False Fishing charts have been a great asset but now there is one device we should all rely on almost as much as our shoes, shirt and pants. It’s the Angler’s Edge made by Speed Tech ( www. sim-plyfishing. com). This device incorporates all of the information we just discussed. By entering in your actual position ( Longitude and Latitude) combined with your altitude, the Angler’s Edge is able to determine all solar and lunar periods for that particular location. It also has other important features including a barometer with an alarm and histogram. I know what you’re thinking - an alarm will beep all of the time and drive you crazy. Believe me when I say it is one of the most valuable features on the unit, although it can be shut off very easily if de-sired. The only time it beeps is when there is a dramatic drop or rise in your local barometric pressure. This very valuable asset, a falling barometer, is a key component in predicting musky activity. Not only does the device tell you all the information necessary, it combines all of the above data and displays a fish activity meter on the side. You can display readouts for the present time or look hours, days or months into the future, keeping in mind your baromet-ric data will not apply in the future mode. The Angler’s Edge is able to display future fish activ-ity charts out to the year 2999. In the present mode it will use factors like the current weather to adjust the fish activity meter. Based on personal experience, this unit is rugged enough to stand up to wet weather and rough handling and should provide many years of trouble- free operation. Putting it all together Now that you have an understanding of all of the influences, what do you do with all of it? I would recommend that before your next outing you make sure to get your hands on a chart or an Angler’s Edge ( www. simplyfishing. com). If your next trip is for a week, a weekend, a day or just a few hours, look for the key times we discussed, see what fits best with your schedule and plan your fishing around the key periods. I cannot stress this enough. You may only be able to hit one or you may be able to fish a number of them. These are times when you want to make sure that you are on an area that has been productive for you. These windows are perfect opportunities to go back to fish you raised earlier that day or week. Throw the bait that you had action on previously and then hold on. With all the information that is out there and available how does a person sift through and sort it all out? Bob and I can assure you that un-derstanding these windows of opportunity, what they are, how they work, when they happen and how often they occur will increase your fishing success. Make sure before the next time you hit the water to incorporate tools like fishing charts or better yet the Angler’s Edge. These items are guaranteed to assist you in your efforts to iden-tify these periods and maximize your time on the water. If nothing else they will help you to keep your spirits up during the not so productive days. It gives you something to look forward to during the course of an unproductive day. You will know that right around the corner there is a sunset, a moon set, a Major or a new moon to get excited about. Now one last note: although by now you should have a better understanding of the periods of solar and lunar influence, we should point out that this is just one part of the mystery when it comes to catching muskies. Other influences such as fishing pressure and water temps also play major roles. Expect to hear more about these in future issues and if you really want a great read email Bob and request he explain the influences of water temps to help round out your knowledge base. They don’t call him the “ Profes-sor” for nothing. Thanks for reading our thoughts and please enjoy every day on the water as a result. - Bart Continued from page 23

False sion. The guide proceeded to explain that he and his mate would bait the hooks, set the lures to the correct depths, set the rods in down riggers, and would set the hook for the clients when a striper hit. The clients would then take turns reeling in the fish. Also, as far as pic-tures, they would be taken at the dock. Clearly there was a gap in goals and expectations here! I had the opportunity to go fishing salt water fishing off the coast of Florida ( on the Gulf side of the state). My brother- in- law, along with his sons, was going on the trip as well. They are new to fishing yet wanted to join me on a guided fishing trip. I had hoped to fish the flats for Redfish, so I started talking to guides in the Cedar Key area. After several calls it was apparent that the expertise required to fish the flats was more than my brother- in- law and family could handle, so I opted for an offshore fishing trip for grouper. The guide I found did a great job, and we caught a bunch of fish and had a great time! A day on the flats that re-quired precise casts with shrimp to mangrove trees would have frustrated the new fisher-men in my party. Straight down fishing in open water was the right kind of fishing for our trip. Asking good questions allowed me to pick the right guide, and to set- up the right kind of trip for me and my family. These stories are true, and highlight the need to do a better job of interviewing a potential fish-ing guide. Looking back, the bad guide trips are funny now, but were hard learned lessons that I hope you as a reader can avoid. As a guide I discuss each of these questions with my clients, whether they ask or not. In some cases it becomes obvious that I’m not the right guide, so I tell them up front and thank them for their interest. And why not? Guides need to have fun on fishing trips too! Continued from page 44