Blog - News and Updates 

How to take your camp-cooked fish feasts to the next level. Whether you are planning a week-long backcountry trip or a quick meal down at your favorite fishing hole, here are a few tips to help you make the most of your fish dinner, right on the bank.

1. KEEP YOUR FISH FRESH UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO COOK.

We kept our eating fish on a stringer, either rope-style or metal clip, in the water right until we were ready to skin them. Clear, cold waters kept them fresh and lively all day. If you are fishing in a warmer climate, make sure your fish can reach water a foot or two deep to stay cooler. Keep them in a shady spot whenever possible. Don't have access to cool water but do have a cooler full of ice? Gut your fish immediately and put them on ice to chill. 

2. PACK A CUTTING BOARD.

Fileting fish on a boat paddle or a flat rock is OK, but a cutting board makes the job way easier. Space tight? Try a thin plastic mat that can roll up. Or a folding board,

3. WATER AND FISH BREADING DON’T MIX.

Use a vacuum sealer to bag up one meal’s worth of your favorite fish breading. That cuts down on the packaging you have to carry in and out and assures that your breading will be dry when you are ready to use it. Side dishes like packaged rice or mashed potatoes get the same treatment so they won’t get wet in the event of a rainstorm or a canoe tipping.

4. SPLURGE FOR A NORMAL-SIZED SKILLET.

If you plan to cook for a crowd, a small backpacking skillet isn’t big enough to get the job done. Pack in a full-sized aluminum skillet. I like a non-stick version from a restaurant supply store for toughness and easy clean-up.

5. DON’T BE AFRAID TO COOK A FISH WHOLE.

Fillets are nice, but there's a lot of waste compared to cooking a whole fish. Cheeks (no lie, the cheek meat is the best part of a big fish), the throat saddle and the belly all make fine eats. Is the fish too big to fit in your skillet? Cut it in half or even into thirds. Score the meat over the thickest areas to allow the fish to cook faster and make eating easier.

6. PACKAGE YOUR OIL IN A METAL OR TOUGH PLASTIC BOTTLE WITH A SCREW-ON LID.

Plastic oil bottles from the store are easy to crush. And that’s a mess no one wants to clean up. Pour your needed oil into a drink bottle with a tight-fitting lid to keep it from getting smashed.

7. DON’T LIMIT YOURSELF TO FRIED FISH.

There's nothing wrong with fried fish. We ate it for several meals on our trip, but there are other ways to prepare fish that are just as good. Try blackening, and pack along your favorite flour or corn tortillas for fish tacos. The tortillas don’t take up much room in your pack and they won’t smash like a loaf of bread.

8. PACK ALONG SOME SQUEEZE BUTTER.

You will never find margarine in my refrigerator at home. Real butter tastes better, cooks better and is better for you. But a tub of squeeze margarine on a camping trip is admittedly handy. Squeeze a little on your fish to make your blackening seasoning hold tight and keep your fish from sticking to the skillet. Want grilled fish? Pack along some heavy-duty foil to lay on the grill, then add a bit of squeeze margarine to keep the fish from sticking. It comes in handy for side dishes like mashed potatoes, too. 

9. STOCKPILE PLENTY OF WOOD.

If you are cooking over an open fire, stock up on thumb to wrist-sized pieces of firewood before you start cooking. Small pieces like this make maintaining the proper frying temperature easier than using large chunks. Be careful while feeding the fire. Tall flames lapping up and over the side of your skillet will start a grease fire that means dinner will be late, at best, and lost to a forest fire on the bad end.

How do you know when your grease is hot enough? Add a small piece of fish while the oil heats. When it starts to pop and sizzle, you are ready to start cooking. If you have the space, you can always pack in a handful of popcorn. Drop a few kernels into the oil. When they pop, your oil is hot enough to fry.

If you start using these tips, be ready. Your fishing buddies might just make you full-time camp cook. Just make sure they do the dishes. And bring BaitCloud so there are plenty of fish to cook up!

February is typically a very good month for trophy bass fishing on Lake Toho and many of the Orlando lakes. Cold fronts coming thru can keep the air temperatures much cooler, so of course dressing in layers is highly recommended for this time of year. A lot of our focus is on World Famous Lake Toho, as this body of water is probably your best option at catching that trophy bass.

Your options for catching bass out here are wide depending on the weather. If we get hit by a cold front, we will consider having a dozen or two of wild shiners on the boat to slow troll behind the boat while we work spawning areas with artificial lures.
Your options for lures will range from ten inch worms to creature baits like craws. Using a fish attractant like BaitCloud will also help stimulate the bite. Try using BaitCloud Fish Attractant formulated for Bass, scented with garlic and crayfish, the bass can't resist. 

We will target bass beds, but keep in mind that when a bass is caught from a bed we will take a picture and weight fast, and carefully release back into the water gently so we don’t harm her. Many times we have witnessed her go back to her bed, so if done properly she will not be stressed out and abort her eggs as many claim they do. We are also strictly catch and release with all bass, replicas of your catch are usually one dollar per inch more than a skin mount and will last forever.

Tight lines.

Ice fishing is a great sport for anglers in northern climates who need to get their fishing fix all year long. While it can present some unique challenges, ice fishing is getting more attention every year, with more anglers bundling up and heading out to their favorite fishing spots no matter how cold it gets...

It seems that the more time you spend talking with anglers, the more you hear stories about massive trophies being pulled out of holes in the ice. By many accounts, ice fishing is gaining popularity throughout the U.S., giving anglers the opportunity to catch more fish all year long.

WHAT MAKES ICE FISHING SPECIAL?

There are many parts of ice fishing that people enjoy. As we said earlier, it gives anglers in northern climates the chance to keep fishing, without waiting out the winter months. Instead of sitting inside and counting your lures, you can gear up, head to the lake, and try to catch a winter trophy.

Although there can be lots of equipment involved, ice fishing requires smaller fishing gear, which may explain why some many anglers find the sport more attractive. Instead of a 7-foot rod, you can ice fish with a pole that is about two feet long, making for easier storage and transportation.

But probably the biggest reason is the fact that ice fishing can be very exciting. There’s something about pulling a giant northern pike out of a small hole on a frozen remote lake that really gets your heart pumping. If the fish are active, it can be one of the most enjoyable fishing experiences you’ll ever have. If they are not active, you can toss in some BaitCloud Fish Attractant, to increase your odds!

COMMON SPECIES FOR ICE FISHING

Just about any freshwater fish that swims in cold climates will be caught during ice fishing season, but because of the sport’s popularity in places like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine, and almost all of Canada, where the ice fishing season can last four or five months, the most common ice fishing species are walleye, northern pike, trout, and other fish are found in these states. You can catch everything from small panfish like bluegills and crappie to king-sized muskellunge. If you can catch it during the summer, there’s a good chance you can catch it during the winter too. Check out our line up of fish attractants to target these species here.

WHY THE RISE IN ICE FISHING POPULARITY?

There are many reasons that could explain the recent rise in ice fishing popularity, but it probably has a lot to do with the advancement in modern fishing gear and equipment, which has made ice fishing easier and more convenient. There are lighter, more powerful ice augers, smaller and stronger ice fishing rods, and portable shelters that make ice fishing almost as comfortable as sitting in your living room.

One of the most important advancements in ice fishing is the invention of the “tip-up”, a spring-loaded mechanical system that releases a flag when a fish pulls at the end of a line. These simple yet effective machines have made ice fishing a sport that is less labor intensive, allowing ice anglers to sip hot cocoa, grill some food, or simply enjoy the company of their friends.

What are you waiting for...grab some BaitCloud and get out on the ice this winter!