Aquarium gravel can play an important role in maintaining the habitat that is your fish tank. It can be used as part of the filtration system, as a nutrient rich substrate for plants or to change the properties in the water. In most cases however it is there purely for decorative reasons. People like to see a gravel bottom because it makes the tank look better and often offsets the colors of the fish. It also provides the fish with more things to do which makes better viewing for the Aquarist and his/her friends.

The type of gravel you want in your fish tank is also determined by the type of animal and plant life that you want in your tank. If you are looking for gravel for soft water this is generally because you have fish that are suited to soft water. Common fish include South American Cichlids like Discus and Angel fish. You may also want to have plants in you tank to recreate the natural environment of these fish. Then the gravel must be rich in nutrients and be firm enough to allow roots to take hold.

The gravel commonly used for this purpose is titled lime free gravel. Lime or calcium carbonate is the principle component that causes hard water. If you were to put gravel that was composed of calcium carbonate in then the water it would turn the water alkaline over time and could cause stress or ill health to your fish.

Lime free gravel is usually quartz or man made. Quartz gravel is ideal for plants as it collects nutrients and allows roots to take hold. You can also layer the substrate so that the base is lime free material and the top levels are more nutrient rich to encourage plant growth. Another consideration if you have bottom dwelling fish is to have smooth edged gravel so that the fish don't get damaged.

One of the most popular type of fish to attempt top catch in the entire United States is the Bass. There are four main species of Bass in this country: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Kentucky Bass, Guadeloupe Bass, and Peacock Bass. In this article, the Smallmouth & Largemouth Bass are going to be focused on simply because they are by far the most popular. Bass fishing has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry from it's humble beginnings in the late 1800s. The black bass has become the second most specifically sought-after game fish in the United States. The sport has driven the development of all manner of fishing gear, including rods, reels, lines, lures, electronic depth and fish-finding instruments, drift boats, float tubes, and specialized bass boats. The black bass, also known as Largemouth Bass, has even spawned many groups of people who earn their living fishing for them.

Largemouth Bass are found mostly in lakes and large rivers. While the same is true for Smallmouth Bass, smallmouth bass are also found it fast flowing rivers and streams. As a matter of fact in many areas of the country, smallmouth bass can be found in the same waters that trout swim in. Smallmouth can be fished for in the same manner as one does for trout as well. Largemouth bass tend to shy away from the types of currents and small rivers that trout are found in. Bass fishing is an incredibly popular pastime, and in some cases an incredibly lucrative business.

Fishing for bass can be a very expensive proposition, although it surely doesn't have to be. There are literally tens of thousands of techniques, lures, gimmicks, and plastic contraptions used in bass fishing. The options can become quite daunting. At the end of the day all a person needs to catch a bass is a live worm and a set of gang hooks, but with bass fishing, you can get as technical as you would like. As a matter of fact, one of the best ways to catch smallmouth bass is a live worm rigged on a set of gang hooks. Then simply fish that worm through the current of a river, letting it bounce along the bottom.

Some of the most popular bass fishing techniques are: fishing plastic worms, spinner baits, crank baits, large jigs, and even live bait. There are literally too many techniques to list here, but the ones listed are the most popular. The bottom line is that bass fishing is more or less the grand daddy of fishing. Because of tournaments and organizations like B.A.S.S (which stands for: Bass Anglers Sportsman Society) the activity of bass fishing has become incredibly popular, and doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon. Honestly, when you think about it, how else could someone be convinced to spend $25,000 on a boat that mainly gets used on weekends only? Because what they are using that boat for is so much freakin' fun…Bass Fishing. Most Bass anglers would have a hard time arguing with this fact.

One of the best ways to take some time out and go fishing is through the use of a personal pontoon boat. Whether you like fishing on rivers, lakes, or ponds, a personal pontoon boat is a great way to fish a body of water. What is a personal pontoon boat? A personal pontoon boat is basically a seat (or 2) mounted on a platform, between two inflatable pontoons. This makes is amazingly comfortable and very maneuverable. A personal pontoon boat can be taken down the current of your favorite river, or the on the water in your favorite lake.

Because of their maneuverability, personal pontoon boats can get into area's that "traditional" boats can't. Heavily weeded areas? No problem. Crossing very rocky or shallow areas of a lake or pond? No problem. With the help of a personal pontoon boat, the areas that you can fish are almost endless. No area will be out of your reach, and because the pontoons are inflatable, that makes them very lightweight. Therefore carrying them, if you have to, is no problem.

If you like to fish rivers, a personal pontoon boat can be extremely valuable. The amount of water that can be covered is incredible, when compared to walking and wading. You simply use your personal pontoon boat to float down your favorite river, while wearing your waders as you normally would. Then whenever you come to a stretch that looks good, simply pull over, dismount, and begin fishing. The amount of good fishing water that can be found is incredible.

Before my personal pontoon boat, I used to be reserved to 2 or 3 mile stretches of my favorite river because of deep water and impassable overgrown brush. But now, with my personal pontoon boat, I don't have to worry about such things. And I get to fish stretches of river that very few anglers fish, which means that the fish are much less "spooky". Using a personal pontoon boat for is definitely worth considering if, especially if you like catching more fish. The freedom of not being confined to the bank is a great feeling, there's no doubt about that.

p>In my estimation, many anglers overlook some very simple things that effect their fish catching ability. Like many things in life, it's often the most obvious things that get overlooked, and in most cases these obvious things have a very big impact on our lives, and for the purposes of this article, our fishing. These 5 techniques are going to be focused on the river or stream angler who spends much oh their time wading in the water, trying to catch fish. So if you're a Largemouth Bass angler who fishes from a $20,000 bass boat, these tips probably won't mean much to you. In any case, here are the tips and you can do with them what you will:

1) Size Matters - The size of your line matters. In river and stream situations fish are usually much more wary than in a muddy lake with a lot of boat traffic. In most cases the water is very clear as well. This means that the fish are much more likely to see your line. I personally use four pound test, which is all but invisible to the fish. I've had the direct experience of using six pound test and getting no bites. Then switching to four pound test and catching fish one after another.

2) Your Clothes Matter - The color of your clothing matters. You wan t to avoid wearing loud colors that will make it easier for the fish to see you. Remember, if the fish can see you, they normally won't bite (especially in clear water mountain rivers). Wear darker more drab colors if at all possible.

3) Avoid Loud Noises - I know, as anglers we are all aware of the "be quiet" rule while fishing, but it's even more pronounced on river and stream situations. Especially on rivers and streams that don't receive much fishing pressure. The biggest thing to avoid as far as noise goes on rivers and streams are rocks banging together underwater. Remember this while wading from here to there.

4) Present Bait Naturally - You want to present your bait as naturally as possible. You want your bait to look like it would without hooks in it. The best way I know to accomplish this is by using gang hooks. The bottom line is for your bait to look as natural as possible.

5) Clean Your Hands - Fish have a very sensitive sense of smell and can smell your scent on your bait. This is a big reason people use "attractors" on their baits. I don't think these things attract fish as much as they cover the scent of humans! Using a hand sanitizer is a good idea or just grabbing a handful of grass and rubbing it in your hands has always worked well for me.

Start employing any or all of these five techniques and you will start catching more fish; it's as simple as that. Catching fish doesn't have to be difficult, especially if we're reminded of the basics from time to time. Remember what Steven Wright said, "There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot."