with the ever-growing drag racing scene building in the warmer months long and low goes along with the fast and mean theory.

What is neat is some of the paint schemes that come along with these bikes. Leaning a bit towards the American Hot Rods of yore Flames are most notable. Although, it’s not necessarily traditional flames. Some opt for tribal licks or lay them out in candy and flake.

But the other scene that’s gaining ground is Stunt riding. MX bars, cages, 12 bars, hand brakes strapped to naked bikes and adorned with all the sponsors and eye catching paint they can get.

The Land Down Under is stepping up the game with some very clean and tasty fighters. They have some of the very well engineered and eye-catching fighters I have seen. Adopting some global fighter styling, but also putting the Aussie spin on it. Very unique ideas and adaptations are happening. It’s a good mix of English cleanliness along with German extreme. Big power bikes are definitely abundant along with a healthy dash of polish and bling.

Here in the Good old USA and our friends to the North, Canada, the Fighter scene came to be by way of the stunt world. Once again form followed function when plastic got shattered learning all the crazy tricks and combos.
Some felt they had more maneuverability and control on a naked stunter as apposed to a fully faired bike. Soon naked bikes started popping up more and more.

Some saw a resemblance to the chopper crowd, but liked the power and handling of a sport bike as apposed to the lumbering sled of a cruising machine.

Others grew up on the pegs of a dirt bike and felt the natural switch to big bars and tall seats.

Others remember the hey day of the Jap invasion and wanted to recreate the classic CB’s, GS’ and KZ’. Some just felt the need to stand out in the crowd and build something different.

We are also taking bits and pieces from around the globe and making our own style.

From caged and barred stunters to lean mean hooligan machines to full on customs that rival any big bank account chopper.

Looking around the world we see many different styles that share a key piece of their culture but also we are seeing a mix of cultures trickling through to create new and interesting ideas. What’s next to roll from the garages sheds and work shops around the world? Only time will tell. With our global world the possibilities are limitless. What will you create to set the Fighter world on fire?

Native American Indians were weaving articles for household use more than 8000 years ago. It is a Native American craft that is known to be one of the oldest and is still highly prized today.

Different tribes utilized different styles and different materials to make their baskets from. Some use grasses, others used pine needles, several used wood that was pounded until it was flexible enough to either braid then weave or just to weave. The Inuit actually started using whale baleen to make baskets from. If the northern tribes made a basket from birch, they were often decorated with dyed porcupine quills. You can see the changes in basket styles as the Native American people moved and learned the customs of their neighbors. Many styles though are still woven today that are still as distinctive as ever.

There are four basic styles of basket making: coiling, plaiting, twining and wicker. Each has its’ own form and the designs are extremely unique to each. Coiling is more along the lines of sewing as the fibers are coiled around each other; they are sewn to the previous coil.

The other three forms are truly weaving. Twill plaited cane baskets have been around for thousands of years and are predominate in the Southwest. The wicker weave is the most common, when the basket maker weaves the weft over and under the foundation material. This is often used to make trays and serving baskets in the Southwest. Twining is more complicated involving the weaving of two or more weft threads around warp rods. The wefts are separated, brought around the stationary warp and then brought together again as that basket progresses.

When speaking of weaving, one must include the Navajo rugs and their skilled weavers. The Navajo attribute weaving in their legends surrounding the Creator. They believe that the Creator is a weaver and that he wove the world into existence.

Native Americans are famous for their weaving of rugs and blankets. Everyone knows about the Navajo blankets that are woven as they were in ancient times. A woman would sit before a wood-frame loom and use a shuttle to weave colored hand-spun cotton thread to create fabulous geometric designs of brilliant color. Today, the same technique is used but instead of cotton, they use wool, as it is plentiful. This changed when the Spanish brought domestic sheep with them. The Navajo rugs are the most celebrated of all these, but they are far from the only ones.

Many tribes today still employ the art of finger weaving. This technique has been extremely important throughout the centuries since ancient times. The Tlingit people make wonderful blankets called chilkat from this technique that you can still purchase today.

Each piece of weaving is truly a work of art that takes the artist months if not years to create and complete. They are all one-of-a kind articles and can capture a very handsome price on the market. Today’s market is also showing a trend to turn to newer materials to weave these items from such as silk and alpaca along with a renewed interest in bringing back the traditional Navajo-Churro wool.

Several tribes learned how to weave sashes and small items, but never did turn that knowledge toward a larger piece for either clothing or habitat use.

Many things that the Native American wove were specifically utilitarian and not meant to be pretty. For example, many wove fishing nets and ropes from plant fibers. These were necessary for survival, but were not made to be decorative.

Weaving has been so useful and yet decorative for many cultures since the beginning of time. Native American weavers are rather unique in that their products today still command a high price, one that matches the time and artistry to produce the finished product.

The holiday season is definitely a fun time for children—from 2 to 92 years of age; however for people who enjoy buying and giving gifts, it can be problematic. Depending on what part of the world you are, if you live in a cosmopolitan country, the Internet has given this generation tools we never dreamed possible. Atlases are now on computers; dictionaries are now a one-click phenomenon, and travel and migration has made such terms as distant places obsolete.

For persons who do not have time to balance their petty cash accounts because of the size, gift selection can be part and parcel of the duties of a private secretary. In fact, most private secretaries score very big brownie points based on their ability to select and match types of gifts to the tastes and dictates of their bosses. So that is easy.

Years ago, pretty faces and slender bodylines were all it took to land a big rich fish: not today. Your knowledge of art, fine silk, appreciation for the opera, and your ability to select excellent gifts are prime pre-requisites for rich bachelors to pop the elusive question: “Will you marry me?” I used to own a nightclub-O.K? The rich and famous not only visited, but spoke freely after a few well-mixed drinks. In fact, I have made quite a name for myself as a matchmaker. I am very proud of the fact that every match I made is still doing exceptionally well after 20 years.

Having spent most winters in one of the towns where I owned international nightclubs, where top international artists not only performed, but hung out as well, my hosting “Ladies Only Night’ and “Men Only Night’ paid healthy social dividends. The problem is that all of their children, having heard how I introduced daddy and mommy, in all cases, people from different and exciting cultures, are now adopted siblings: so you can understand why I have so many cultural seeds on my gift lists. I have Chinese, Arabic, Jewish, Italian, British, Indian, Pakistani and African children calling me uncle–mainly out of respect. These are children who gravitate to me-naturally. They look up to me as a farther figure and as a frequent visitor to their schools, those that live in my neighborhood have linked with my natural offspring, and I am their “Uncle Bas.” I love it.

Choices for the children get more complicated every year since the electronic world re-invents itself so often that yesterday’s wonder ducklings are today’s dinosaurs. I solve problems by ordering large boxes and batches of Swiss chocolates. Since those range in prices from $12.00 to $120.00, one box can cover a large cross-section of any community.

IF YOU TRAVEL TO ASIA, BUY SILK AND TECHI STUFF.

Whenever I travel to Asia, I buy the latest techi-gadgets. I have found the marketing trend goes like this: Asia first; Europe second and America third. If you happen to travel to Asia, buy techi stuff and silk. Silk and electronic storage drives take up minimal space. So, buy pearls, silk and electronic storage devices. Those things are expensive in America and the U.K, but not at all expensive in Asia. Whatever you pay for any one of those items, you can buy six gifts of the same type in Thailand, Hong Kong or most Asian destinations. Silk ties are comparatively inexpensive.

IF YOU TRAVEL TO THE CARIBBEAN, BUY RUM ART AND PERFUMES.

Most people take winter Caribbean vacations. The discount deals from hotels and Cruise ships start before December 15th and after March 15th. The Caribbean has excellent, lively, unique, and relatively inexpensive art. Places like Antigua and Jamaica have good and inexpensive rum. There is a rum commissioned to celebrate the annual Antigua Sailing Week Regatta called “English Harbour Rum”–excellent choice. Give that to your boss; if he or she takes a swig or two, and a financial raise is guaranteed.

In Antigua and Dominica, the local people artistically design and prepare packages of spices. Those make excellent and unique gifts. Some islands are known for their commemorative Tee shirts. St. Lucia Jazz Festival; Antigua Sailing Week Regatta, and Sanford 20/20 Cricket tournament–all of those you can look up on the Internet. Not only are the Tee Shirts excellently designed, are of first class quality, but many are collectors’ items as well. They are reasonably priced and make excellent gifts. Table mats made from natural materials: jute or woven coconut Palm, and embroidered mats also make excellent gifts. For the best duty-free prices on perfumes: Antigua and Trinidad are tops, worldwide.

Go online and look up the high-end Caribbean tourist destinations: look at their shops and the types of things they sell. Islands such as St, Maarten and Antigua which get thousands of cruise ship visitors per month, those duty free shops have large island warehouses; prices are excellent because they bulk order name brand watches, the finest jewelry, and perfumes. For the ladies: if you are not allergic to shopping, like my wife, my sisters and all of my sisters in law, you must visit the Caribbean.

Antigua is known for some hilarious beach vendors who ply their trade at the hotel beaches. Since the beaches are owned collectively by the islanders, under arrangements with the hotel owners the lady vendors custom-design lovely sea island cotton dresses and wraps (very reasonably priced) and model them for you and your spouses. The vendors also provide baby-sitting services. Many top Fortune 500 C.E.O’s call them mommy because as kids those same vendor ladies took care of them. They return every year and during the off-season the vendors travel to visit “their sons and daughters” as they call them. The men who sell on the beaches in Antigua are also well read and very artistic. They make beautiful hats and baskets out of coconut palms-weaving them right in front of you. The lady vendors will braid the ladies’ hair in one quarter of the time it takes to get it done in the U.S and England and it costs a fraction of the price. The ladies are not shy about sharing a little gossip and giving tips about “cocktails that prolong men’s desire”-a favourite topic that generates much laughter on the beaches daily. The men will engage you in talk about sports. They are avid golf, basketball, cricket and soccer fans. One of the things that distinguishes the Antigua Tourism Product from other destinations is the rapport that guests enjoy with the local population.

IF YOU TRAVEL TO EUROPE:

Spain has excellent and inexpensive pottery. Buy from the rural areas. Everyone in Barcelona imports them from the rural vendors. If you go to Toledo or Cordoba, look out for roadside vendors. They make and sell lovely and unique glazed vases and cups.

If you go to Venice, the Morano Glass factory is a must. Just call them and tell them where you are staying in Venice and they will send a limousine (a velvet-lined speed boat) for you.

Switzerland: take a train ride to a factory where they make and shape glass bowls and containers by blowing them the old fashioned way. Around Lucerne there are still a few. Swiss chocolates make excellent gifts for the young and old. The famous Swiss army knife must be placed in your checked in luggage -if you live outside Europe.

Italy is still the fashion capital for designer bags and shoes, according to 10 of the world’s most expert shoppers: my wife, my sisters in law and my sisters. Take it from me. My sisters were trained by an aunt who owns a few stores and since they were tots, she used to take them to visit the merchandisers’ showrooms. According to the experts, France has it all, but the reputation and the prices match very well.

Israel: what a choice of gifts. If you go to Israel, the choices are endless. I would love to see how they make the decorated glass goblets-those where the different colours of glass seem to drip from inside the glass itself.

Dubai: If you are in that category, let your secretary pick the items. I have found that Dubai has excellent gold prices.

Nigeria and South Africa: Custom order all your leather sandals and belts. One day is all it takes to place and receive your orders. In South Africa you can get the greatest supply of packaged spices in well-designed bottles: they make excellent gifts. Custom order your dresses and shirts: the silks, linens, scarves–my goodness. Most people do not realize this: Africa makes some of the best beauty soaps. If you love your face make sure you buy soaps from Africa. Now you know why African women have such beautiful and radiant skin. The natural ingredients in their soap and cosmetics not only cleanse the skin, but holds it firmly as well.

Australia: aboriginal art scarves and paintings are choice gifts. Do not buy your opal in souvenir shops in main cities. Go on a tour to an opal factory first. There are opals and many opal-look-alikes. Caveat emptor: let the buyer beware.

India: The first unusual silk scarf you see, negotiate for half dozen and no more. The reason, as you go on tours you will keep seeing nicer and better-designed scarves. India has lots of wonderful spices. Make sure you buy them in packaged containers and put them in your check in luggage.

MAJOR STORES ADVANTAGES:

If you are in a metropolis that imports everything and your choices are limited to what the stores put out every year then the advantages are:

1. the ability to order over the Internet.

2. Many of them will ship merchandise for you.

3. What you see on their store catalogue over the Internet is basically the same as what they sell: in other words, their store catalogues are of excellent quality.

4. Convenience.

5. If the recipient does not like the item, he/she can return and exchange them for something else–in most stores.

Frog fishing is often thought to be a vegetation only type technique. However, more and more anglers are throwing frogs in different situations. Light vegetation techniques, open water and even below the water’s surface can all be very successful techniques with frog baits. Modifying frogs and soft plastic frogs are also becoming more and more popular among tournament anglers. Here are a few of the tips and tricks I’ve picked up from many of the top pros recently.
Where to throw frogs

Vegetation: Frogs are fantastic baits in the heavy vegetation. The weedless design of the frogs make them the perfect bait to throw on the hot summer days. During the hottest days of the summer the fish often move up right below the heaviest of vegetation to escape from the heat of direct sunlight. Working with a hop and stop method across this heavy vegetation will generate big sloppy strikes through the vegetation. The hook up ration in this style of frog fishing is less than the other styles of frog fishing, but the strikes are heart stopping and some of the most memorable strikes you’ll ever get. Personally, I will never forget the first frog strike I ever had, it’s simply an awesome sight to see a huge bass bust through all the vegetation trying to eat your frog!

Open Water: Frogs also work very well in open water. It wasn’t until recently that I truly believed that this was the case. Target areas with shade from trees, docks or sparse vegetation or tulles. Most of the time walking the bait much like you would with a spook style bait proves to be most effective. Generally, the slower you can walk the bait the better, but at times the fish want the bait walked very fast. Often the standard frog needs to be modified to make it walk effectively however, River2Sea has just released a couple versions of a frog that walk very easily.

Types of Frogs

Hard Plastic: There are many types of frogs on the market today. The Snagproof, Sumo, River2Sea, Deps, Spro and Kanji frogs are made of hard plastic with either a single or double hook. These frogs work well in both the vegetation and open water techniques mentioned above. However, as mentioned above, these frogs sometimes need to be modified to get them to walk correctly. We’ll cover the modification possibilities a little later in this article. The Basirisky by Deps waddles more than it walks and is quickly becoming a regular in pro’s tackle boxes throughout the west. The Basirisky doesn’t need to be modified for either the vegetation or open water techniques.

Soft Plastic: The soft plastic style frog baits like the Zoom Horny Toad, Sizmic Toad, Stanley Jigs’ Ribbit, 3:16 No Bull Frog and the Gambler Cane Toad can all be fished in both the vegetation and open water situations as well. However, the bait is much more suited for open water or low vegetation applications. In the vegetation, these baits are generally much lighter, with the exception of the 3:16 No Bull Frog, than the hard plastic style frogs and therefore make less of a commotion on top of the thicker vegetation. In open water these baits are fished more like buzz baits. Some float and some sink, with the floating styles it can be buzzed and then paused and then buzzed again often triggering the strike on the pause. Another interesting technique is to Texas-rig one of these soft plastic frogs and throw it more along the lines you would a swimbait. Lastly, I’ve even heard of guys Carolina rigging some of these soft plastic versions with a lot of success.

Frog Modifications:

With the hard plastic style baits many of the pro’s have gone to modifying the baits to get them to work the way they want. Although every angler has different modifications they make to the bait here are some of the more popular modifications.

Legs: Often the thicker rubber legs on the frogs are being swapped out with finer rubber. Using longer legs with this finer rubber helps the bait “walk the dog” in open water situations a little easier. When fishing in the vegetation leaving the legs hanging into a hole in the vegetation also creates added strikes.

With some models of hard plastic frogs such as the snagproof tournament series frogs anglers are cutting the tips of the hard plastic legs off then retying them with braid to keep the water out. The shorter legs on the bait again help the bait to walk easier.

I’ve even heard of anglers taking the 3:16 No Bull frog legs and appending them with glue to the hard plastic frogs for another completely different look and action.

Color: Using ceramic or model paint many anglers are adding additional colors to the bottom of the frog. Some of the standard changes in colors are adding a tan color to the main belly of the frog and then adding darker markings on top of the tan. Generally only the middle 2/3rds of the frog belly is painted leaving for a contrasting color on the sides of the frog.

Hooks: Swapping out the standard hooks with bigger frog style hooks often increase the hook up ratio on the hard plastic baits.

Other Alterations: Weights and rattles added inside the main body of the frog is a very common thing among frog anglers. I’ve also even seen certain pro anglers take the legs of the snagproof frog and tie them together so they end up pointing straight up. They then add additional orange rubber skirt styles strands to the bait to give it its legs back. This creates a bait that looks a lot like a baby duck instead of a frog.

To sum it up, don’t think of a frog style bait as a vegetation only bait. Ish Monroe, Dean Rojas and many others are proving that this bait can be fished in many situations. In addition, don’t be afraid to modify the bait in any way that you may think could create more strikes. Lastly, think below the surface, frogs in the wild don’t just swim on top of the water, frogs often spend quite a bit of time below the surface, so don’t hesitate to do the same with your frog baits. Think outside the box when it comes to frogs and you may just drum up that fish of a lifetime.

The arrival of tropical storms, like this year’s Tropical Storm Barry, coincides closely with the typical date for onset of Florida’s so called ‘rainy season’ that generally runs from late May to October. Although Florida fishermen experienced a record ‘dry season’ this year, the occurrence of drought during the cooler winter and spring months was hardly unusual. Bass fishing in [tag-ice]Lake Okeechobee suffered as water levels reached all-time lows, exposing large areas of lake bottom and leaving many boat ramps high and dry.

There has been a silver lining to the drought for the Florida strain of largemouth bass living in Lake O, as some locals call it. The Army Corps of Engineers began a project last year to scrape decades of accumulated “muck” off the exposed lake bed. Phosphorus and nitrogen runoff from fertilizers used on farms, golf courses and lawns has been building up in Okeechobee ever since the natural flow of water out of the lake was reversed early in the 20th century to help retain a supply in Lake O for agriculture and drinking water. These chemicals generate unnatural spread of certain plants and algae which overgrow then die off and coat the bottom this the toxic “muck.”

The bass fishing in Okeechobee should benefit both from Barry’s rain and the new sections of the natural sandy bottom of Lake O revealed after the dredging. As the water levels rise, natural grasses will reclaim the cleaned areas, dissolved oxygen levels should increase in the absence of the artificial plant blooms, and much new spawning habitat will open to the monster bass Lake Okeechobee is famous for.

Bass fishermen headed to Lake O should expect to find the bass in heavy grass cover. Try the new Okeechobee Rig, a lure developed specifically for fishermen flipping for bass in dense brush or grass cover. You’ll need to be casting strong braid or mono to effectively haul out hooked bass – at least 20lb test, but 30-60lb braid is commonly used on the tournament trail. I set up with Power Pro rigged with a Seaguar Flourocarbon leader.

If you are visiting the Keys and love to fish, but do not have cash flow to hire a guide for multiple days. (Like me, at $400 – $800 a day for guided fishing there is no way I could afford to fish anywhere nears as much as I need to satisfy me)

Of course if your heart is set on catching Sailfish, bonefish, permit etc… frankly if your heart is set on catching any fish I would suggest you hire a guide. The waters of the Keys are big and it can take some serious know-how in order to catch some of the more sought-after fish.

But anyway’s, if you aren’t scared to take a boat out in strange waters, bait your own fishhooks, land your own fish, and risk spending the day cursing, then something you might want to try is shark fishing,

Sharks are all over the place in the Keys: big ones, little ones from sluggish nurse sharks to aggressive bull sharks they are all over the place.

They are dumb and aggressive eaters, and the bigger ones aren’t even scared of boats. They don’t spook and they aren’t line shy. Basically they are the ideal fish to try to catch if you are new to saltwater fishing or the Keys.

Now you can try all this stuff from a bridge or shore somewhere but I recommend you rent a boat. There are numerous places you can rent a boat in the Keys. It doesn’t really matter how big the boat is, another thing that is great about shark fishing down here is that there are sharks a stone;s throw away from shore (unlike in NY where I am from).

First thing you will need is chum. Sharks hunt primarily by scent and have been known to swim miles following a scent trail. The best chum for sharks is fresh fish, the bloodier the better.

Where to get the fresh fish, well if you ask a local they will say just catch a barracuda… in my experience it’s not always that easy. If you fish on the reef there are tons of barracudas hanging out, but in the nearer shore waters although there are still lots of barracudas they seem to be a bit more hip to people and their bad intentions, especially the big barracudas.

So basically you don’t want to base your whole trip on just catching your chum once you leave shore, at least if you are a beginner.

What I suggest is getting the chum ahead of time, and the best way to accomplish this is to look for a party boat that has just came in and offer the mate a few bucks to give you leftovers when they are done cleaning their catch. So far I have never had a mate say no, but they if they do, or if they have a bad day’s catch you can also go to a fish market. You can usually get fish head/carcasses or Bonito fish (which is bloody tuna type fish) for around.50 cents a pound. If you want to ensure a good trip buy a lot, like try to get a whole 5-gallon bucket full before you go out.

You can put the chum in a chum sack or just run some rope thru the head collection and hang them over the side.
Now, where to go.

There are many places you could go but I would suggest try to avoid high traffic areas. If you are on the oceanside, chumming off the edge of the flats seems to work well. In fact this seems to often draw sharks that are huge. But sometimes they take a long time to show up. The best luck I have had is on the bay side look for more open waters. Chumming in the small sounds around Key Largo wasn’t particularly effective but chumming on the bay side of the 7 mile bridge brought hoards of sharks.

If you put enough blood in the water almost anywhere something will eventually show up, but sometimes it may take a couple hours for the sharks to show up. Often times when they do it will be more then one, and you never really know what will show up. Anything from a couple 2 foot bonnet heads to half a dozen 200 pound plus monsters.

For bait, a fish head works well or any piece of bloody fish, but something half alive works even better. Once you have a lot chum in the water you should get some other visitors. Live jacks, blue runners, small barracuda, pinfish all make good baits for sharks.

You can free line a bait on the bottom or put it under a cork, bobber or balloon, which in the right conditions is pretty neat because you actually see the shark surface and get the bait.
Ok now for tackle

This is sort of tricky. In the bay for the most part ideal tackle would range from something that holds a couple hundred yards of 12 pound line to well honestly the sky’s the limit. I found that something that holds about 220 -280 yards of 30lb line seems to work petty well but even then some fish spooled me. 50 pound test braided line works well for medium sharks, but the big ones may require something closer the 70-100 pound test.

Leader. Obviously you will need steel leader to fish for sharks. For the little sharks a couple feet of leader is fine but if you are fishing for something bigger you will need a lot of leader and heavy leader, like 3 or 4 times the pound test of the mono. So like 30# line or 90# leader. Sharks can break the line by whipping it with their tail, so basically you should have more leader then the length of the shark you are fishing for. This can be a real pain to cast but that’s life.

For hooks, use circle hooks; they are sold all over. If you have never used circle hooks before, they look kind of ridiculous but they work great. You let the shark run with free line for about 3-5 seconds depending on the size of the bait. Then just lock the bail and lean back and its hook sets right in the lip.

If you have questions please post them here and I will answer the best I can

Alaska offers hunters and fishermen and fisherwomen some of the wildest adventures on earth. There is more than 585,000 square miles of forest and coats, volcanoes and glaciers in Alaska. Fish, game and the wilderness is super-sized.

In Alaska you will find scenic mountains, endless arctic tundra and winding, clear as Crystal Rivers. The air is scented with spruce and is so pure. Alaska has got everything a true sportsman or woman is looking for and is one of the top destinations.

Copper River Valley and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

The Klutina River has some of the wildest king salmon fishing in the world. It is adjacent to the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, which is the largest in the United States. Here you can observe the bears and mountain goats and look at Alaska’s spectacular alpine scenery.

When you get tired of fishing, you can drive the back roads to view what is left of the gold and copper rushes of the early 1900s that include:

* Old railroad engines
* Ghost towns
* Haunted roadhouses

The available species include:

* Salmon
* Steelhead
* Char
* Cutthroat
* Lake and rainbow trout

Best times of the year to go:

* June through September
* July (optimum time to fish for king salmon

How do you get there?

* Fly by commercial air to Fairbanks
* Rent a car and drive the Richardson Highway south to Gakona
* Or make the ferry connection to Cordova

Tackle and equipment you will need:

* Heavy-action, 7-foot rods with level wind reels and braided line works well
* Guides provide gear

Other activities include:

* Gold Rush relics of the early 1900s
* Scenic tours to Valdez and old Kennicott copper mine
* Grouse, ptarmigan and snow hose hare hunting are seasonally available

The cost:

* A 10-hour fishing day is $259 plus a few dollars per person
* Gakona cabins are around $125 a few dollars plus per night

Source: Batin C. ALASKA’S ULTIMATE ADVENTURES. Outdoor Life [serial online]. June 2006;213(8):42. Available from: Middle Search Plus, Ipswich, MA. Accessed August 9, 2008.

Fort Lauderdale sport fishing charters are a great way to go after some fantastic swordfish. A more unusual take on this, which can make for a unique fishing vacation experience, is a night fishing charter right into the heart of Fort Lauderdale’s swordfish territory.

Set Up, Lie Back

Set your rods and stagger them at different distances and depths – then lie back and watch the stars for a while. Fort Lauderdale sport fishing certainly brings an adrenaline rush and its fair share of rush and action, so savour the clear, starlit nights while you can. Leave the lines loose and leave the clickers on so you’ll know when you’ve got a bite. Then it is action stations as your line quickly pulls out with these big, powerful swordfish. The trick is to keep the pressure up on the swordfish. Fort Lauderdale sport fishing soon becomes a battle of wills between you and the swordfish.

World Class Swordfish

Fort Lauderdale sport fishing will give you a really world class battle with a swordfish. The night will be full of thrills and you can expect to have the swordfish on your line for a couple of hours or more before you can land it. Just imagine the thrill involved in Fort Lauderdale sport fishing when you finally hook in such a wrestler. That’s what makes the swordfishing off the Fort Lauderdale coast truly world class. A specimen of over 300 pounds is not uncommon here.

Prepare Well

Preparing for a night of Fort Lauderdale sport fishing entails more than packing an overnight bag; in fact, you can probably forget the overnight bag – you won’t be sleeping or fixing your hair too much – there are far more exciting things to be doing. You just need to check a few things before you go.

First – obviously – you need a boat which is seaworthy and it needs to have all its lights in good working order for a night of Fort Lauderdale sport fishing. You might want to take a charter and let them bother about all that.

Make sure you have a good, long, strong line. 800 yards of 50 pound test should be sufficient for Fort Lauderdale sport fishing for even the strongest swordfish – or the other big fish you may also hook in. Think about using braided lines, too, for added strength.

Broadbill swordfish have been known to reach over a thousand pounds. But even though 100-200 pounds is more common, you need good fifty pound reels so you won’t get spooled or not having it stand up to the long battle ahead in Fort Lauderdale sport fishing.

Your rod should be short – somewhere around a fifty to eighty pound class – preferably a bent butt rod. Get good roller guides which will really help when your line strips from the reel. Wind-on leaders also help when the big ones just refuse to cooperate close in to the boat. Chafing gear will help to protect your line when the fish tries to escape under your boat. Make sure your hooks are up to the task too.

Use live bait like squid to attract the largest specimens for your Fort Lauderdale sport fishing. Make sure you bait your hook so the squid looks natural. Swordfish aren’t easily tempted.

Keep it Light

When you get the swordfish to bite, take it steady. The fish’s lower jaw is very soft and if it is hooked there, which you may not necessarily know, you don’t want to be tugging too hard.

Just these few simple guidelines should really improve your Fort Lauderdale sport fishing and help you have an exciting and successful night of fishing for swordfish.

If you’re looking to break the most recent International Game Fish Association (ICSA) world record, then you’d better bring your Penn International reel with you. The Penn International series is known throughout the world as the leader in big game fishing reels. Its outstanding performance and unique features ranks it high above the rest of the reels in the market.

The Penn International series was first released into the market in 1966. In just a little over 10 years, it became the foremost fishing reel for big game fishermen. In the forty years it has been in production, the Penn International series of reels has played a central role in the victory of big game fishermen in over 200 world records.

If you do not already know the marvelous features of a Penn International reel, read on.

1. Full Metal Body. Each and every reel in the Penn International series is made of a one piece aluminum frame with side plates. This way, you won’t have to worry about gear alignment since the side plates are integrated into the frame. These patented integrated side plates also makes it possible for you to get super high drags with fewer parts.

2. Push to Turn Preset Knob. With just a push of this knob, you can keep the drag in position.

3. Dura Drag Washers. This feature increases your functional drag range, letting you use thinner diameter lines.

4. Braid Ready. The versatile Penn International series is equipped to manage the extra strain that braided lines put on a reel. The same fishing reel you use for a 50-pound catch can be used to bring in a 200-lb beauty.

Aside from these common features, the reels in the Penn International series also have elements that distinguish them from other models. The Penn International VSX (Extreme) Two Speed Series has a ratcheted lever that deters drag creep after several hours of trolling. Managing this reel is effortless since it has 4 ball bearings to help you reel in your catch easily. This reel was designed to withstand extreme drag settings, yet at the same time keep a smooth curve. The Penn International V Two Speed Series has a Quick Shift 2-Speed Retrieval System so that you can quickly change into either high or low gear. The International Torque Star and Lever Drags have a feature called Versa Drag that lets you adjust the drag for different fish and sea conditions. These models combine the most resilient star drag with remarkable cranking power and a disengaging pinion into a single fishing reel. The International Torque was named by the American Sportfishing Association Saltwater Reel of the Year in 2006. A Penn International baitcast has an infinite anti-reverse roller bearing, stainless steel ball bearings, auto-engaging gears, and the HT-100 powered drag system. All features combine to give you sleek beauty, efficient function, and continuing durability.

All Penn reels are polished with a distinctive gleaming gold anodized finish. Every reel in the Penn International series was made with the best materials. Each piece was crafted meticulously and conscientiously examined before being assembled. Penn reels are made to catch the big fish so you can.

Penn International reels and rods can be closely examined at Sea Isle Tackle.