Authentic Japanese swords can and usually do cost a small fortune.
In fact many (though not all) sword collectors maintain that to get a half way decent sword you need to be spending around US$1000. And the maximum? Well, the sky is the limit (there are quite a few Japanese made Katana that sell for around the US$25,000 mark).
So what about all those $50 swords being sold on ebay and everywhere else?
Well, at the end of the day, these swords are often junky ornamental “sword like objects”. They can’t be used as a martial arts weapon. Even just swinging them around with moderate force risks the blade snapping off at the handle…
But if you know what to look for, buying authentic Japanese swords at a reasonable price – say for around US$150 to $500 is quite possible. And in some cases, for even less than this amount of money, it’s possible to get a nice sword that is well balanced, sharp, strong and an excellent ‘bang for your buck’ buy.
For start though – let’s take a very quick look at what separated the authentic Japanese swords from the ornamentals:
- Japanese swords are slightly curved, sharp and single edged
- Authentic Japanese swords are light, fast weapons and should weigh no more than 3lbs max. They are also very well balanced
- Real Japanese swords aren’t made from stainless steel – they are made from high carbon steel. They also have what is called a “differentially tempered blade” – meaning that the sharp edge of the sword is harder than the spine, giving the sword flexibility (so it doesn’t shatter on impact) but also extreme cutting power.
- Real Japanese swords also have a tang (the part of the blade that goes into the handle) that is made as part of the blade, not a length of steel welded on afterwards (called a “rat tail” tang).
There are also a few other factors, such as traditional appearance and fittings to consider…
Now in our target price range of US$150 to $500 – there are only a few swords which qualify – and you’d be surprised, it isn’t necessarily the most expensive ones either…
The first is the Generation 2 BWT Katana (around US$329 + shipping)
While I really like Gen2s line of European swords as top quality yet very affordable “beater” swords, their BWT Katana – while a good choice, still has a few major drawbacks. There are two versions of this sword – a more traditional but rather plain looking one and another that uses a lot of brown suede and has an almost surreal “cowboy” quality to it…
Neither are particularly attractive. But the biggest problem is a structural flaw – in that the BWT Katana uses water buffalo horn for the small but critical band under the hand guard (called the fuchi) that has actually been known to occasionally crack on impact…
Moving on…
A lot of people like the Nahuarra of Mexico
Katana (RRP around US$200 – but they are almost impossible to actually buy at this price and tend to go for US$400+)
Unfortunately, they are a bit too plain, too heavy (around 3.52lbs), poorly balanced, sharp (but not as sharp as they should be), difficult to find and – well…
Moving on…
Cold Steel make a very durable “Katana” for just a tad over the US$300 mark. These swords are sharp and extremely durable. But they aren’t in any way traditional. They aren’t differentially tempered (they are a mono-steel sword, like a European blade – all of one uniform hardness) and they aren’t balanced properly…
BUT – they aren’t a BAD choice… Only thing is, in my opinion (and in the opinion of many Japanese sword enthusiasts the world over) there is a better and even cheaper alternative.
If you are really looking for an affordable “entry level” Japanese sword – there really is only 1 choice, and that’s the Practical Katana and the Practical Plus Katana by Paul Chen’s Hanwei Forge.
These swords have it all – and for an online price tag of around US$279 for the Practical Plus Katana and US$169 for the plain vanilla model – they offer outstanding value for money.
They are light (under 3lbs) and incredibly well balanced. They are made from top quality high carbon steel. They have a “differentially tempered” blade, a solidly constructed tang and boy – are these babies sharp! I’ve cut everything from cardboard boxes to lengths of rope, water filled plastic bottles (of all shapes and sizes in a row and hanging), bamboo and traditional rolled tatami mats and it’s no exaggeration to say that I have never once actually felt any resistance to my cuts. In fact, many of my friends who aren’t sword nuts are able to effortlessly cut a plastic water bottle filled with water so easily that they swore that they missed (until the water comes gushing out over their feet that is).
I just love these swords! And what’s so cool about them is the price! NOTHING COMES CLOSE!
Now sure, they aren’t the same as swords ten times the price. But I remember seeing on a website when I was first checking them out a side by side comparison of quite a few different “entry level” Katana – and these were the only cheap Japanese swords that even got a look in – and overall, they were just 33% behind swords TEN TIMES THE PRICE!
Anyway – at the end of the day, if you love authentic Japanese swords, and don’t have (or don’t want to spend) a whole lot of money, you should have a serious look at these swords! I guarantee, you’ll join me and a small army of raving fans across the world…
For more information on Authentic Japanese Swords, including test cutting results and heaps more, check out my article by clicking on the link or visit my websites homepage: Sword-Buyers-Guide.com
My journeys thus far have led me down many paths and with many anglers across this great land of ours. One person that comes to mind is a man named Ed Pease. Ed is 77 years young to date and still going strong. He makes his way to Alaska each fall in pursuit of Rainbows and Silver Salmon. I met Ed personally after seeing him casting a fly into one of his favorite runs. It was depicted in a watercolor hanging on the wall of Gigglewood Lakeside Inn, a Bed and Breakfast where I was staying the summer. Linda, the owner of the B&B informed me that the man in the painting would be up to fish in August and that I should meet him. So I did.
I was fishing a rather large creek that just happened to be the one in the painting. I wasn’t having much luck when I noticed some anglers wading toward me from upstream. The nearest angler turned to work the pool above me and it was then that I realized it had to be the man in the painting. I later learned it was the very pool that was rendered in the watercolor.
Ed is a lifelong angler, although far from a young man, Ed pursues his passion relentlessly. Four to five weeks each fall you can find Ed angling Alaska’s rivers and lakes in search of something but few will ever understand many are still searching. Whether the drift of the fly, the flowing water of the river or the strike of a Silver Salmon as it leaps from the depths of a well known run or perhaps it’s the camaraderie found among friends at 3 am as we all joke about bears about as we embark on a mile long journey, in the dark, down an even darker path along a salmon choked river or creek.
Ed walks the trail alone as he is let out while the boy’s park the truck. You can see Ed’s hat glisten as the headlights pan across the many flies that adorn it. One might stock their fly box with the flies that drop from Ed’s hat along that trail and if the lucky recipient actually tied one of the colorful flies they will find that the fly is not just pretty but effective as well. As for me I tend to leave the flies where they lay just in case its Ed’s way of getting back to the truck.
Only Ed can say for sure what it is that motivates him into such pursuits that are far from
easy for any man. Rising at 2 a.m. in order to beat the crowds after fishing till late the night before. Then trekking a mile or more to the hot spots on a bum hip and landing as many, if not more, big fish than the rest of us. You should try catching several Silver Salmon in rapid succession in a swift current. Fun for sure, tiring for surer.
Many may wonder what the lifelong angler sees in such pursuits but I assure you that the lifelong anglers of the world know exactly for which they are searching because they have already found it. Explaining the feeling or reasoning is usually futile at best and many, myself included, have grown weary of trying to describe the indescribable.
I have been informed on many occasions that as you grow older your passions change and your priorities get shuffled. My response is that if the fueling of my fire for hunting and fishing ended today it would take more than my lifetime for the fire to go out.
Last season Ed was hand lining for striped bass in the Atlantic Ocean! That’s right, he was pulling 10 to 30 pound striped bass in with his hands while trolling off the coast of Massachusetts. This year who knows? It is the lifelong anglers such as Ed that give me hope that my passions be as strong in the future as they are now and that at age 77 I too can still get to the hot spots and cast a fly to a stubborn Coho and be able to land that Coho when I hook him.
Ed said last year it might be his last trip to Alaska. He was promptly reminded that he had made that statement for at least five seasons before and every season since. I feel as long as the passion is there Ed will be landing Coho and tying god-awful flies that actually catch fish. It seems that the passion, in so many anglers around the world, is much stronger than aching muscles and joints and the only time the pain subsides is on the water with rod in hand and a fish on the line. I hope to see Ed again on stream where we can compare flies and tall tales and enjoy a passion that hopefully will continue in the hearts of many well past any of our time here on earth. To Ed Pease of Massachusetts we salute you as a Lifelong angler and unsung hero to our cause and thanks for sharing the clear water.
http://www.ramblingangler.com
Why is it a golfer rarely asks for a full 20 minute extensive warm up routine prior to golf, but rather those two or three key stretches guaranteed to yield the best results in the shortest period of time?
No matter how hard those in the golf fitness arena try and convince golfer’s to stretch prior to a round of golf, our efforts are often fruitless. It’s not that golfers don’t care; life just seems to get in the way of our best laid intentions. So, instead of arriving 30 minutes early as planned, most golfers come scurrying around the corner and plop into their carts in an effort to get away with the bare minimum prior to tee-off.
So, based on popular demand, here are those 3 key stretches. While it will always be in your best interest to plan and prepare, both mentally and physically, prior to your round of golf, the following stretches will get your body ready in record time.
Stretch #1 Lunge with Rotation
Goal:
This movement is designed to duplicate the trunk rotation involved in the swing while stretching the hip flexors.
Instruction:
• Place hands on opposite ends of a golf club and place behind the top of shoulders
• Begin by taking a nice
long step forward, then lowering to a lunge position
• Gently turn your torso towards your extended knee
• Hold each side for a count of two, then switch legs
Stretch #2 Rotator Cuff Stretch
Goal:
This movement is designed to stretch the rotator cuff muscles.
Instruction:
• Hold the club in the middle of the shaft with one arm extended straight out
• Rotate the club to the right and then to the left
• When complete, switch to the other arm and repeat
Stretch #3 Trunk-Hip Rotation
Goal:
Loosens up the hip joints and prepares the body for a shoulder turn by stretching the low back.
Instruction:
• Bend over slightly from the hips
• Hold your spine in a neutral position
• Place club behind your back and in the crook of your arms
• Rotate your shoulders to the right, then to the left
• The movement duplicates the trunk rotation involved in the swing
Use these three stretches prior to your next round of golf and you will likely see a significant impact in your performance. Get ready to take your game to a new level!
Susan Hill is a CHEK Golf Biomechanic, Sports Nutritionist and President of Fitness for Golf. If you are looking for ways to increase your flexibility for golf, then visit http://www.fitnessforgolf.com.
VT Fitness Tips – diet plan, exercises, weight loss and gain muscles latest information.
We learn a lot from just watching and observing the pros and by doing so it is easy to pick up valuable tips for golf that can help our own golf game.
And make no mistake about it, to pick the really valuable tips for golf from the professionals; you will need to be very observant and keen. Many times you will need to watch and listen keenly, if you are watching them on Television or arrive at the venue very early if you are watching the action live.
One of the things the pros never do is arrive late and find that their tee time has arrived and they hurriedly have to take their positions.
Such a situation means that the golfer starts the game with stiff muscles and also having not gotten a feel of the ball or the green before the start of the game.
Of all the tips for golf you will ever receive, this is the most critical because it helps you perform at your best. Your skills gained from hours of practice and all the other tips for golf in the world, will
be of little use if you start a game without any sort of warm up.
Among the other important tips for golf you will get from professionals is that a golf stretching warm up should involve first warming up your muscles and then stretching them, especially the golf-specific ones that you will strain during your golf swing.
Once the exercise part is done, you can then move on to the ball and hit 20 or 30 balls as you continue loosen up slowly. Start with a short iron and progress up the longer clubs. Try and see if you can get a feel for your swing.
Any amateur who tries out these tips for golf from the professionals will find that their game will improve dramatically and they will avoid sore muscles the next morning after a hard game the previous day.
About The Author:
Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Visit his new golf exercise site at Perform Better Golf.
Fitness Tips – diet plan, exercises, weight loss and gain muscles latest information.
Class Is In Session…. Baitfish 101
Okay.
So you would think that in this information age we fishermen and fisherwomen would have all the knowledge of baitfishing at our fingertips.
Evidently, some of us have been slow to enter this information age, so as a public service I am going to pass along some rather “common sense” information that apparently isn’t being absorbed by the fishing world.
This information is being sent, with the hope that if 200 people read this article and then they tell 200 people and so on and so forth,maybe, just maybe enough people will get the message.
I have enlisted Professor R. O. Tenone, the famous expert on natural fish carnage, to explain the use of “live baitfish” and it’s effect on lakes and rivers. We join the professor midstream on his lecture…..
…….”Zo class, as you can zee ze Goldfish, why making a very nice pet for ze vindowzil and bringing zmiles to zee faces of zee many kids, makes a very poor choice when uzing it azz bait for catching zee big one!”
“Vy you ask?”
“Vell, if zee Goldfish zhould ezcape zee clutches of zee hook–zen der iz good chance he vill zurvive to dezzimate zee fishery he haz been released into!”
“Are zer any qvestions?”
“Yez–you zer vit zee plaid hat.”
“Professor, why are we talking about Goldfish? Are you actually telling us that people are using Goldfish as bait to catch fish?”
“Abzolutely. Goldfish, Chubbs,and Zquawfish are all ze prime examples of live baitfish that have turned vhat vas once prime trout vaters into vatery vastelands devoid of any vorthvhile fish.”
“That’s a lot of ‘V’s’ professor.
“Zat’s not zee point.”
“Zee point izz, ruining zee fishing of an entire lake just zo one individual can “hang
zee big von” zeems a little zelfish–NOOO?”
“No–I mean yes–I mean is this a real problem?”
“Vell, I did not become zee expert on fish carnage vithout having first hand knowledge.”
“Oh, yeah–your the guy that has to use that natural “toxic to fish” poison that kills off all the fish in a lake so they can re-plant fish, so fishermen can fish for trout or something other than trashfish.”
“In zee matter of zpeaking.”
“I don’t conzider any fish trash, but I don’t zink it is natural to have zee giant Koi pond out in zee vild either.”
“Vhat–I mean What can we do?”
“Vell, first ve must educate zee fisherman zat zees fish are no good to use azz bait. Zpread zee vord in all zee fishing circles you know, vorms are o.k.,Rapalas vork vell,and of course zee flys, but no Goldfish!”
“I don’t know professor, seems like a pretty daunting task.”
“Fine, azz long azz you feel comfortable looking at zee grown men ztanding on zee cover of zee magazine holding zee mighty Goldfish–zen it iz o.k. vit me.”
“I guess that isn’t very impressive.”
“In zee conclusion, I am going to give zee link to zee story I read zat made me give zis class”
“Remember class, if zey have to call me–zen it is too late, and you know who pays ven Professor R.O. Tenone has to show up?”
“Uhhh, …let me see…. uhhh… the taxpayers?”
“Class dizmizzed.”
the link to the story on Goldfish: http://www.mailtribune.com/outdoor/
A.J. Klott
Author, writer of fishing humor,and “fly tack” peddler.A.J. writes about the people,characters and modern day events that surround the fishing world. His first book is due out in December of 2005.If you need a laugh or a fun gift, visit his website at:http://www.twoguyswithflys.com
Just as an aside. For those who would “box” us in to specific “category”………
We don’t just write articles. There is a place we actually train in these methods every day. This is where people of various backgrounds come together and have one thing in common, TRAINING.
At the “Dojo”(which it is), we train in grappling methods drawn from many different styles. Hard HARD training in throws, takedowns, joint locks, chokes, strangleholds, and varied submissions. We drill and drill and FIGHT.
At the “Dojo”(which it is), we train in striking, punching, and kicking methods drawn from many different styles. Hard HARD training. We drill and drill, we hit heavy bags, banana bags, uppercut bags, speedbags, “makiwara”, and “spar pros”. We train full contact with Bogu and FIGHT.
At the “Dojo”(which it is), we train in hard combative oriented physical conditioning. Strength training, speed training, endless drills, grappling enhancement drills, striking enhancement drills. This helps us FIGHT. This is what we do.
The DOJO is there. It’s real and tangible. It’s where we TRAIN.Just a note to anyone who might believe we sit around JUST reading
books and pontificating. The door is always open and the invitation to train is there. You can call 973.831.0315.
Copyright 2003 http://www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com ©
Carl Cestari began his study of the martial arts with judo at the age of 7 under the direction of Yoshisada Yonezuka. During the past forty plus years Carl has dedicated his life to studying the martial arts, hand to hand combat systems, history and religion. What makes Carl unique is his combination of martial arts, law enforcement, military and real world experience. Carl has been exposed to a multitude of people with a wide variety experience. The following is a list of some of Carl’s ranks and honors.
Shinan (Founder) Tekkenryu jujutsuRyokudan (6th degree) Koshinkai Karate under John BurrelleGodan (5th degree) Jujutsu under Clarke of the World Jujutsu Fedaration (now defunct)Sandan (3rd degree) Nippon Kempo under Narabu SadaNidan (2nd degree) Judo under Masafumi SuzukiShodan (1st degree) Judo under Yoshisada YonezukaShodan (1st degree) Shukokai Karate under Kimura, Kadachi and Yonezuka Shodan (1st degree) Daitoryu AikijujutsuInstructors Certificate- Charles Nelson System of Self Defense under Charlie Nelson
http://www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com
Fishing. Take a rod and a line and throw it in some water. Splash it around a bit and wait until something tugs. If only it were that easy. The truth is, fishing as a sport is not as easy as most people think and is a lot more complicated than just throwing your line is some water. For starters there are several types of fishing depending on what kind of fish you want to catch.
In this article we’re going to focus on fly fishing and it’s origin.
Fly fishing goes all the way back to around 200 AD. The first reference to it was written by Aelian who was born around 170 AD. Early in his life he knew nothing of the sea. In his early writing “On The Nature Of Animals” he writes about a certain way of catching fish supposedly invented by the Macedonians. A particular fish that runs through the Astraeus River in Macedonia happens to feed on flies that are peculiar to that region. These flies are not found anywhere else. The natives of the land called this species of fly Hippouros. These flies seek their food over the river and are never very far away from the fish in the river below. Because of this it is relatively easy for the fish to jump out of the water, catching the flies in their mouths and eating them.
It is from seeing this that the Macedonian’s got the idea to use these flies to catch the fish. However, because it is unclean for their people
to touch this species of fly they had to develop a way to catch the fish without actually handling the flies. So what they did was fasten red wool around a hook. They then fixed onto the wool two feathers which grow under a cock’s wattles. The rod they used was six feet long and the line was also the same length. They then threw the line in the direction of the flies. The fish seeing this line which is disguised to look like the fly think they are going to have a nice meal and instead are caught by the fisherman’s trap. Fly fishing was developed.
It should be pointed out that according to accounts of what the fly looked like and what the actual “bait” looked like it would seem that the Macedonians didn’t try to imitate the fly exactly, as the fly color was yellow and the bait color was red. Some speculation is that the fly changed color when near water but this was never proven.
For those interested, the story above was taken from Radcliffe’s “Fishing From The Earliest Times,” which was published in 1921. This version of the story is the one most often printed with no credit given to the original author. Radcliffe himself states that he adapted this translation from “Lambert’s Angling Literature in England” first published in 1881. Prior to this there was a Latin translation which was printed in 1558. This printing however wasn’t discovered until 1834.
In a later article we’ll cover modern day fly fishing.
——————————————————-
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Fishing
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A golf tip online can save you hours out of your schedule, but can it really help your game? With more and more people getting Internet connections, golfers are flocking to the Internet in hopes to find tips, techniques and even total golf performance programs to save their golf game.
There are many concerns with taking a golf tip online and hoping it will be the silver bullet to your game. Always consider the source of this golf tip. If you read an article like this one, or find some resource online, make sure to read the resource box at the bottom of the article.
Usually the article or resource will have a mini-bio of the person who authored the information with a link to either their site or some kind of indepth explanation of who the person is and what their credentials are.
Any golfer no matter what their ability or certifications can post a golf tip online via website, blog or article. On the Internet this is rampant! There are more so-called gurus than ever before. Every golfer probably has some valuable information they have to give, but if they are not qualified to give it, they should probably keep it for their own game.
With the Internet turning into more of a “pay-for-content” vehicle, there are many qualified people who are putting valuable golf tips online, along with reports, ebooks and even complete membership sites like my Golf-Trainer.com site that has been on the net for over 5 years now. Since then, I have seen many imitation sites and products, which is one huge drawback of the web.
Web surfers would never know what reports, ebooks and membership sites are the most credible and original in format and effectiveness. I am always hesitant with reading any golf tip online until I thoroughly look into
the person behind the product. How long have they been in their profession? What successes have they helped create? And if you can personally talk to several people who have purchased and benefited from their products?
In researching these products and programs, read all the copy on the site. You will read some pretty amazing stuff that’s hard to swallow. These claims seem impossible when you look at how long they’ve been on the net and how many so-called golfers they’ve helped. Just do some math and you’ll find that these numbers are most likely false.
The bottom line with any golf tip online is if it does in fact help your game. If it does, you will most likely tell other golfing friends about it and the website and business will be successful just from word-of-mouth.
And one last piece of advice. Any person or business giving golf tips online should be reachable. You should easily be able to find their contact information, including phone number. When I answer my phone, people are shocked! I ask them why, and they say they didn’t think there was a “real person” behind it.
That’s a sad situation that shows the skepticism of web visitors. If you have to look hard for the contact information, I would not recommend using or purchasing any golf tips or programs online.
I don’t want to deter you, but just do a little homework when searching for a golf tip online.
About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf performance experts in the country. He is Golf Magazines golf performance expert; author, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf performance membership sites. Take a look at his just released golf dvds and manual at his golf swing training site – Perform Better Golf.
“The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.”
- Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan Karate
The underlying principles of karate-do (Way of the Empty Hand) include not only self-defense, but a system of learning that provides one with a tool for self-improvement. Its accessibility is shown by its ability to be practiced hard or soft, by nearly anyone, and nearly anywhere, even in one’s own mind. Its precepts and discipline can lead us on in the difficult times of our lives. This is the connection of body, mind, and soul.
“There is no first strike in karate.”
- Gichin Funakoshi
Karate-do is a way of life that teaches one to be the best he or she can be, in spite of and because of the worst situations that one faces. Karate is a code of conduct that avoids conflict; its level of force is only stepped up if absolutely necessary. In this way, karate may be used to defend oneself and others without striking a single blow.
Way of the Empty
Hand
Karate is not simply a method of empty handed combat, but also a way of peace. Keep your mind open to the situation, and to the Truth. Do not miss the forest for the trees. Cut through all the hype and find understanding. Your hand, the human hand, is the most versatile physical tool on the planet. Your mind is an even more versatile tool. It is the tool of your human soul, human instincts. In that way, your mind is a hand, reaching out for truth, greater things. Therefore, Karate is the way of uniting body, mind, and soul, that one may be a sharpened tool. Once one has learned Karate, its textbook of technique, philosophy, kata, one should digest it and make it part of one’s nature. Continue to sharpen yourself, refining what you have learned, using it to your advantage and the good of others.
The author, Owen Johnston, lives and teaches Wado ryu Karate. He enjoys training, reading, and spending time with his fiance. For more information please visit Johnston Karate
Lake Musconetcong is located in northern New Jersey, between Sussex and Morris counties. It is actually part of Hopetcong State Park, and doesn’t receive the notariety of its bigger brother Hopetcong or Greenwood Lake or any of the central Jersey waters. Yet, it is one of the best bass waters in northern New Jersey
Years ago, this area was just swampland. It was flooded a long time ago to allow coal transporting barges to make their way to New York City along the Morris canal system. Efforts are being made right now, by the Lake Musconetcong Regional Planning Board, to insure that nature does not reclaim the land as a swamp. Their goal is to preserve the lake’s recreational capabilities, bass fishing being one of them. They dredge the lake each year and perform weed harvesting. Even so, in the late spring, the weed growth in Musconetcong is very heavy. Thick mats of vegetation grow almost to the surface in most of the lake, and there are large boulders mixed in this, which makes fishing with a bass boat hard to say the least. More than one trolling shaft and outboard prop have been broken here.
You won’t see a lot of boaters, anglers, and water skiers here. The lake does not receive the publicity the other lakes do. In fact, even in the spring and summer on weekends, surprisingly few people will be on the water at any one time. The lake is open to the public and has a good launching ramp. It is located right in the town of Netcong. It is a beautiful 329 acre lake loaded with a variety of cover and some real nice bass.There are reasons for the lack of traffic on Musconetcong. For one, it is pretty shallow. It’s average depth is about 4 feet, with the deepest water being only 6 feet. Since the bottom of the lake gets a lot of sunlight, there is tremendous weed growth. In fact, this lake is probably the “weediest” you’ll see in this region.The shallow water also allows for rapid warming and cooling of the water compared to deeper lakes, so Musconetcong is usually a few weeks ahead of the other lakes in its seasonal warming and cooling. The daily temperature changes are more pronounced.
For the bass, this is an ideal habitat. There is a lot of food and cover to hide in. The bass we catch in Musconetcong are usually about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds on average, and some much bigger have been taken. It is not unusual at all to catch 8-10 bass in the 3
pound range, and one 5 pounds or over on a good day. Last year, we even took a 6 1/4 pounder from here.
LURES AND EQUIPMENT
You should have plenty of weedless lures at Musconetcong. Tournament frogs, Bass Rats, Top-Props, and weedless spoons, along with Senkos and worms rigged Texas style are a must. There are some open pockets where you can cast some buzzbaits early in the year, but they disappear quickly as the water starts to warm. Most of the time, we rig the plastics without any weight, as the grass is just too thick. It is actually counterproductive because the water is only 4-5 feet deep. We like to use a spinning rod in 6 – 6 1/2 foot lengths in medium actions and a 6-8 pound test Stren line. In the baitcasters, we use a 7′, med/hvy action rod, such as a G. Loomis Crankin’ Stick and a Shimano Chronarch, spooled with 20-25 pound test Stren or Spiderline.
LOCATIONS
The best areas to work these lures is the edges of the lily pads, right in with the frogs and rats, and the edges of the thick slop and mats of grass that accumulate on the surface. If you get there early in the year, you can learn where all the boulders and underwater objects are, which will aid your boating and fishing later. It is also worth searching the small drop-offs or depressions, many of which are right in the middle of the heavy grass. These areas will concentrate the fish, and at times we catch several from a small area before moving on.
Two areas that are really good are the edges of one small island, and the length of the tow path used by the old barge system. If you picture a line drawn from the public ramp to the far side, passing through a point about midway between the island and the right hand shore, you’ll have a good idea of where it is.
Some other good baits to try in Musconetcong are soft plastic jerk baits like a “Sizmic Flu-Go or Toad”, Bearpaws Jerkbaits, or Sluggos and Bass Assassins. All in all, Musconetcong is a good time lake for all. Hopefully, it will be there for many years to come. Practice catch, photo, and release and you can assure the future of fishing and Lake Musconetcong for everyone.
Steve is sponsored by Gary Yamamoto Custom baits and owns Anglers Radio at http://www.anglersradio.com and Delaware tackle at http://www.delawaretackle.com. He has fished tournaments for 20 years and is a book author and Big Bass World Champ. http://www.reeltimeanglers.com