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MotorGuide Xi5 Trolling Motor Review

Fishing is made easier when you are on the right boat. Quiet motors are important so that you won’t scare away the fish you are aiming to catch. The MotorGuide Xi5 is one of the best trolling motors on the market regardless of the water body you want to fish. The MotorGuide Xi5 is the…

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6 Best Crappie Lures Ever Made

Both white and black crappies are known to be fickle about what they eat. It is not uncommon for this fish to stubbornly prefer a jig of a specific shape, color, size, wiggle, or wobble, and they will do this for seemingly no reason, or at least for reasons that don’t make any sense to humans….

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How to Hold a Bass

Learning how to properly hold a bass is a big part of bass fishing. Many bass anglers are quick to get out on the water and reel in a largemouth bass. Unfortunately, they aren’t sure what to do when they land it. You need to know how to hold and handle a bass safely. This…

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A lure on a line over the water

8 Best Saltwater Fishing Lures Guaranteed to Succeed

Regardless of where you fish – offshore or inshore – the best lures are your surest way of bringing home a bountiful catch. If you use the wrong bait for saltwater fishing, your results might not be too far from less than impressive or even frustrating in many cases. But here’s the problem: what options…

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How to Wear a Boonie Hat

Keeping your head protected when you’re fishing, or boating is important. It’s an often overlooked part of preparation, but it shouldn’t be. Wearing a boonie hat can prevent serious sunburn. It also cuts back on glare and can keep your head cool. Your health is important, so you need to take precautions. A good boonie…

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What Does Bass Taste Like?

You can find fresh bass on restaurant menus around the country depending on the time of year. Bass are some of the most delicious freshwater gamefish in North America. Be it largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, or the highly prized black sea bass, they are in demand. People can’t seem to get enough of the tender…

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Best Waterproof Smartwatch

Best Waterproof Smartwatch of 2024: Review and Buying Guide

Smartwatches are relatively new in the consumer electronics industry compared to digital wristwatches. But these smart devices are skyrocketing in popularity. An estimated 20.1 million units were sold in the US in 2019 alone. The thing is, almost every piece of these smart timepieces are waterproof to some extent. Unfortunately, you can’t wear just any…

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Suunto 7

Ranking The Best GPS Watches for 2024

Smartwatches are not created equal. While some can include basic apps that will meet the everyday user’s needs, only a dedicated GPS sports watch will provide the type of useful data required to help elite and amateur athletes achieve their training goals. Apart from seamlessly interfacing with smartphones and providing basic notifications, the best GPS…

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Best Fishing Canoe

Best Fishing Canoes of 2024

For some, fishing is a way of life. If you’re among this group, or even if you’re just a hobbyist, then you might be interested in the unique experiences offered by a fishing canoe. A canoe is a great way to slow things down, and an accessible way for anyone to head out on the…

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Ballyhoo Fish

Ballyhoo Fish 101: Ultimate Guide

There’s a good chance you have seen ballyhoo fish and likely not realized it. Ballyhoo fish are small halfbeak fish that skip across the water when being chased by predatory fish. Even though this helps the ballyhoo fish to escape, it also brings attention to other predatory fish nearby. This is bad news for the…

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Drown and suffocate are often used interchangeably when they really have two different meanings. To drown means to die from a lack of oxygen through inhaling water, typically due to being submerged in water. To suffocate means to die from lack of air or being unable to breathe. While they are similar emergencies that both relate to not having enough air, they are two completely different causes of death. This is why a fish technically can’t drown in water, but they can suffocate. Do Fish Actually Need Oxygen? When we hear the word “oxygen,” we typically think of it in its gas form in the air, but oxygen isn’t limited to just being found in the air. Oxygen is found in water (it’s the O in the chemical compound for water H2O), which is often overlooked because oxygen is not commonly associated with liquids as much as gases. Regardless, because fish are living organisms, they need oxygen. They just don’t need to get it in the same way we do. Fish get oxygen through water, and they can become sick if the water surrounding them is not oxygenated enough. Do Fish Have Lungs? Fish don’t have lungs the same way we do. Instead, they have gills. Gills are located on each side of a fish’s head shortly before coming to the first pectoral fin. The set of gills have blood capillaries which act as an oxygen receptor. When the capillaries receive the oxygen in the gills from the water, they absorb the oxygen into the bloodstream and trade it out with the excess carbon dioxide found within the fish. So, while fish don’t have lungs, they have a respiratory system similar to ours. What Are Labyrinth Organs? Labyrinth fish are finned freshwater fish that are in the Perch classification. They are called labyrinth fish because they have a labyrinth lung-type organ that allows them to breathe air. How Do Fish Breathe and Get Oxygen? Fish breathe by absorbing oxygen from the water through their gills. If there is not enough water to pass through the gills, the body of the fish (mainly the bloodstream) won’t get the oxygen it needs to survive. This can cause the fish to suffocate even while it is in water. If you are fishing in cold or deep water, it can be common to catch a fish that has a full swim bladder when it is pulled onto your boat. A swim bladder is an air bladder that contains oxygen and allows the fish to maintain its depth in the water. The swim bladder ultimately creates buoyancy and allows the fish to remain in the same place with little effort. When catching and releasing a fish that has a full swim bladder, the fish may not be able to return to the depths of water it was in before it was caught. This can ultimately lead to the fish being unable to get enough oxygen through its gills, causing the fish to suffocate even after being put back into the water. Some fishermen recommend squeezing the air from the air bladder to ensure the fish can return to the depths it was in before, as well as absorb the amount of oxygen it needs to survive. Can Fish Actually Drown? No, a fish cannot technically drown, but it can die in water due to suffocation. There are many reasons that this can happen. Reason #1: Damaged Gills Gills to a fish are like lungs to a human. We need them if we want to breathe, and damage can make breathing more difficult. A fish can suffocate if it has damaged gills because the gills won’t allow enough oxygen to enter the body and replace the carbon dioxide. Reason #2: Live Plants Taking Up Oxygen This is related mostly to aquarium fish. If you have many live plants in your aquarium, you may be inadvertently suffocating your fish. Live plants can take up oxygen and reduce the amount of oxygen found in the aquarium, so you’ll need to find ways to add oxygen back into the aquarium to protect the fish. Reason #3: Overcrowding This is another condition related to aquariums. If you have too many fish in your fish tank, your fish won’t be able to get the adequate amount of oxygen they each need. This can cause your fish to suffocate. Fish Suffocation and Drowning: Understanding the Difference and How it Happens Fish need oxygen to survive, and they get their oxygen through the oxygen in the water. When a fish dies in water due to a lack of oxygen, it is not considered drowning. Drowning occurs when your lungs fill with water and cause you to stop breathing oxygen. A fish needs to absorb water to be able to breathe, and they need that water to have oxygen. When the water doesn’t have oxygen, they suffocate, just like humans suffocate when we don’t breathe enough oxygen. So, while a fish can’t die from drowning in water, it can die from suffocating in water due to a lack of oxygen. How Do Fish Gills and Their Other Organs Work? Fish gills work by following this simple step-by-step process. 1. Fish absorb water through their mouths, gills, and other openings in the body. 2. The gills take the water and separate the oxygen from the carbon dioxide. 3. The oxygen from the water goes into the bloodstream of the fish and replaces the carbon dioxide in the bloodstream. 4. The absorbed water then exits the body of the fish through the other side of the gills and goes back into the water. The water's oxygen level must be higher than the oxygen level in the fish’s bloodstream for it to absorb oxygen. Signs of Low Oxygen in Water Having an aquarium is a great way to add enjoyment to your home. Low oxygen in the water is often a common issue among many residential aquariums. If you’re afraid your aquarium may have low oxygen, examine your fish for any of the following signs: ● Rapid gill movement/labored breathing ● Lethargic ● Eating less or not at all ● Staying at the top (surface) of the water more than usual or for most of the day These are tell-tale signs that there is low oxygen in the water. Failing to fix this will eventually cause your fish to suffocate. How to Improve Oxygen Levels in an Aquarium If you suspect your aquarium has too little or too much oxygen, you can fix it in the following ways: 1. Only stock the aquarium with the maximum number of fish allowed (or less). Too many fish will decrease the oxygen levels in the aquarium. This is why it is important to have no more than the maximum number of fish within the aquarium (the less, the better!). 2. Use long aquariums rather than tall aquariums. Oxygen is generated on the water's surface area, so the more surface area there is, the more oxygen will be created. 3. Use a bubbler, stream, or any other water movement tool within the aquarium. Bubbles are filled with oxygen, which is an easy way to get oxygen back into the tank and circulated throughout the water. 4. Make sure the temperature in the aquarium is correct. Aquariums that are too warm will typically have less oxygen than aquariums that are too cold. This can seem tricky, especially if you have an aquarium full of tropical fish. We recommend using a fan or an air chiller for those times when the temperature in the water creeps up higher than it should be. Conclusion The next time you hear someone say that fish can drown when they don’t get enough oxygen, you can tell them that it’s not that the fish drowned from lack of oxygen; it’s that the fish suffocated from lack of oxygen.

Can Fish Drown in Water?

Drown and suffocate are often used interchangeably when they really have two different meanings. To drown means to die from a lack of oxygen through inhaling water, typically due to being submerged in water. To suffocate means to die from lack of air or being unable to breathe. While they are similar emergencies that both relate to…

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Best Tasting Freshwater Fish

Best Tasting Freshwater Fish to Eat

If you like to fish for food, then taste is always going to be one of your top concerns. In this article, we’re checking out the tastiest freshwater fish! Fishing is a sustainable and natural way to gather your own food, and few things are more satisfying than serving up a meal made with fresh…

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Best Waterproofing Spray

10 Best Waterproofing Sprays

A boat is a big investment, and you want to do everything in your power to keep that investment safe. In this article, we’re checking out an oft-overlooked product for keeping your boat safe and dry – waterproofing spray. Waterproofing spray is an essential tool for extending the life of your boat cover. We’ll start…

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Sabiki Rig

Ultimate Guide to Sabiki Rigs and How To Use Them

The Sabiki rig is a cutting edge fishing technique that was first used for baitfish angling in Asia. Sabiki rigs have grown to be known as flasher rigs by a great section of the fishing community. They are the absolute fishing tackle and are now employed all over the world. The rig consists of flies…

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How to Tie Braided Fishing Line to Monofilament or Fluorocarbon

How to Tie Braided Fishing Line to Monofilament or Fluorocarbon

Have you been wondering how to tie a braided fishing line to monofilament or fluorocarbon? There is a very good chance that you have; every avid angler asks themselves such questions. There is also a very good chance that the very next question you asked yourself after that is, “why do I need to learn…

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Thermocline - Everything You Need to Know

How To Find The Thermocline For Better FIshing

What is Thermocline? To understand the thermoclines, you need to understand the term fully: it’s a combination of two words, “thermal,” which means heat, and “cline,” which means a layer of degradation. Thermocline is a transitional barrier or layer of water in which the water temperature changes rapidly and is very different from the warmer…

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Pflueger President Spinning Reel Review

A spinning reel is a must-have for all anglers, regardless of their experience levels. It is the first thing that pops to mind whenever you think of fishing as it has helped many to learn the basics of fishing. It is very critical to angling since it is the gadget that enables you to pull…

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Garmin Livescope Review

Garmin Livescope Review

When it comes to GPS and fishing technology, very few companies can compare to Garmin International. Not only do they offer excellent fish finding gear and have done so for decades now, but they also give you tech that is easy and fun to use. One of the most outstanding pieces of fishing equipment in…

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Flounder vs Halibut

Flounder vs Halibut – All You Need to Know

Avid anglers almost always have an internal competition going among the different “catch of the day” categories. This competition always goes something like this: which is better, red snapper or white snapper? How about largemouth bass vs smallmouth bass? You get the gist; the comparison is between the different types of fish that compare closely…

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How to Fish - A Beginners Checklist

How to Fish – A Beginners Guide

Have you ever wondered what the fuss is all about? Why billions of people across the globe go fishing every now and again? After all, they could just walk into the nearest fish market and buy some of the best and freshest fillets around? Why, then, would someone take the time to learn how to…

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Ranking the Best Rain Ponchos for 2024

Part of enjoying the great outdoors is adapting to the weather. It can be unpredictable at the best of times. If you’re planning on spending any amount of time on a boat or camping you’re going to need protection from the rain. A good rain poncho can keep you warm and dry without taking up…

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Best Aluminum Fishing Boats – Top 10 Picks for 2024

If you’re in the market for a new fishing boat and aren’t quite sure which one to get, have you considered buying an aluminum vessel? For one thing, they’re cheap; certainly cheaper than getting any of the ones made from fiberglass. They are also quite light – a feature you’ll soon appreciate the moment you…

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Reviewing The Best Fishing Rigs of 2024

The best fishing rig is not one individual rig, but instead, it is the best fishing rig for the type of fishing you are trying to do. What may work as a great bass rig may not be good for a crappie rig, and vice versa. To know what fishing rig to use, you will…

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Reviewing The Best Electric Fillet Knives of 2024

As much fun as fishing is, cleaning your fish afterwards is not everyone’s favorite hobby. It takes time and effort and gets messy. The last time you have to spend cleaning your fish, the more times you can spend fishing. That’s why an electric fillet knife is going to be your best bet for cleaning…

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Ranking the Best Fishing Apps of 2024

With today’s technology, there is an app for everything, so why should fishing be excluded from this list? You may wonder why you would need a fishing app, so we’re here to answer that for you, along with many other questions you may have, including, “What is the best fishing app?” We have compiled a…

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Reviewing the Best Fishing Boats of 2024

If you are going to spend any time on the water, you need a good fishing boat. A fishing boat will get you to deep water and coves that you would be unable to access any other way, and some of these spots can produce the best fishing results. Buying a fishing boat for the…

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Tangled Fishing Net

Best Fishing Knots That You Can’t Live Without

If you’ve ever tied a hook onto your fishing line and noticed that it came undone quickly or broke easily, you’re not alone. Tying a fishing line is a little more intricate than just tying a knot on a string. Because fishing line is made of nylon, it doesn’t tie the way normal cloth thread…

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Is the Olight Warrior The Best Tactical Flashlight

Best Tactical Flashlight of 2024 (Review and Buying Guide)

Military, law enforcement, and first responders will use nothing less than the best tactical flashlight available. A substandard light source can put lives at risk or compromise an operation, and that’s why you should always buy the best tool for the job. Unlike regular flashlights, tactical models are designed for use in serious situations, and…

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Best Fishing Times and Days

Have you ever been watching the local news and noticed the weatherman discussing the best fishing time for today’s weather forecast? Well, he’s not just making it up. There is an entire process that goes into understanding and forecasting the best fishing times and the best fishing days. The weather, moon, and time of year…

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Ranking the Best Fishing Hats of 2024

If you go fishing regularly, then you absolutely need a good fishing hat. The best fishing hat will be comfortable, stylish, and protect you from the sun. You ideally want UPF 50 sun protection from your fishing hat. That will keep you protected from UV radiation. UPF 50 is the minimum you should be looking…

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