Best Fishing Pliers: Carbon Fiber Prolite-os

Prolite-os series Pliers;The Game Changer.
Over the years I have forged friendships with many very important people within the sport fishing industry. These people have been the tipping point for the products that become the next big thing in the tackle world. These products are the type of gear that make us lie, cheat and steal our way to ownership. This little piece of equipment is the future of fishing tools.

The story
I was recently introduced to a brand new product that just hit the market. CRC's or Composite Reel Company's carbon-fiber composite pliers called The Prolite-os Pliers. Allow me to explain what makes this tool so special: they are made of a proprietary carbon fiber; this allows them to become one of the lightest weight fishing pliers on the market. They are corrosion free and will stand up to even the worst of saltwater conditions that Poseidon and the rest of the sea gods could throw at us. They are so featherweight, you will not even know that they are clipped to your side. When the time comes to put them into action they always will preform above and beyond the call of duty. These are absolutly the best fishing pliers on the market.
We here at the Eastcoast Angler feel that the Prolite-os"TM" are the best new fishing pliers on the market. And that reason is their genetic makeup, their substantive technology: carbon fiber, my friends. Carbon fiber is the future of where fishing tools are headed and Composite Reel Company is at the forefront. Carbon fiber is a futuristic material that can be found in many emerging applications, from Lamborghini car bodies to the wings of a Boeing 787. This material not only looks good, but is extremely functional, due to it's light weight and immense strength. They are rated as the best fishing pliers on the market. The are the must have fishing pliers for any fisherman.
Prolite-os description
A new lightweight, corrosion free, 7 1/2", proprietary carbon fiber composite pliers, weighing 4¼ ounces is now available for anglers. The pliers are manufactured with 300 series stainless steel tips, bushing, spring, screws and grommets. The self adjusting cutter, located on the "fish" logo side of the pliers, and anvil are made of Tungsten Carbide. This provides clean cutting of various size braids, in addition to other materials. The easily replaceable cutter and anvil are secured with stainless steel screws and include crimping teeth and a groove for sleeves. The tip of the pliers easily grab lightweight braid and monofilament line. Included with the pliers are a lanyard and sheath. Optional heavy duty sheath available. Pliers & lanyard also sold separately. See PRICING page or click here for more details.

Eastcoast Angler's Artist Spotlight: James Roszel (Fish Art)

Artist Spotlight: James Roszel
Thanks go out to our avid reader, Alec, for bringing us the newest edition to the Eastcoast Angler’s Artist Spotlight series. Good looking out and nice find.

The waters of Massachusetts can be home to some pretty serious fish. As we found out, the land of Massachusetts is home to some pretty serious fish artists. In particular, James Roszel. He came up with the idea to portray his own beloved trophy catch in art form. Who wants a dead fish on your wall when you can have a brilliant and life size work of art showing your fish, rod, reel and plug? Now that’s the whole kitten caboodle. Here’s what he has to say about his work, “In each painting I try to capture the brilliant colors and live presence of a freshly landed trophy fish. I feel these life-size paintings really capture the excitement of the encounter with these beautiful creatures and celebrate them in a more monumental way than taxidermy or photography can.”

Mr. Roszel works on commission and likes to speak with his clients about the details of their catch. Here are the basics: you contact him and let him know what you want. Pretty simple, really. Jim also works with oils and watercolors. When we browsed around his site, we knew this artwork would be a great addition to any fishing fanatic’s home gallery. James Roszel’s art work is attainable at any price point. As of now, he offers commissioned artwork, fish portraits, watercolors, prints and note cards. He is, in our opinion, an artist with an uncanny ability to paint some realistic fish.

Here’s how you can score some fine fish art for your self: He sells his watercolors on etsy.com. Check out his blog here. Check out his website here. Contact him at jim@fishingartworks.com or call, 781-422-2244. Glad we could bring you the work of James Roszel in the third edition of our Artist Spotlight series. Here at the Eastcoast Angler we are always on the lookout for some talented fishing artisans, and the work of Jim Roszel is an energetic example of art we’d love to have framed on our beach house walls. (Note to my wife – see Mr. Roszel’s contact. Hint – hint.)

If you happen across any fine fishy artists, drop us a line for the Eastcoast Angler to review their work. Contact us here.

The Stripers are Coming! The Stripers are Coming! (Fishing)

“The Stripers are coming! The stripers are coming!”
Paul Arbitman
Eastcoastangler.blogspot.com
Any New England fisherman knows that cry and waits for it all winter and early spring. Our very own midnight ride, trekking out onto various bodies of water, the moon light casting a shadow over our Striper seeking faces. At last, the migration has begun and our summer compadres are on their way back to familiar waters.
It is that time of the year again, folks. If there is a coastal fisherman in your life, prepare yourself for his impending absence, the Stripers are coming! The trumpeted return of the morone saxatilis. The Stripers have already begun their run and numbers are being reported along the North Atlantic seaboard as I type. Pretty soon a Google satellite image will show numerous little dots - anglers - filling the beaches from Delaware to Maine chasing their old friends, the Striped Bass.
Striped Bass over two years of age make two migrations annually, with the fish hatched in the Chesapeake showing the most extensive migration patterns. The first migration is back to the call of nature, to their spawning areas far upstream in coastal rivers. Some Stripers even travel as far as 100 miles upstream to spawn. The second migration is the stuff we wait for all year, their return North; and what fishing legends are made of.
The whisper of “schoolies” in the area can send a tingle up any avid angler’s spine. By most, stripers are considered the premier New England game fish. The striped bass is highly prized for its size, fierce battle on the line, and culinary savory. Live eels are the preferred method of catching in many areas. Other methods of catching include clams, sandworms, bunker chunks and large wooden plugs. Stripers are most likely to be found in tidal rips, strong currents, or wave action that creates turbulent, "live" water.
For all needs striper, come back and visit the East Coast Angler. Post your striper questions, trophy catches and fishing reports in the comment space on this article. It will hopefully be a long striper season and we will relish these beauties together. “The Stripers are coming! The Stripers are coming!” Don’t be the last one to welcome them back. Work hard, fish harder.

Are you looking to find the finest fishing locations along the East Coast? This blog is for all of you Anglers from the Southern shores of New Jersey to the rocky coasts of central Maine, and every fishing hole along the way. Whether you like to fly fish or surf cast, you will always find exactly what you need right here at East Coast Angler. FISH ON!

Artist Spotlight: Derek DeYoung (Fishing Artwork)

Artwork Derek DeYoung

Welcome to a new series brought to you by the Eastcoast Angler, Artist Spotlight. Fishing is a lifestyle and there are, thankfully, endless aspects of the outdoor life to surround yourself with. In our new series, we will bring you artists whose work - plain and simple -rocks. If you know of an artist out there that can capture the beauty of what we love so much, send us a comment, we'd love to review their work. We reserved numero uno for, in our opinion, Senor Numero Uno in the angling art world, Derek DeYoung.

Derek DeYoung is a masterful artist working out of his Montana studio. Derek has done for the angling art world what Michelangelo did for some ceiling of a church in Rome. Derek may be best known for his vibrantly colored close-ups of fish, which is what I knew about him. But his work encompasses so much more. Read on, and be amazed by his talent.

His style encompasses realism, impressionism and the sense of abstract. As Derek's work indicates, he was born to be a painter and the Eastcoast Angler is pretty stoked he pursued his childhood dream, and the angling world gets to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Derek's two loves: fly fishing and art, combine harmoniously in his work. You can tell by the detail in the fish, that this guy has landed some serious fish. And you can tell by the feeling you get looking at his work, that this guy is infatuated with painting. Derek has said, “I’ve committed my life to being an artist, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. To be an artist is more then just painting a scene on canvas. An artist sees the world differently then most people. I am always seeking out the beauty in life and in the world, searching for that magical experience or vision that will inspire me to paint at a higher level. The act of pursuing trout and steelhead with a fly rod contains so many of these magical moments. For me the truly inspirational vision, both as an artist and as an angler, comes once I’ve landed a particularly beautiful fish. I hold it up, tilting the fish back and forth in the sunlight, allowing all the subtle colors and patterns to come alive.” Its all good, it works for us. We couldn't agree more, brother. Thanks for bringing those beautiful creatures we catch on a fly rod to majestic life on your canvas.
If you take a gander at Derek's work, like we have done for the first part of our Artist Spotlight series, his work may look vaguely familiar. After some detective work, we came to find out that Derek is the very same artist for those kick ass Abel reels. His paintings mirror the contemporary and unique style seen on his Abel work. Paint on, Derek, paint on.
Check out Derek's work at his website, http://www.canvasfish.com/. You can own a piece of Derek's artwork on any budget: from the Abel reels, to a commissioned piece; from the Simms water bottles donning his artwork to an original masterpiece - you can have some fine fish art of your own. Derek even sells his work on oar covers, note cards and decals. Come on - you know you want it - go out and get yourself a little Derek DeYoung flair of your own. Now that's some "fly" artwork.

Artwork by Derek DeYoung

Are you looking to find the finest fishing locations along the East Coast? This blog is for all of you Anglers from the Southern shores of New Jersey to the rocky coasts of central Maine, and every fishing hole along the way. Whether you like to fly fish or surf cast, you will always find exactly what you need right here at East Coast Angler. FISH ON!

Artist Spotlight Series: Stephen R. Smith (Fish Art)

Artist Spotlight Series: Stephen R. Smith
Our good friend and loyal reader, Rick, brought a truly mind boggling artist to the attention of the Eastcoast Angler. The artist is Stephen R. Smith. The art is painted fish carvings. His work is truly of the Ripley’s Believe it or Not stature. I peeped Stephen’s site and could not, I repeat could NOT believe these fish cravings were not real catches.
Here’s the dig on fish carving, straight from Stephen’s site: fish carved models originated in the 19th century. They are an artistic alternative to taxidermy. A fish carving is artfully produced in half relief and then painted on, as if a canvas, to be more precise, a three dimensional canvas. This artwork continued with artisans typically producing salmon and other game fish throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In this pristine era of angling, carved trophy fish reigned supreme. As the ominous cloud of World War II loomed over the British Empire, the refined elements of angling sputtered into the past.
In steps Stephen R. Smith, encouraged and inspired by friends, he carved and painted his first fish and the angling art world will never be the same. Here’s how Stephen works. To honor the tradition of fish carving, Mr. Smith only produces a limited number of commissions annually. If you are interested in the possibility of your own commission, contact Mr. Stephen Smith here.
In all honesty, check out his work, and if you can’t swing a commissioned carving, simply appreciate his amazing work for the awesome magnificence it is.

Best Striper Lure Fall '09 (Best Striper Fishing)

This fine Labor Day weekend, I took a "quick" pop into my local bait and tackle, Fisherman's World, with my wife and baby girl for a little stroll through. For "just a quick visit" I promised, well yeah right! I was enchanted by Mr. Rick Mola with a pandora's box so to speak. And what did my wandering eyes spy? Only my new favorite fall fishing lure! This one is surely in my all time top ten.

Well, you all know how I fancy the R.M. Smith lures, and as I've stated before Fisherman's World has plenty a bounty. Rick Mola, of Fisherman's World, brought out a box from the back room, lifted the lid and opened a cache of wooden, custom, scaled R. M. Smith Big Eye Swimmer lures crafted especially for the folks at Fisherman's World. The kaleidoscope of colors made a lure collector like me gasp in amazement. I could hardly speak, or breathe, for that matter. What gorgeous work, Ryan Smith. You continue to blow my mind.

Rick doesn't even have these beauties on the shelves yet, but if you dig the R. M. Smiths like yours truly, you'll call up Fisherman's World and beg. Rumor has it Rick may only be selling a few of these limited time lures a day - so get your best offer and log onto Fisherman's World. Maybe even throw in our name, EastCoast Angler, for a little sentimental connection. If that doesn't work, a tear or two never hurt. Real fishermen cry to score primo lures like these. Click here for more information on sizes and colors. Work hard, fish harder.

Fresh New Fish Art: Savlen Studios

Fresh new fish artwork offerings from the studios of Eastcoast Angler Artist Spotlight, Mike Savlen!
Mike’s newest work pushes his fashion forward use of color to extremes even we couldn’t imagine. His new work is done in acrylic and his imagination runs wild in shape and color presentation of all of our favorite fish species. It seems as if Mike is on my wavelength. As the autumn air rolls in, the stripers begin their reverse migration and I put an extra layer on under my waders to head into the now chilly local fishing spots, my fall angling lusts turn to the albies and bonito thrashing my Northeast waters. Low and behold, Mike has painted the perfect fall tuna just waiting to be landed in the beloved Montauk waters.

This almost autumnal time of year also sends my wanderlust to the streams of the Northeast, think Vermont and a cutie pie Brookie. My mind drifts to those burnt oranges, russet reds, golden yellows and piney greens of the solitude of stream fishing as the leaves paint a kaleidoscope around me. Again, Mike Savlen is on the job. His Brookie portrait makes me want to pick up the phone and book a lodge up North pronto.

Many of Mike’s newest portrait series is so new, as of writing this, many originals still appear available. Limited edition prints are also offered. Contact Mike here; check out his new work here.

Best iphone Fly Fishing App (The Hatch)

“The Hatch” is an application created and programmed by Cory Pratt out of Bend, Oregon. It is impressive, simply designed, and easy to understand must have in your pocket fly fishing guide for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Pratt lives in one of the greatest areas for the sport, and started mapping the program for his local rivers. He found his resource useful and thought others may as well; and he began working his way across the nation! Cory says,“I am constantly adding rivers, streams, states, and entomology photos. I want this to be the most comprehensive application out there. The feedback and requests from The Hatch users keeps me going.”

“The Hatch” provides a growing list of hatch charts for over 300 rivers across nearly 35 states in the US. Along with the hatch charts, the app reccomends fly patterns that are accompanied by a growing collection of entomology photos, recommended sizes, and links to additional patterns and instructions provided by http://www.flyrecipes.com/ The application is constantly undergoing additions. “The Hatch” can be purchased on iTunes for only $.99, and it runs off line so it can be used while on the river even without cell service.

To purchase the application simply go to: http://www.itunes.com/apps/thehatch Additional info regarding updates and included rivers can be found at http://www.corypratt.com/

New Fly Tying Scissors: The "Sixth Finger"

The Singlebarbed.com "Sixth Finger" Scissor is a by-product of an overactive imagination and a lingering dissatisfaction with existing fly tying scissors. 4.5" overall length and designed to be worn like a wedding ring for the duration of your fly tying session.
Scissors are no longer something you'll have to hunt for under piles of trimmed deer hair or debris, The Sixth Finger Scissor is always available to make a quick cut - simply by opening the palm and using the thumb on the spring loaded lever. Made of surgical stainless steel with faux-gold handles.
An article on their usage can be viewed at the Singlebarbed web site: http://singlebarbed.com/2009/09/14/singlebarbed-debuts-the-sixth-finger-scissor-can-fly-tying-be-improved-by-a-fellow-with-mud-between-his-toes/

Night Fishing for Fall Stripers (Fishing)

Night fishing on the New England seacoast during the striped bass autumn migration is the best time for landing a trophy. Your chances of hooking into a monster bass of 40 inches or more is heavily in your favor during fall months. The reason is striped bass are nocturnal by nature and feed heavily late in the season to prepare for their journey south. It appears they have a sense of urgency when they strap on the feed bag during this time of year.
When and Where?
The keys to superb bass fishing in the fall is the critical timing between the weather, phases of the moon, the tides and your available fishing time. If you can find an evening in which all those parameters line up favorably, don't hesitate to head for your favorite striper hole. Chances are the fish will be waiting for your offering of an easy meal.
Dave and I saw our chance to head out one fall Friday evening to fish for stripers. We planned on fishing the Maine side of the lower Piscataqua River known as the back channel. This stretch of water was the original main Read On.

New iphone Apps (iphone Fishing Apps)

Learn to Tie Knots on Your iPhone
Fishing Knots provides easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for tying 16 of the most popular and useful fishing knots. The precisely designed and detailed graphics emphasize key steps and clearly show critical overlapping elements, arrows and other guides to help you tie tricky knots.[coffeeentertainment.com]

Hooked: Pocket Fishing

Hooked: Pocket Fishing is a fishing simulation game where you actually feel like you’re fishing. You touch the screen and do the hand motion like you’re were in a boat fishing. Just make sure you don’t let go of your iPhone or iPod Touch!
So you can pick the lure and the lake. . .which will determine what kind of fish you reel in. Touch the screen and throw the line. Then slowly spin it to entice the fish. Once you get a fish it prompts you to spin it fast and yank it in.
For some reason I can’t seem to catch a fish. While it’s good because the game isn’t too easy to play(which would make the game boring), but I guess until I do it just right, I won’t be able to catch one. Every time I try the fish escapes. I didn’t spend too long trying to get it though. . .maybe like 20 minutes, but I did try in different locations, and still no luck. I’ll get it eventually!

Check it out!

Lure a Fish – A lure colour picker

Everyone has their favourite lure colour. The basic rule is dark or fluorescent lures in dirty water, natural colours and clear lures in clear water. This app gives you our recommendation on what lure colour to use in the various water and weather conditions. These recommendations can be used for fresh and saltwater and are not species specific.
HOW TO USE Simply select the settings corresponding to your fishing environment. The app will give you our recommendation on a lure colour based upon your water and weather choices. This is not a hard and fast colour selection, experiment with similar colours to what we suggest, however, we have found over many years of experience that these colour selections really do work. Above all, have fun with your fishing and take your kids along!

Check it out.

Best Fishing Reels, ZeeBaas (Saltwater Fishing)

Imagine using the same reel body and changing the spool sizes. Imagine switching from a single line roller to a dual line roller or manual bail system. Imagine changing handles when you need that extra performance. Imagine all this and the ability to ask the factory to convert your reel from a right-handed reel to a left-handed system. With ZeeBaaS, it begins with imagination and ends with quality products.
The new ZX-Series leads the industry in innovation and functionality. No other reel on the market offers you so much. Built to last. Designed to please. Performance proven. See what sets us apart. We're certain you'll understand that fishing is a true adventure. From the casual fishermen to the extremist...you'll appreciate the ability to change. Check them out.
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