Shadow Fishing
 Don’t forget to fish under residential docks on sunny days, advises television host Ron Schara of the popular show “Backroads with Ron & Raven” on the Outdoor Life Network. Large bass often move under the docks to remain cool and ready to ambush unsuspecting bait. For best results, skip your lure or bait under the dock. Schara, a member of the Wrangler ProGear Outdoor Advisory Team, prefers to fish deserted, broken down docks and piers.
  Downwind Hunting
 Outdoorsmen know that Woo Daves is a world champion bass angler, but not so many know that he’s an accomplished hunter as well. When Woo invites friends for a hunt, he tells them the number one thing to remember is that the wind can either be their best friend, or their worst enemy. Don’t let your target get a whiff of you. Always approach your hunting from downwind, advises Woo, a member of Wrangler ProGear Outdoor Advisory Team.
   Less is More, Turkey
 If you attend a turkey-calling competition, be sure to take note of the realistic tones and cadences used, but be conservative in your presentation, says outdoor journalist Mark Kayser, member of the Wrangler ProGear Outdoor Advisory Team. “Don’t mimic the loud and contentious calling style. Less is best when you want to bring a gobbler into white-of-the-eye range. Calling too much risks having a gobbler stop and wait for the turned-on hen to arrive.”
   The 25 Percent Rule
 Many saltwater, predator gamefish cruise drop-offs when migrating to different areas and water temperatures. Texas coastal angler Larry Bozka tells salt anglers to use what he calls “the 25 percent rule.” A 25 percent drop, whether it is an offshore drop from 30 feet to 40 feet or an inshore drop from 24 to 18 inches, attracts predator fish. Though shallower, drop-offs on the inshore flats are no less dramatic, and Bozka, a member of the Wrangler ProGear Outdoor Advisory Team, advises to fish these areas where cruising gamefish are prevalent.
   Kids Catching Bait
 Some young anglers may call natural baits “icky” but believe it or not, many young anglers really like to collect them for fishing. Ron Tussel, host of The Outdoor Channel’s “The Pennsylvania Sportsman,” gets his kids involved in a fast and inexpensive way to catch natural baits in a moving-water stream. Using a section from an old window screen, Tussel fashions a bait net by attaching two ends of the screen to two straight sticks. A member of the Wrangler ProGear Outdoor Advisory Team, Tussel says kids love it when the net starts to collect natural bait like crawfish and hellgrammites. Soon, the kids will start catching their own fish, and there is no better way to get them hooked on the outdoors.Â
  Bodie’s Fishing Wisdom
 Bodie McDowell, the dean of outdoor writers and a member of the Wrangler ProGear Outdoor Advisory Team, gives three bits of fishing wisdom: 1) Fish generally move into the current, so make sure your lure doesn’t surprise them from behind. 2) Keep your rod tip in the water to prevent fish jumps (and hook tosses). 3) In colder waters during spring and fall, be sure to fish over dark bottom areas as they hold more heat than sandy areas.
   Deer Rattle Music
 Down in the Lone Star state, buck hunters have refined the art of antler rattling, according to Larry Bozka of the Wrangler ProGear Outdoor Advisory Team. Bozka reports that since deer antlers dry out over time, some Texas hunters soak antlers in water the night before the hunt to get just the right sound.  Some others apply linseed oil instead and swear that the sound this technique produces is more realistic. Many also insist that turning the antlers in the same direction before clacking them together creates a more consistent sound. And almost all agree that you should wear gloves to protect your hands from getting pierced by a sharp antler point.Â
  Pike Ambush
 Northern pike often tuck into the edge of weed lines so they can ambush baitfish that swim by. Minnesota outdoor writer Ron Schara of the Wrangler ProGear Outdoor Advisory Team likes to throw a spinnerbait parallel to the weed line and well beyond the ambush point. Expect a strike when the lure approaches the pike’s favorite hiding spot.
   Field Guide
 A fishing or hunting trip with a youngster can also be a teaching moment on the wonders of nature. At his outdoor seminars, Larry Bozka of the Wrangler ProGear Outdoor Advisory Team tells adults to bring along pocket field guides so both the child and the adult can correctly identify fish, animals, wildlife tracks, plants, insects, birds and vegetation. It will help make for a successful and engaging expedition.By: Bill AuCoin / AuCoin & Associates, Inc.
