Recreation

The promised extra pictures are here!

Hey guys, so here are some recent pics...I spent three days on the other side of the island, 70 km from Treehouse Lonely Beach, at Treehouse Long Beach. It’s very nice and simple there, electricity only from 6pm-12pm. They’ve also been expanding their hanging orchid garden, which is beautiful, so for all you flower lovers, there’s some shots of those as well.
Ok, enjoy! I’m off to Bangkok tomorrow to celebrate the Chinese New Years in Chinatown, then fly into Myanmar with my Swedish friend Robin!
Love you all!
Oh, I scubbed my feet today really well, and turns out they weren’t the tannest part of my body, just really dirty:)
XO, Rachel Dean :)

Hey guys, so here are some recent pics...I spent three days on the other side of the island, 70 km from Treehouse Lonely Beach, at Treehouse Long Beach. It’s very nice and simple there, electricity only from 6pm-12pm. They’ve also been expanding their hanging orchid garden, which is beautiful, so for all you flower lovers, there’s some shots of those as well.
Ok, enjoy! I’m off to Bangkok tomorrow to celebrate the Chinese New Years in Chinatown, then fly into Myanmar with my Swedish friend Robin!
Love you all!
Oh, I scubbed my feet today really well, and turns out they weren’t the tannest part of my body, just really dirty:)
XO, Rachel Dean :)

Hiring a guide is not an option come tournament time, and the same bodes true for a lot of people whose budget just doesn't allow for the added expense. Left to fend for yourself, there are a few tried-and-true tricks that can make your first trip to a lake more successful and efficient.
First of all, get a good map of the lake. There are even lake maps on CD that you can use on your computer. Even an old map from the local marina can be a good start. Lake maps can help you locate some general fishing areas, as well as advising you of potentially dangerous rock bars and stump fields. Also, scour the Internet: there's sure to be a message board for the area you are going to fish where locals and out-of-towners alike will be posting where and what they're biting. And don't be afraid to ask other people at the marina and boat ramp.
If you are like me and bass is the species you are after, the first place that I always look is the classic spots. Deep, rocky points, humps and bars will probably have a resident population of fish. If you can find some trees that have fallen into water that's deeper than five feet, there's a good chance that the area is holding fish - especially if the area offers quick and easy access for the fish to reach deep water.

Maybe it's cold outside where you are right now, maybe the lakes are all iced over. Or perhaps the sun is shining and the temperature hasn't dipped below 70 degrees in a while. Either way, if you consider yourself an angler, it's time to start thinking about sight fishing.