Camping chairs and fishing chairs are often confused with each other due to various reasons. The main one is probably the fact that they indeed look similar and often double as each other. Fishing chairs as camping chairs and the other way around. There also seems to be some overlap between the two categories.

Chairs that are intended for people who plan on using a fishing rod to catch their prey have a rod holder. It’s not mandatory, but a high end piece should have it anyway. The second thing every one of them should include is a little desk or table you can use to cut the bait up on, or to prepare the gear.

Camping chairs can be identified easily if they have an armrest and a cup holder, but no rod holder and no extra pockets in the back for baits, bobs or the smaller items. These are sometimes as simple as three folding tubes and a piece of fabric between them to form a three legged stool. Not something the enthusiast fisher would ever consider using for a longer period on the shore.

Proper foldable fishing chairs never obstruct the way of your casting hand. You should be able to cast even while sitting, and the chair has to be able to take the forces applied during this action.

Apart from these differences the two categories are pretty similar and probably that’s the reason for the common misconception that the two are same and identical. If you rarely sit for more than 4-6 hours at a time, there is no good reason to pick a hardcore seat if you’re not spending the majority of your off days next to water.

For just throwing the bait around pick a foldable one that is neither too heavy nor too low in sitting position, and stick with it. You’d be surprised how some of the cheapest ones can become something you love. Who would buy something for $100 when they can get it for $15 and the differences are so tiny that sometimes even a salesperson gets confused? I know I wouldn’t.

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Choose a lure which will look like a crayfish if you would want to catch a smallmouth bass. This is their natural food since the place where smallmouth bass lives is also a place with plenty of crayfish. You can try the Rebel Wee Crawfish which is one of the popular brands of crayfish.

The Bomber Model A Shallow can also eb a good option if you are looking for crankbait to be used for surely catching one of those smallmouth bass. It can dive to a water with depth between 3-5 feet and perfect if you are planning to go fishing on a river.

The various imitations of crayfish are deemed to be perfect if you are planning to use a lure that is sof tbait. The Mad Man Crawfish tube is one of the most popular under this category which has a tube of either 3 inches or 4 inches. The Texas-rigged system also tops the list for this.

Carolina-rigged and Texas-rigged are just among the many soft plastics which are made available in different stores today. The 3 ½ Zoom is also among the popular options among the plastics and they are also deemed to be very effective for fishing. It is available in different colors and two of those which were very effective are green pumpkin and watermelon seed.

Another lure which is assumed to be also working effectively and properly when you plan to catch smallmouth bass would most probably be spinner baits. This is very effective because many people who o fishing believe in its power and efficiency. In this type of lure, one of the most popular models is the Terminator Tiny T.

Fishing jigs also prove to be successful among those who go fishing especially the Smallie’s Delight which is produced by Winco’s. They also carry imitation of the crayfish and are priced practically.

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This route is essentially open year round as it doesn’t traverse greatly through the high country. It also allows plenty of access to many sights that rival some of the sights and scenes found with Yosemite National Park. For instance the giant sequoias which are found in abundance within Yosemite are also found to the East of route 41 on yuor way north into the larger park. There are also a number of lakes like Bass Lake and plenty of camping and hiking options near Yosemite all along this route.

If you are a sightseer and enjoy taking your time seeing the sights of all the small mountain towns and all the local shopping options they offer then you won’t be disappointed taking this route. One thing to consider however is the vehicle route from the south does not parallel the river and valley that spawn from the famous Yosemite Valley. The valley within the park tapers out to the West carving spectacular views and mountain formations that are worth seeing no matter where you are coming from or driving to.

All roads leading into and out of Yosemite Valley are dangerous and difficult to drive especially in adverse weather conditions. It is greatly advisable to only travel the roads during good weather and on tires in good condition. The mountain roads may also require additional handling and four wheel drive in certain weather conditions; make sure you scout the weather forecasts before making the drive.

Obviously if you are driving from Southern California route 41 will be the fastest way into the park but remember; the benefits to this route into Yosemite are really the multitude of recreational options along the route as well as the many small mountain towns, not necessarily the drive time. If you’ve got some extra time on your journey or need to find a place to stay close to Yosemite this is the route for you.

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First off, the easiest thing to do is to try and eliminate the need for cooking as much as possible. By that I don’t mean that you need to go on a fast when you go camping, but rather, as much as possible, bring food that doesn’t need to be cooked. Fresh fruit, trail mix, pre-made sandwiches, and potato chips and other snack items are all great things to have on a camping trip. They can be eaten with little preparation and do not require much in the way of clean up either.

The next tip is to plan on cooking food that can be easily cooked in or over a campfire. My buddy, Jack, who sells camping chairs, always recommends bringing some baking potatoes along on camping trips because they cook so easily in a campfire. Just wrap them in foil and put them in the coals, and they’ll be ready to eat in a couple hours. Pretty much foolproof.

The last tip is to bring along a cutting and food prep surface, like a small tray or something similar. If you’re sitting in your camping chair, it’s a lot easier to cut up some vegetables for stew if you have a flat surface to balance everything on. Alternatively, you can also bring along a camping table to make your food on. The table will be a bit bulkier, but it works just as well.

Of course, being in the outdoors doesn’t mean you can’t eat delicious foods. The fresh air alone makes even some of the most bland meals tasty. But if you’re a real foodie, your best bet is to plan your meals in advance and then organize accordingly. For example, if you’re planning on cooking the fish you catch on your great adventure and like to use various herbs and spaces, measure out the portions of dry ingredients you’ll need, combine them and then put them in a Ziploc ™ bag.

The only two spices you shouldn’t pre-combine are salt and pepper. The reason for leaving them out is that these are simply the two most used spices. You (or your camping buddies) may wish more or less of either one on their foods so best to keep lightweight salt and pepper shakers in your gear so that everybody can use them as needed.

By pre-sorting, measuring and combining your dry ingredients into baggies, you can simplify the effort of cooking. This will spare you the hassle of carrying (and trying to identify) multiple herbs and spices. Liquid ingredients, on the other hand, are best omitted from your plans. Not only are you limited in what you can combine (different acidity/ph could leave pre-combined liquid ingredients tasting bad if left too long) but liquid adds weight and weight is always a consideration when camping or hiking.

Finally, be sure to label any herbs, spices and ingredients. Masking tape and permanent marker are great to stick on plastic bags but don’t forget to label the exterior of any foil-wrapped items as well to spare yourself the headache of having to open everything just to find the one item you’re looking for.

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Islay Distilleries

A guest poster recently presented a quick teaser on a destination in which you might be interested. You can read our guests post on Flights to Islay by clicking the link. Some of you might be wondering what’s so adventurous about Islay but we accepted this post specifically because the island offers a uniquely different experience to a world many may mistakenly assume has been overtaken by civilization.

Islay is one of those surprising destinations that hides wilderness behind the misconception of civilization. It’s not unlike the surprise foreign visitors to the US express when they see the wonderful wilderness of New York such as that found in Adirondack Park. The assumption is that New York state must emulate New York city. But Scotland is ripe with amazing wilderness and great adventures as is the island of Islay.

The first we’d like to direct you to is presented by http://www.islaybushcraft.co.uk/index.asp This site exemplifies our philosophy that the only way to really experience the world around us is to throw ourselves into nature’s welcoming (sometimes) arms and live it.

Islay Bushcraft offers several opportunities and instructions on wilderness bushcraft on the island of Islay. Packages include a morning or afternoon foraging and wild food cooking experience including fire husbandry. I’ve participated in similar training, though never at this destination. What I can tell you is that the foods you forage and prepare may not always be 5 star dining quality, there’s nothing like a survival-style meal you’ve provided for yourself. And, as always, the great outdoors tend to make just about anything delicious.

Islay Bushcraft also offers a seashore foraging program, family wilderness adventure, touring skills and campcraft and, for those of you who want to bring some civilization with you, biking bushcraft maintenance.

Archaeological evidence places early human settlement on Islay as early as 8000BC (at least) and you can practically feel an aura of age and history surrounding you as you tour the island. With opportunities for history buffs, bird watchers, hikers, campers and (of course) golfers, you’ll find plenty to do on Islay. Should you somehow manage to get bored there’s bound to be something the 9 Whisky distilleries on the island can do to help you out.

Thanks again to our guest poster for introducing us to Islay. That post will inspire several more posts to come specific to adventures in Scotland.

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There is one little problem, however. Most people who go hunting for wild boar are usually deer hunters and don’t really know how to hunt these wild pigs effectively. Where do you shoot the boar? What type of gun should you use? Well, I am here to answer these questions for you, so stick around.

Experienced deer hunters of course know where to shoot a deer to get a clean, humane kill. However, the boar’s vitals are not in the same place as deer’s. For example, if you shoot for where the deer’s lungs would be, you would almost certainly get a belly shot. That would be particularly inhumane. Almost all of the important organs in a boar are located near the front shoulders. The best place to aim your shot would be in the shoulder area. The lower the better, because the heart is very low on the body, just make sure you don’t aim so low that you place the bullet underneath the boar. The head is also a decent place to aim, but remember that the hog’s brain is a very small target and is protected by a thick skull. You would need a pretty heavy duty bullet to penetrate it.

Speaking of bullets, www.outdooradventuresguide.com recommends using heavy ammo types but not necessarily the heaviest available for a given cartridge. For example, 180-grain bullets are perfect for your 30-06 and a 300-grain jacketed bullet will work very well with a 45-70. The main thing to keep in mind here is that boars are much tougher than deer and the ammo you normally use against deer sometimes will not be enough. Boars have a thick layer of fat and gristle surrounding their body and there are numerous tales of soft bullets actually flattening against the side of mature wild boars. And there is nothing worse than a pissed off wild boar.

Hopefully this article has helped you learn more about wild boar hunting techniques. It is by no means the best source out there, but if you are an experienced deer hunting trying out boar hunting for the first time, just keep these two tips in mind and you will do just fine.

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If you’re living in the mid-atlantic region of the United States, you may be finding yourself exposed to something you’ve never seen before… copious amounts of epic-depth snow. While snow may be nothing new, this much of it has certainly been a shock to the nerves. What many of us have discovered is just how hard it is to walk through the stuff (and you dog owners know EXACTLY what I’m talking about).

The inevitable result of this much snow in regions unaccustomed to it is entirely too much time spent indoors. What that means to me is a tragic missed opportunity. The Eastern United States has some of the most beautiful national parks and trails in the nation and their beauty is infinitely multiplied when blanketed in fresh, deep snow. But it’s pretty tough to enjoy the scenery when every step you take means sinking mid-thigh in 30+ inches of snow.

What many living in northern climates know that their mid-atlantic countrymen don’t is that it’s easy to enjoy the majesty and beauty of a snow-blanketed forest trail with the simple addition of a pair of modern snowshoes to your winter sports arsenal. It’s an approachable sport for just about anyone. If you can walk and hike, you can snowshoe in style. But you should know a few things before you get started.

How to Pick a Snowshoe

First, to make the sport truly enjoyable, invest in a modern pair of snowshoes. While I’m certainly nostalgic about the old ashwood-framed, rawhide-strung shoes, modern varieties are infinitely better in terms of use, function and comfort. The technology really has come a long way so, if you still have grandpa’s old wooden snowshoes stuffed away in your attic, leave them there and pick up a modern aluminum set. You’ll thank me once you’ve experienced the difference.

Next, buy the right snowshoes for your weight. Snowshoes come in different lengths which offer appropriate weight distribution (which is what allows you to float on top of the snow rather than sinking through). Different manufacturers have different length to weight specifications but it’s usually pretty easy to figure out. Most sites have a “sizing” or “pick your snowshoe” option where you can determine which length snowshoe best suits you. But, as an example, a man weighting 210 (with gear such as winter clothing, poles and backpack) will generally get something in the 30 inch range.

Another important consideration in picking your snowshoes is the kind of winter hiking you intend to do. More specifically, the type of terrain and snow conditions you expect to encounter in your snowshoes. The particular manufacturer you consider will help you here as well but the different terrain types and snow conditions can generally be categorized as follows:

• Trail Walking Snowshoes: Involves gentle, rolling terrain and trails over primarily packed snow
• Day Hiking Snowshoes: Involves moderate and some steep terrain over packed and powder snow
• Backcountry/mountain hiking Snowshoes: Steep, uneven terrain over deep powder and icy slopes

It’s also important to consider that there are snowshoes for men, women and kids. Obviously kids snowshoes are going to be substantially lighter and smaller to accommodate a child’s frame, but what may come as a surprise is that the men and women both need to select gender-specific shoes. Not only are women generally lighter than men, they also have a different gait and stride that needs to be considered. Strapping a woman into a snowshoe made for a man can lead to a frustrating “Frankenstein” walk, frequent falls and a very disappointing outdoor experience (this is supposed to be fun, folks!) Click the following link to learn more about womens snowshoes.

Since floating over snow in snowshoes can be a bit of a learning experience, you should also consider adding a pair of snowshoe hiking poles to your purchase. These will help you balance as you get used to walking in snowshoes, but these aren’t just for beginners. Experienced snowshoe hikers are just as likely to keep their poles handy for challenging terrain, so you don’t have to worry about growing out of your poles.

So there you have it, folks. There’s no good reason to be stuck indoors when there’s such an amazing winter wonderland out there to explore. See your world as you never have before, because it’s an adventure out there. Pick up a pair of snowshoes and get out in it!

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The variables that dictate “what’s next” here at The Great Adventure Guide are as plentiful as the possible subjects we could write about. We’re currently very season-driven because Halloween is right around the corner and the best of the fall season (in this writer’s opinion) is in October. With leaves changing colors, a comfortable decline in heat and humidity and oppressive cold still a while off, October is simply a month that screams at us to get out and enjoy an adventure.

One of those adventures we’ve been itching to write about is the storied Appalachian Trail in the eastern United States. The longest footpath in the nation offers beautiful scenery, is within a day’s drive of 2/3^rd’s of the US population, serves as an escape from the everyday and provides hiking challenges for varying skill levels (depending on which part of the trail you travel).

When writing about a hiking opportunity like the Appalachian Trail, you simply can’t encompass the entire experience in a single post. After all, the A.T. is roughly 2175 miles long and touches 14 states. It’s a grand undertaking to write about, let alone hike. But then there’s that impetus again…, sweet, cool October, and it strikes us that this month represents a prime starting opportunity for those with the grand ambition of writing their own epic adventure by traveling the entire trail.

In fact, with October half-way gone, the desire to get this suggestion out is so important that we’re dispensing with the entire trail history and many interesting facts just to get this post out in time for those of you who would like to give the trail a shot while the weather is still inviting. Remember, we’re talking about travel in mountains here, so expect sudden weather changes, greater potential for precipitation and definitely anticipate (and pack accordingly for) colder temperatures.

So if you’ve dreamt of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail someday, September and October serve as perfect times to start such an ambitious undertaking from the southern start of the trail in Georgia. Gone are the spring break crowds. Absent is the oppressive heat and humidity for which Georgia is famous in the summer.  It’s simply the best time to be on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. We don’t recommend a non-stop trip, mind you. The mountains can be dangerous in the winter. Snow and freezing rain are not uncommon in late October. But if you want to knock out 10-20 miles at a time before hunkering down at home until you can resume your trek in the spring, now’s the time to get going.

Your hiking adventure begins on Springer Mountain. The entire Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail lies within the Chattahoochee National Forest. Elevations vary from around 2500 feet to around 4500 feet and it should be noted that the difficulty of the Georgia section of the trail should not be underestimated. Though easier than starting in Maine, you should still expect a moderately difficult hike with sometimes steep ascents and descents rewarded by scenic views and open summits.

The length of the Georgia segment of the Appalachian Trail is about 75 miles. Unless you have substantial leave available from work, plan on moderate length day hikes between intersecting highways. We strongly suggest picking up a trail guide and planning your entire trip in advance.

Also note that October starts hunting season in Georgia. Wear brightly colored clothing and pack covers and stay on or near the trail.

Of the many great adventures we’ll write about here, hiking the Appalachian Trail is one so full of rich experiences that we can’t help but covering this in many parts over the months ahead. For now, set the bar high if you like and dream of joining the more than 9000 people who claim to have hiked the entire trail (in bits and pieces at a time). If we could ensure internet access to update our blog, we’d love to be right there with you.

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Though fall color begins a showing in higher elevations as early as mid September, the best is yet to come for many of us. Is it too early? Is it too late? Here’s just a sampling of what awaits you in the great outdoors around the United States. 

Arizona – The Coconino National Forest is about 50-55% into its full fall plumage as of October 9^th. The Apache and Sit-Greaves National Forests are around 40-60%. Remember that fall colors are short lived in Arizona so you should try to get out soon and enjoy the spectacle. 

Washington State – As of October 9^th, the Gifford Pinchot National forest is just starting its show with spectacular reds, oranges and yellows at higher elevations and more beauty coming soon at lower elevations. Vine Maple is displaying fine colors through out the forest. 

Minnesota – For the week of October 6^th you will find abundant color in the Chippewa National Forest! The drive from State Highway 371 from Walker to Cass Lake is simply spectacular. Red oaks are displaying burgundy, the aspen is yellowish-gold and the maples are hanging on to their bright orange color. Any road you travel is sure to provide a feast of color for your eyes.

Michigan – Huron-Manistee National Forest is enjoying vibrant colors in magentas, burgundy and orange with scattered yellows throughout! The park is at about 40-60% of peak color season. Forecasts predict peak in mid to late October so get out and catch it soon!

Virginia – Shenandoah National Park – Only at about 30% so far with the best yet to come. Head out this weekend to catch the startling contrast of green, yellow and red leaves mixed with the lingering beauty of colorful fall wildflowers. Take a spin along Skyline Drive and marvel at the colorful display. Peak season is usually in the 3^rd week of October and if you should happen to see a beat up silver 4-Runner winding along the road ahead of you, give a quick honk of your horn. It’ll probably be me!

So get off your couches, folks. There’s an amazing fall adventure with the entire world a brilliantly painted canvas just waiting to wow you. This is definitely a weekend adventure worth heading out for. Check with your local parks or the National Parks Service for current fall foliage conditions in your area.

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Dolphin encounters vary depending on where you go to experience them. Some facilities such as Dolphin Adventure in Mexico are full-blown dolphin research and education facilities and offer extensive experiences. DA features several programs including opportunities for children and adults to interact with these amazing animals. The research center also provides Trainer for a Day programs and a feature you and your children will love… Sea Lion adventures!

Similar experiences closer to home for US based visitors include several offerings in Florida. Dolphins Plus in sunny Key Largo (about an hour south of Miami) offers great experiences and, like Mexico’s Dolphin Adventure, provides and opportunity to interact with those lovable rogues of the sea, sea lions! There are several additional dolphin swim opportunities extending all the way from Orlando to America’s southern-most point, Key West, though the latter takes us into the wild! 

Wild Dolphin Adventure, based in Florida’s Key West, offers wild dolphin swim opportunities. Free from the constraints of enclosures, these charter trips take you out into the Atlantic to swim with wild dolphins in their own habitat. The Dolphin Dream team in the Bahamas will give you a similar experience but rather than a day charter, these trips include a week aboard an 86 foot yacht and swims with playful Atlantic Spotted Dolphins. 

Whether you’re looking for a California, Florida, Mexico or Caribbean adventure, there’s an opportunity out there to interact with these beautiful, playful and curious creatures. Many locations cater to young children but the wild dolphin swims are best suited for swimmers comfortable snorkeling in open water. Be sure to research ahead for the best experience for you and your family and then jump on in! The water’s fine!

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