Tag Archives: fishing

Quality Outdoor Equipment Tested In The Toughest Terrain

Outdoors enthusiasts, campers, prospectors and adventurers need the best equipment to explore the natural environment, but the cost of this equipment can sometimes be staggering. Even family-targeted camping equipment comes at a cost and when the expense of buying your outdoor equipment goes up the temptation to sacrifice quality can be hard to resist. But what if there was a great way to buy the highest quality outdoor adventure and camping equipment and save money at the same time? At military surplus retailers and online stores you can get the quality you need at prices you can afford.

I’ve been camping and exploring for years. It started with family fishing trips when I was young and now as a father I often take my own children outdoors on the holidays for a little adventure. Like me, my children love getting outside for fishing, hiking and prospecting. It’s a family tradition enjoyed by millions of people across the world, but it can be a costly pastime. The cost of tents, clothing, equipment and hunting and fishing gear is staggering, but since I’ve discovered military surplus I’ve been able to save a lot every year when adding to and updating our equipment.

One of the best purchases I’ve made from military surplus has been sleeping bags, tents and clothing (check out considerations for the best camping tent). The range of clothing and backpacks in particular is exceptional and my kids love to dress up in camouflage and go spotlighting at night. I admit I love the look of camouflage clothing too, but I also appreciate the quality and the durability of the materials, and the fact that I’m not going to have to replace it after every trip. I also love tucking into a warm and dry sleeping bag at night to rest after chasing after the kids all day.

But it’s not just family trips that I’ve been able to enjoy more since discovering surplus. I love hunting, and while it’s not everyone’s favorite activity, for enthusiasts like me it’s important that I can carry the right knives and guns for each outing (check out what to look for in a hunting knife, too). Military surplus is a great source of knives, sheaths and netting. The quality is made for combat so it is sturdy and reliable. The range of rifles are also impressive.

Hunting equipment is a specialized necessity for sporting enthusiasts and while many military guns are not appropriate for sporting activities it’s possible to modify some combat rifles for these purposes. I recently purchased an AR-15 builder instruction manual and have been able to adapt my rifle to suit the exact purposes I’m looking for. You can also buy handguns and collectors weapons from World War I & II.

Whether you are strictly a family camping hobbyist or adventurous outdoor explorer, military surplus stores offer a great range of supplies for any expedition. Tested in harsh environments by our brave soldiers, surplus stock is a fantastic idea for building your store of outdoor gear. Compasses, portable bathrooms, sleeping bags, clothing and more. Military surplus stores stock everything you need at prices you can afford.

Fishing as a pastime for you and your family

Lots of folks prefer fishing, over other physical activities such as tennis or golf, as a relaxing pastime to get away from worries. Some view it as a personal hobby, others as a quality activity to enjoy with friends and family. Evidence supports the fact that over 50 million Americans choose to make fishing a big part of their life, rather than enjoying other sports. Fishing activity has a huge impact the economy. Hundreds of millions of dollars are devoted to fishing; and, around 20,000 people report fishing to be their livelihood. However, the majority of fishing enthusiasts consider it a peaceful indulgence and a family pastime.

Generally speaking, fishing is a lifestyle option. “The Incomplete Psychology of Everyday Fishing” is a book written by psychologist Paul G. Quinnett. In this book, Quinnett devotes a whole chapter to fishing and its ability to relieve stress. In the chapter entitled “Ethics of Fishing” he brings attention to the fact that a true fishing enthusiast must have an appreciation, and find joy, in the benefits of nature. He also brings attention to the fact that fishing correctly carries over into a person’s ability to live a more disciplined lifestyle.

Fishing also makes a wonderful family activity that can provide quality time for the entire family. “Family Life First” is a group that specializes in presenting to parents ways that they can spend quality, constructive time with their children. FLF possesses factual data that proves that in the past 20 years children have experienced a 25 percent decrease in play time. Outdoor activities, which are responsible for the majority of a child’s play, have gone down by 50 percent. A study performed by the White House Council of Economic Advisers concludes that from 1969 to 1996 family time activities have experienced a 22 percent drop.

Needless to say, any positive time spent interacting with your children is worth investing in. And, fishing is definitely a way to achieve this family time. The quality time that you experience is a very rewarding result of the effort that you put in. The significant aspect of fishing, actually catching fish, is the bulk of the enjoyment. With an abundance of public fishing lakes, all with countless fish to catch, all children can experience the excitement and adventure of fishing. Your first catch is a very memorable one. And, it would be hard to forget the parent who guided you in catching it. The enjoyment, the thrill and the learning experience all make fishing a wonderful idea for a family activity.

Everything that you need to go fishing can be found in a store–except for your family. Fishing can relieve your stress and help to promote a calm and stress-free lifestyle for both you and your family. So, gather the loved ones and be pleasantly surprised at how much you will actually like each others company while you enjoy the best family entertainment ever–fishing.

Author Bio: Nichole Weathers is a content writer for Online Schools and Online MBA who gives advice on the pursuit of education and living a healthy life. In her free time she enjoys writing, gardening and horror movies.

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Fishing games—a sea of options

Marcum fish finders

When it comes to ice fishing gear it seems that the world has gone completely crazy over electronics. This isn’t for no reason, mind you.  The electronics world has taken ice fishing to the next level.  Gone are the days of sitting on a bucket staring at a hole hoping that a fish may actually be down there to bite your offering.  No, today we take our fancy electronics and make sure that the fish is down there.  In addition, we could even use an ice fishing camera to see the fish and what species they are.  Heck, we could even see them bite the hook if we wanted to.

And this is where marcum fish finders come into play.  If you are using an ice fishing flasher you have a much better chance of catching fish that a counter part without any electronics to aid him.  It is the run and gun style of the modern ice angler.  If you put your flasher down a hole and don’t see any fish, it is time to move.  Keep moving constantly until you locate fish on your flasher and then try to catch them.  Much like you wouldn’t sit in a boat on open water in one place for a couple of hours catching nothing, you should not do that on the ice either.  if you aren’t seeing fish, move to another hole.

Which brings up a good point.  In order to enable moving constantly we need to have a lot of holes at our disposal.  Make sure that you punch a significant amount of holes before starting to fish.  15-50 is a good number to think about.  The more you have the more agile you can be and the more fish you will likely catch.  Granted once you find that honey hole you likely won’t leave it, but until you do the numerous holes around you afford a lot of room to roam.

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Fishing games—a sea of options

It has what?

Here we will explore some of the more specialized pocket knife accessories you can get on your knife. This gets into the world of gadgets and gimmickry, and in the extreme cases, just plain silly.

At the low end of the spectrum we have pocket knives with multiple blades. In an earlier post I gave my general opinion about them, but some people will find them useful. They are especially useful if the second blades have a different function than the main blade. For example, fishing people will appreciate knives with the second blade being a fish scaler.

Another tool that looks handy for the upland bird hunter is the bird hook. I have read several descriptions for how to use it, but in general you cut open the abdominal cavity of the bird and fish the hook around inside to pull out the entrails more or less in one swoop. Having gutted many birds, I may look into this tool myself.

Other tools that seem at least somewhat useful include a bartender’s pocket knife with blades for cutting foil from wine bottles and a cork screw. Although, I think there are likely better cork screws on the market.

Then there are the proverbial “Swiss Army knives.” I don’t know what the Swiss Army does, but for a neutral country they seem to need a lot of stuff. On one model you can get: 18 Implements with 31 Functions; black rubber grip; 2.50 inch locking blade; double-cut wood saw; adjustable pliers w/wire crimper and cutter; fish scaler; hook disgorger; line guide; magnifier; screwdriver; metal file; metal saw; compass; straight edge; ruler; springless scissors; universal wrench; and an additional 9 unspecified implements with 14 unspecified functions.

Personally, I have never really been too impressed with the Swiss Army knife concept overall. It just seems to me it tries to do way too much and ends up not doing any of it very well. However, many people must like them. I guess I might be more impressed when they come out with one that can locate fossils.

Knives For Hunting Also Have Many Other Uses

If you are gathering together the things you will need for an extended journey into the great out of doors, then any experienced outdoorsman will tell you that proper knives for hunting are essential. This is because having a quality knife near at hand will be very useful during your journey and not just for the obvious uses of cleaning and skinning any of the game you successfully bag. A good knife will also be very handy if you encounter a wild animal that might attack or for trimming branches in order to set up camp.

As with any other type of instrument for cutting, hunting and fishing knives must be well cared for and maintained in order to extend their life and to make them as useful as possible. When one is out on a hunting, fishing or camping expedition, it is important to be sure that the fixed blade hunting knives or folding hunting knives that you take along are ready at a moments notice to do their job. This means they should be clean and recently sharpened. In the instance of folding or pocket knives, they should be oiled so that the blade can be accessed easily and quickly.

For those who use their knives for hunting on a daily basis for other purposes, it is a good idea to clean the knife daily or after every use. This helps to keep not only the blade in the best condition possible, but the entire knife as well. If the hunting knife is properly cleaned, then you can see if there are any nicks or damages to the blade.

If you do see that the blade has been nicked, it is important to hone out that area as quickly as possible, and most certainly before using the blade again. This will keep the blade from becoming even more damaged and will also assure that you always have the sharpest cutting edge on your knife at all times. A dull blade can be dangerous to the user, as more pressure is required and in such circumstances the blade is more likely to slip and cause an injury to the user.

Hunt and fish knives typically end up being used to skin, gut and clean animals and fish that has been killed or caught, and as a result they can become very dirty, very quickly. Out in the wild it is not always possible to thoroughly clean a knife that has just been used, but at the very least the blade and handle should be wiped down to remove as much blood and tissue as possible.

Upon returning to camp, it is best to completely wash the knife with soap and water to rid it of any residue and dirt left on the blade and handle. There are also a number of cleaning solutions on the market which can be very useful in keeping the knives for hunting in good condition and which can easily be taken along on your next hunting trip. Visit www.lightsandknives.com/hunting_knife_sharpening.htm for tips on how to maintain your knives in good condition.

Want to find out more about knives, then visit Tim Frazier’s site on how to choose the best folding knives for your needs.

Also see what you should look for in a hunting knife.