Shotgun Class – Eyes on Target:

When practicing your shotgun skills… don’t ever say you MISSED a target. Just because you didn’t break that particular clay target, the effort is not lost. There are loads of things you can do right each shot taken and you just get better and better when you increase your comfort zone. Jay Giusti is more than a COACH… he is a TEACHER. He helps me put more than just shooting guns into perspective. He has broken shooting down into three words: FOCUS, TEMPO, and TRUST. Try that in your daily life too. You’ll be amazed by your clear vision.

Let the Eyes Do Your Shooting

People conjure up all sorts of complicated mechanics when it comes time to shoot clay targets or live birds. This is a sport of good focus not hand eye coordination. Gender or age has no bearing in this game. Whether you are 16 or 76, if you can focus clearly, you are going to do extremely well. Shooting is just like other sports in that your eyes will subconsciously tell the golf club, tennis racket, baseball, football, volleyball where to go. Think about it! The eyes control all sports. Wherever you are looking in shotgun sports, “Trust” that the gun will be there. No aiming or guiding of the gun barrel is required.

The next thing is to place the eyes on the front edge of the clay target and you will be shooting the target where it is going to be. If you focus, on the whole target by the time you pull the trigger the target will have moved to another location. The eyes are the most powerful aspect of any sport and shooting is no different.

Back to Top

Physical Fitness – Be Ready for Your Hunt!:

It is important to prepare for your hunt both physically and mentally. Jimi Lanham is an excellent personal trainer who will give you workouts to fit your busy life that do not require bulky gym equipment in your bedroom. You are your own best asset. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Take care of you! And make FUN the common denominator.

Physical fitness is defined as the body’s capacity to respond effectively and efficiently to environmental stressors. Simply put, it’s a measure of how well our bodies are able to do whatever needs doing. As outdoor enthusiasts, the obstacles and situations we encounter in pursuit of sport and recreation are as varied and infinite as nature itself, so maintaining an appropriate level of fitness should be a priority. It’s not necessary to become an elite athlete or spend every waking moment exercising in order to get the most from your outdoor experience, but the increased physical ability gained from a good exercise program is bound to make it a more rewarding one. For instance, you’re more likely to enjoy fishing for marlin if you possess the arm strength and endurance necessary to land your catch without becoming overly fatigued. Similarly, a hunter with the cardiovascular capacity to hike over challenging terrain and the balance and strength to hold a heavy rifle or bow steady will typically have greater success than one who is not as well conditioned. Muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, balance and cardiovascular endurance are all components of physical fitness which, when maximized, can contribute to a more fulfilling outdoor experience.

Now that we’ve affirmed the importance of fitness, how do we achieve it? Proper exercise and nutrition is the answer. For the purposes of this article, we’ll concern ourselves with the exercise portion of the equation and address the topic of nutrition in future discussions. A complete program consists of three types of training: resistance, cardiovascular and flexibility. We can design targeted workouts aimed at improving our performance in specific outdoor activities, but for now let’s focus on a generalized workout which will improve our overall physical ability. The workout listed below is a resistance exercise workout and is a great way to start:

7-minute cardio warm-up: Pick your poison: running, walking, biking, jumping, etc.

Push-Ups or Modified Push-Ups: No special instruction here, however you are comfortable whether it’s a conventional push-up, kneeling or incline against the wall will work just fine.

Body Rows: Simply grip onto a pole or other solid object, place your feet near the bottom of it and row yourself up. For a little extra range of motion and more resistance, loop a towel around the solid object and grip onto the ends. As you pull up, squeeze your back muscles. You can also pull the ends of the towel out to the sides as you pull yourself up for an extra bit of squeeze.

Step-Ups: Stand behind a 15-inch platform or step. Place the right foot on the step, transfer the weight to the heel and push into the heel to come onto the step. Concentrate on only using the right leg, keeping the left leg active only for balance. Slowly step back down and repeat all reps on the right leg before switching to the left.

Overhead Press: Hands start slightly above shoulder height, elbows flexed. Engage the abdominals, bend the knees slightly, and position the feet about shoulder-width apart. Abduct at the shoulders and press the hands over the head until elbows are extended but not locked. Pause… then slowly return to the starting position.

Bench Dips: Position your hands shoulder width apart on a secured bench. Move your feet out as far out in front of you as possible. Straighten out your arms and keep a little bend in your elbows in order to always keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints. Slowly lower your upper body down towards the floor and keep your elbows tucked into your sides. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, slowly press off with your hands and push yourself back up to the starting position with your triceps.

Bicep Curls: Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder width apart and your knees relaxed. Grasp a barbell or hand weights with your hands also shoulder width apart. Your grip should be underhand (palms facing upwards). Stand upright and let the bar or weights hang in front of your thighs. Bend at your elbows to curl the weight to shoulder level. Pause momentarily at this top position. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

Abdominal Crunches: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor in front of you. Position your feet as wide as your hips. Place your hands behind your head so that your thumbs are tucked behind your ears. Hold your elbows slightly out to the sides and keep your chin pointing upward. Curl up and forward so that your head, neck and shoulder blades lift off the floor. Make sure you're not pulling your head forward with your hands. If your chin is making contact with your chest, the abdominal muscles aren't being used in the exercise. Lift your head up enough so that your middle and lower back stay on the floor. Squeeze your abdominals as you pause. Slowly lower your head, neck and shoulder blades to starting position and then go again.

5-minute cardio cool-down: Again, pick your poison!

The number of sets and repetitions you perform, as well as your frequency of exercise depends upon your current fitness level. Beginners should start with one set of 15 to 20 repetitions of each exercise 1 to 3 times per week. For the more advanced, 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps is appropriate.

Cardiovascular training (running, cycling, aggressive walking or hiking, swimming, etc.) is usually done on alternate days and should be performed for 20 to 60 minutes, depending upon intensity. There are many schools of thought with regard to how intense (as determined by heart rate) your cardio workout should be to be maximally effective. I recommend the highest intensity level you’re able to safely sustain.

Back to Top

GPS Marks the SPOT – We want to share our favorite outdoor spots with you!

Make the time to try something new! Don’t rent a boat trip for you and your family to share with 30 other people to drop non-descript lines in the water. Reorganize your money and your time and take an overnight charter to the Oil Rigs to catch Tuna all night for dinner and troll for your first billfish. The Girls Outdoors expert guides will give you the exact locations of their money holes so you can have a fighting chance to be successful every time! Stay tuned right here…and you’ll become the expert with a kick butt little black book!

Destin, FL
30.23 N / 86.30 W
Captain Pat Dineen
Outta Here Fishing
www.outtaherefishingteam.com
850-376-0400
		

Des Allemanus, LA
29.48 N / 90.29 W
Joey Fonseca
Des Allemands Out Law Katfish Co. 
275 Highway 631 
Des Allemand, LA 70030 
(985)-758-7454
		

Captain Theophile Bourgeois Charters
2783 Privateer Blvd
Barataria, Louisiana 70036
504-341-5614
www.neworleansfishing.com
Redfish:  Barataria, Louisiana: N29 43.788 W90 07.677
Crabs:  Bayou St. Denis, Louisiana: N29 27.972 W89 59.349
Frogs: Lafitte, Louisiana N29.73 W90.11
		

Grand Bayou, Louisiana
N29 30.925 W89 45.709
Captain Theophile Bourgeois Charters
*Ask for Poncho
2783 Privateer Blvd
Barataria, Louisiana 70036
504-341-5614
www.neworleansfishing.com
		

Back to Top

Boat Gratuities :

It is important to be prepared for your trip. We want to help answer all potential questions before you head out for your big adventure. One question I always have deals with tipping. Who do you tip and how much? I asked Captain Pat Dineen to help us when it comes to boat tipping.

A basic rule of thumb is ten percent of the trip rate. Keep in mind though, as in all tips, stellar service warrants more and lax service shouldn’t be rewarded. Some mates work for very low deck pay (much like food servers) so the tip is their main income. Good mates spend A LOT more time than just the time on the trip: preparing tackle, rigging leaders, bait and getting the boat ready, so their day starts way before and ends well after the boat is back to the dock and the customer is gone.

Back to Top