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I'm not loving with the title because a better one doesn't exist. Now that the weather is nice, it is time for the 2012 Fishing thread, now with informative first post. This thread is intended to be a resource for goons who fish to discuss fishing and ask questions, fishing newbies looking to catch their first fish, and fishing trip reports of all types. We welcome discussion on fishing for shellfish and other crustascae as well. There are also several goons who are quite knowledgeable about fishing from kayaks, so ask away about all aspects of our sport. This thread is not for giving advice on any illegal activity, including poaching (i.e. How often do you see game wardens on X river?) and trespassing (i.e. Its posted, but nobody seems to care). However, if you have questions about trespass law or fishing regulations, please ask away. Buy a fishing license, the money supports your local fish and wildlife fund. How do I catch my first fish? This is a complicated question that depends on where you live. I'm going to break it down into common species, equipment, and tactics. FYI, I'm only familiar with freshwater fishing in the US and Canada. If you live elsewhere, chime up and ask. If someone has a getting started guide for saltwater, I'll edit it in here. Common Species If you write up your favorite species, I’ll add it to this part.  Sunfish The first fish most anglers catch is this ubiquitous fish. These guys are almost everywhere and bite almost anything. Farm ponds and public lakes are loaded with these guys across the US. A good species to target if you’re just starting out. Look for shallow water with some sort of structure and access to food. Weeds, fallen timber, or places where runoff enters the lake are good places to start.  Catfish Channel cats live in pretty much every river in the country, and most lakes. They’re aggressive predators and will eat just about anything. Worms and chicken livers are the best baits for these guys. Blue catfish are almost as common and will hit mostly the same baits. Look for moving water that provides access to food near structure such as brush piles, deep holes, or undercut river banks. The outside parts of bends in the river usually have the right combination of current, deep water, and structure. Bait a hook with a nightcrawler and weight it down with a 1-oz weight and throw the rig immediately upstream from such a bend. The best time of day is at dusk and early evening. Flathead catfish run much bigger but require more advanced tactics.  Largemouth Bass The most sought after gamefish in North America. This guy is a voracious eater and will aggressively defend his territory. A common tactic is to throw something loud and flashy and trigger a reflex bite rather than a feeding response. Tactics for largemouth are hotly debated and change throughout the year. Since largemouth bass can be territorial and hold on specific structure, they’re a tough species to target from shore, unless you find a good farm pond. Your best bet is from a boat or kayak where you can cover a significant amount of water.  Trout There are 3 major species of trout in North America, Brown, Brook, and Rainbow. They largely overlap, depending on stocking and conditions. There’s most likely a good trout stream closer to you than you think. Trout like fast-moving cold water. Every trout on the planet will eat an earthworm, no exceptions. You can also use small spinners or flyfishing techniques. Trout can be very selective and require constant adaptation of your technique to consistently catch them. A friend of mine constantly advocates that “Trout don’t live in ugly places.” They’re a joy to catch and even more fun to hike around after. Equipment It’s possible to get started fishing for as low as $30 total. Find an all-in-one kit from Walmart or any sporting goods store. The line on it will suck because it’s probably been pre-spooled for months, so buy some fresh line. Sure the gear won’t be the best, but it’ll be enough to catch fish. And it’ll give you enough of a taste of fishing to decide what you want. In general, better gear doesn’t catch more fish. It improves your quality of life. Don’t be afraid to ask for help at your local sporting goods store. Pick an appropriate budget ($30 isn’t too low) and ask for advice. There should be someone there happy to help you.  Reel If you’re going to spend extra money, spend it on a good reel. Try a couple and find one that fits your hand. I recommend the Cabela’s Pro Guide as a solid reel that will last for years. Match the reel to the line weight you plan to use.  Rod My personal opinion is that rod largely doesn’t matter. Pick something that feels right to you. 5’6” is a good size for getting started. Shorter rods are easier for fishing from boats and give better feel. Longer rods allow you to cast farther at the sacrifice of sensitivity. In general, you want to fish with the lightest equipment that allows you to catch your targeted species. I recommend this Rod  Line Getting started, your best bet is a simple monofilament. There are thousands of types of fishing line. In general, you want to use the lightest pound test you can get away with. Thinner lines are tougher for the fish to see, and give better sensitivity. If you’re fishing in the river and get snagged a lot, you may want to go to a higher pound test line. A common misconception is that the test of the line is the maximum size of fish you can catch. This is completely not true, and people can land 20# fish on 4# test if they take their time and don’t pull too hard. I recommend a 6# test monofilament if you’re just getting started, like this one. Bump it up to 12# or 20# if you’re targeting catfish. Tactics In general, every fish needs food and some sort of protection from predators and adverse conditions. These requirements vary greatly between species and bodies of water. If you can figure out what your target fish is eating, and where it feels safe, you can come up with a good game plan for how to catch it. It’s very difficult to find good fishing information on the internet. Populations change greatly from year to year, and are highly dependent on water level, weather, and other conditions. Your best bet is to ask at your local sporting goods store. Don’t be shy! Fisherman won’t post information on the internet, but they’ll be happy to help you catch fish. Don’t expect to learn about their secret honey holes, though. Feel free to ask here as well. We'll try to help you as best we can! Fly Fishing A quick word on fly fishing, my favorite type of fishing. Fly fishing uses a heavy floating line to deliver a tiny lure shaped like a little fly to fool trout or other species into biting. I fly fish because it makes me feel more connected to the stream I’m fishing. It a lot easier than it looks. If you want to learn, either ask a friend who fly fishes to show you the basics, or attend a free workshop at your local Bass Pro Shops or other fishing store. It’s easy to learn, but very difficult to teach yourself. If you have any questions, ask away! BeastOfExmoor posted:It's pretty difficult to cover a topic as diverse as fishing that varies so much from region to region, so it might be worth adding some regional/species links for sites or forums that people visit and have found helpful. Rythe gives a good overview of how to pick out a kayak for fishing in this post Dik Hz fucked around with this message at 22:44 on May 18, 2012 |
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Apr 24, 2012 01:35
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Sweet new OP, nice work. Had my first real fishing day of the spring, and it was pretty successful. In total about 3 Largemouths on Senkos, 2 Black Crappies both on crank baits (Which I didn't even know were in the lake), and a handful of Chain Pickerel going after whatever I was throwing. Landed one huge one, which is by far the biggest Pickerel I've caught, and probably rivals largest fish in general. Tried out wacky rigging instead of texas style for the first time, and holy poo poo, why didn't I try this earlier? It produced as much as 4 hours of texas rigs/crank baits in one hour alone. However, this leads me to a question, what can I do in terms of leaders for freshwater fishing? The Chain Pickerel and their brutal teeth kept breaking off my hooks and absolutely destroying the plastic worms, which aren't exactly cheap. Would I be best off tying some heavier test line on to the end (I was using 8#) to protect the end from breaking? Or should I just be extra vigilant about cutting a foot or so off after each catch. Heres a picture of the beast pickerel, next to the 5" senko it was caught on for size comparison.  Heres one of the Crappie looking puny by comparison, but I love the patterns on them. Theyre pretty strong fighters too for something the size of a sunfish. 
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Apr 24, 2012 02:37
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I went fishing at a big farm pond with a group of friends on Saturday and we came back with about 15 really nice bass! Somebody made a kickass stew from the fish and we sat around the fire and ate it. It was pretty much perfect. Went bowfishing just about an hour ago. Gar aren't here yet.
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Apr 24, 2012 02:42
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causticBeet posted:Tried out wacky rigging instead of texas style for the first time, and holy poo poo, why didn't I try this earlier? Wacky rigging only works with senko (or Yamamoto) worms with the right density. It's a relatively new invention, and it is like cheat mode for bass. Nice fish! causticBeet posted:However, this leads me to a question, what can I do in terms of leaders for freshwater fishing?
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Apr 24, 2012 12:05
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Place Holder for West Coast Surf Fishing post. I'll update this when I have time to type up something worthy and take some pictures of my gear and rigs. jvick fucked around with this message at 18:12 on Apr 24, 2012 |
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Apr 24, 2012 18:09
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Good OP. It's pretty difficult to cover a topic as diverse as fishing that varies so much from region to region, so it might be worth adding some regional/species links for sites or forums that people visit and have found helpful. Here are a few I like: Washington Lakes - A site specializing in fishing in Washington State. You can look at reports from lakes, rivers or saltwater areas that you fish to get an idea of what others are catching. The forums are actually surprisingly good and have a much lower percentage of idiots than most fishing forums I've been on. IFish - Decent forum for the Pacific Northwest. Most users seem to be out of Oregon, but the info often works for Washington as well. Much higher percentage of idiots wanting to fight with each other about how declining Salmon/Steelhead numbers are all someone else's fault, but if you get into the subforums for Trout, Kokanee, and Bass there's a ton of good info. Crappie.com - Great website for Crappie and Panfish fisherman. Easily the best species specific website I've seen. Here's a link to the 2011 thread in case anyone finds this one that didn't read the last one. It's full of tons of information that won't go out of date and is a good resource until it gets archived. As for me, I have gotten my line wet a couple times this year, but haven't caught anything yet. This weekend is "Opening Weekend" for a lot of my local lakes, but I'll be out of town so my season will have to start later. I started fishing Kokanee last year which has been a blast. They're landlocked Sockeye salmon that, while typically small, fight like crazy and taste even better.
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Apr 24, 2012 18:38
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This weekend I'll be rigging up all my gear in preparation for muskies the first weekend in May in WI. Caught my first one last year, and my friend just got a boat so hopefully I'll be getting out more than last year. Also set up a fish fillet station, and hope to eat fish at least once a week this summer. Maybe I should toxx myself on that.
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Apr 24, 2012 20:10
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Does Spearfishing count? Ive done all kinds of fishing in my life and it is by far the most enjoyable kind. But When I cant go spearfishing I like to go deep sea fishing. When I cant go deep sea fishing I like to go kayak fishing. And when I cant go kayak fishing I will settle for some bass fishing. Im from South East Florida so I get to do all kinda of awesome fishing. Fishing is the best ever. Some recent catches:    
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Apr 24, 2012 20:12
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IM FROM THE FUTURE posted:Does Spearfishing count? Ive done all kinds of fishing in my life and it is by far the most enjoyable kind. But When I cant go spearfishing I like to go deep sea fishing. When I cant go deep sea fishing I like to go kayak fishing. And when I cant go kayak fishing I will settle for some bass fishing.
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Apr 24, 2012 22:33
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Dik Hz posted:Absoluetely! Personally I'd love to hear how you catch those spiny lobsters, and what kind of water you spearfish in. What all kinds of fish do you catch? Are you usually successful? Cool thanks! I do a lot of R&R fishing too, my dad makes me, and sometimes the weather doesn't work for spearfishing. But being in the water is a little bit better then being on the water. All my spearfishing is done while free diving and in the ocean (its illegal to freshwater spearfish in fl, and also gators). Usually in water thats anywhere from 10 feet deep to 80 feet deep. My "home" reef is basically the coast off of Fort Lauderdale FL (the reefs run from the keys to jax more or less) but I try to go diving in other great sports especially the Florida Keys and Miami. I also sometimes go "bluewater" spearfishing which is done in anywhere from a few hundred to 1000 feet of water targeting pelagic fish like wahoo and dolphin. Reef spearfishing consists of basically doing drifts or targeting certain spots by floating/swimming a reef and diving. I dive on an interval of about 2 minutes on the surface breathing up and relaxing, and 1:30 - 2:00 minutes on the bottom, stalking a fish, checking holes, or laying on the bottom waiting. The fish I target are: Hogfish, Grouper, Snapper(s), Lionfish, triggerfish, porgy, cuda, mackerel (for the smoker) Also on the reefs are lobster, which are spotted in holes while spearfishing (or just lobster hunting). Depending on logistics I will either use a snare or a tickle stick and net. The methods of catching a lobster with each are slightly different. The usual instinct for a lobster when threatened is to bolt into their hole, and at that point you probably aren't getting them. So the secret is to make slow movements and stay out of their eyesight if possible. With a tickle stick and net the trick it to get them out of their hole by "tickling" them from the back with a small pole which makes them think something is behind them. When it leaves the hole you can net it, grab it, measure it, and bag it. Using a snare is kind of backwards of that, you slip in the snare behind them and then scare them back into their hole. And In the process into your snare, when the legs catch you tighten the snare and then grab it. Bluewater spearfishing is basically diving in water thats too deep to dive to the bottom. Usually searching for pelagic fish such as wahoo and dolphin. The two main methods are driving around looking for floating objects (which almost always have pelagic fish nearby due to the collection of baitfish) and diving on them waiting for fish. Or going to deep wrecks and fish collecting spots and using flashers and chum to attract pelagic fish. I could be successful 100% of the time. Although sometimes I don't come home with fish, its usually when I have better fish in the freezer and don't need to take anything else. At that point spearfishing becomes mostly a "catch and release" sport where I enjoy diving, point the gun at some fish, but only pull the trigger for a fish that I really want to eat. IM FROM THE FUTURE fucked around with this message at 01:15 on Apr 25, 2012 |
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Apr 25, 2012 01:11
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So how safe is it to eat your catch? My brother is taking me fishing in a couple weeks and after checking out the IDNR's website (http://tinyurl.com/8a2r2qf) I'm a little  about PCBs and chlordane.
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Apr 25, 2012 02:43
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I have been fishing for the last 20 years or so and I have collected a decent amount of knowledge from everything from freshwater, saltwater, brackish and techniques from gigging, spear, deep ocean and everything in between from my travels. I have been huge into kayak fishing over the last 6 years and have experience worlds of fun on those little boats out and about on that water. I will gladly answer and inquires you have on fishing especially out of a kayak since the sport has exploded it seems, especially around here in North Texas. I will try to post some fishing reports now and than when I get a chance to hit the local lake this weekend to restock my freezer after last weekends fish fry. Just a few photos from the last few years with a couple of nice catches. Mahi Mahi, Guam  Yellow Fin Tuna, Guam  LMB North Texas  Dinner (Sand Bass) North Texas  View from my buddies kayak, sunrise of my local lake.  Kayaks out in force having a blast, chasing the Sand Bass for the grease  @WayneCampbell I have been eating fishing all over the US for a good part of my life and have not had a issue from it. All the lakes I have taken fish from have all been clean with no issues such as golden algae or any fish diseases. I would imagine your local game wardens should have the lake conditions and could inform you if the water is safe to harvest fish from.
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Apr 25, 2012 08:44
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I'm in Chicago. What do I need to catch crappie in the lake or river? I also have a salmon ticket.. what should I use to catch salmon? I haven't fished since I was a kid and don't have fishin' buds. I have an old "berkeley safari" fishing pole with a shimano ss-ul BassOne reel, some 5 or 6 lb line and a bunch of random pretied hooks on short lengths with loops at the top that I don't remember what they're for. Some rubber bait too, different size.
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Apr 25, 2012 15:08
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Not an Anthem posted:I'm in Chicago. What do I need to catch crappie in the lake or river? I also have a salmon ticket.. what should I use to catch salmon? I haven't fished since I was a kid and don't have fishin' buds. Gear wise for crappie you can look at two options and Light Action rod in the 6-6'6 ft range with a reel (spinning or bait caster) of your choice that handles 4lb test line. Your second option is a jigging rod http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Navigation?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&searchTerm=jigging+rod in the 6'6-8 ft range, both rods will catch crappie with easy if you can find them. The first rod is designed to cast out lures and retrieve them or by fishing with live bait on a bobber, the second one is meant for vertical jigging of structure in the water to get to the fish covering inside. For bait selections when it comes to crappie there is a world of colors and combos you can use. The easiest thing I have found is a simple jig in the 1/8-1/4 oz range where you can attach a soft plastic body too that will mimic a shad or some type of bait fish. If you want to get a tad fancy and try a retrieval method try these road runner lures http://www.basspro.com/Crappie-Thunder-Road-Runner/product/37086/143650 out, they work amazing and I have caught everything from crappie, sand bass, LMB, SMB and catfish on them, you can also go with a slip bobber and live minnow (Google that set up, I do not use it a lot.) Do not go crazy on colors, from what I have learned over the years if the water is dark use dark colors, if the water is clear use light colors, that has held true for me for many years. My tackle selection is very tiny in my kayak and I do not carry a lot with me but I follow that above rule and have never had a problem catching fish. Finding them is the hard part, right now is is the spawning season, water temp is approx 70 degs will trigger the spawn conditions. Fishing from shore or a boat look for the same thing, you want to find a nice rocky dam that provides a lot of cover for the fish. If you can not find that, look for underwater drop off, rocky points, ledges and buried trees, anything that can provide a safe place for fish to spawn. Make sure it is not a sandy bottom, from what I have seen catching crappie and talking to a lot of my buddies they do not like sandy/muddy bottoms to nest in. You can catch them after the spawn but that normally takes a way to get out on the water, look for deep ledges, drop off points, deep holes and deep cover, after the spawn I fish a bunch of old oil derricks that drop off to 30-40 ft and I am able to get post spawn crappie fairly easily using the gear and lures mentioned above.
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Apr 25, 2012 16:21
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What up 2012 fishing thread? I had a perch charter booked for this past Sunday that ended up assing out at the last minute because the wind was coming into the harbor from the northeast which was causing Lake Michigan to be sporting some five foot swells and the captain told us to rebook. Quite the bummer to wake up at 3:00 am to drive an hour and a half just to go back home, but such are the ways of charters. I'm turning it into a king salmon charter in July instead. That being said the temp crash after the oddly warm March in Illinois has effectively shut down my honey holes for the time being and so I've stuck to dragging lethargic walleye out of the Fox River by my house. No pics yet, nobody is impressed with any 11 inch walters, but I have a huge season planned and I'll be damned if I don't get something legendary posted in here in the next few months. I've also invested in a soft plastic binder and a new Cabelas back pack tackle bag and so I've been balls deep in repacking my gear and deep cleaning all of my reels which is a fun way to pass the time when you can't be on the water.
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Apr 26, 2012 01:56
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Rythe posted:Crappies Pre-spawn, I like to use a small minnow a foot under a bobber on a small jig head. If there's a feeding crappie, it'll take a minnow. They bite soft, so pay attention and use light tackle. My best crappie tactic is to wait until it rains. Then go fish the spots where drainage ditches feed into the lake. The flow from the drainage ditches and culverts will attract baitfish. That congregation of baitfish will attract crappies when they're in their pre-spawn pattern.
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Apr 26, 2012 12:32
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Nice OP! I'm determined to post a good trip report from my rod and gun club where there is a stocked quarry. I've been skunking out there way too much. I'm having a problem there where the fish (trout in this case) get off my line right before I land them. I must be doing something wrong because 50%+ seem to be able to jump or just wriggle off the hook usually when they are close enough that I can see them or practically on land. I do have a net which has helped in the past but usually they get off before I can even net them. Any tips on this? I'm guessing make sure to keep the line tight? Maybe pull back harder when setting the hook?
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Apr 26, 2012 14:40
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Not an Anthem posted:I have an old "berkeley safari" fishing pole with a shimano ss-ul BassOne reel, some 5 or 6 lb line and a bunch of random pretied hooks on short lengths with loops at the top that I don't remember what they're for. Some rubber bait too, different size. Your set up should be fine for panfish, it doesn't take a $2k salt water reel to pull in 1lb fish. The random pretied hooks are called snells and to use them you tie a snap swivel to your main line and then use the loop on the snell to connect it to the swivel. They're popular rigs for kids because there's less constant retying if you use a 2lb swivel and 10lb snells, if you get stuck you can break the swivel open and just pop on a new snell. If you're up for a little drive and want to catch crappie all day long you can try Busse Woods forest preserve in Schaumburg, there are two dams in the preserve and both hold absolutely crazy numbers of fish, the two caveats being A. Busse is a wastewater discharge and therefore it should be catch and release only because, well, yuck, and B. The place gets overrun with bucketheads and you can end up fishing elbow to elbow with some less than ethical dudes who keep anything that bites including undersized game fish. That being said, those same dudes are the ones who showed me the way to success and so I can't get too mad at them and there is are literally thousands of fish just on the dams alone and so it's not that big of a deal. The best spots are along the wings of the dam on whichever side the water is currently flowing and it's as easy as a 1/8oz jig head in a bright color tipped with a small minnow rigged anywhere between 6 and 8 feet under a slip bobber. You can see the high water line on the dam since the water in Busse is stained and dark, the lower the water the higher you fish. If you keep getting bit by dink largemouth you're too high and if you keep getting little cats you're too low. Once you find the sweet spot you can go through a bucket of minnows in two hours. There's a bait shop across the street on Arlington Heights road that doesn't know the meaning of "a dozen" and will give you "more than enough for all day" for the price of one dozen. Honestly it can get boring pulling them in, I normally don't do it for more than an hour or so and then I move on to try the rest of the lake, which is as high pressured as all get out and so it's a bit more challenging.
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Apr 26, 2012 14:52
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EnsignVix posted:Nice OP! I'm determined to post a good trip report from my rod and gun club where there is a stocked quarry. I've been skunking out there way too much. What size hooks are you using? For trout you're going to want to use tiny hooks in the 1 or 2 size (not 1/0 or 2/0, those are bigger) and make sure that you're keeping steady, constant pressure on your line while retrieving. Tight lines mean caught fish, slack can provide leverage for the fish to throw the hook easier when it jumps or takes off and too big of a hook can also provide leverage for the fish to throw you off. Your hookset likely isn't the problem since trout are small and have soft mouths so you don't need to swing for the fences to get a good set. Just make sure you're using the right size hooks of a high quality and that you replace them when they dull. Hooks are dull when you can drag the point softly across your fingernail and they don't feel "sticky", or if you're having a great day then just retie after three or four fish since your hook will have dulled and your line will have pulled the knot too much. If you hook into something impressive, retie immediately to make sure you have a sharp hook, nick free unstretched line and a good strong knot.
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Apr 26, 2012 14:59
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Cluricaun posted:What size hooks are you using? For trout you're going to want to use tiny hooks in the 1 or 2 size (not 1/0 or 2/0, those are bigger) and make sure that you're keeping steady, constant pressure on your line while retrieving. Tight lines mean caught fish, slack can provide leverage for the fish to throw the hook easier when it jumps or takes off and too big of a hook can also provide leverage for the fish to throw you off. Excellent thank you. My hooks must be too big. I don't recall their size but I do remember them having /0 after it. I'll pick up some size 1 and 2s and report back. I never thought to check my hooks like that or consider line stretch either.
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Apr 26, 2012 15:17
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To be honest you can probably get away with being much lazier about it than that, but there's a reason that most hooks aren't sold in packages of one and it's not because the good folks at Eagle Claw are offering you a lifetime supply. Any fishing gear that comes in packages of 5 or more should be considered (responsibly) disposable and frequently replaced. This goes for line, plastic baits, hooks, jig heads, any small and cheap pieces of tackle. I normally cut two feet of line off before retying after a good fish or a bad snag, the stuff comes in 500 yard spools and my reel holds 75 yards, there's a reason for that. There's also a reason that jig heads come in 25 and 50 count packs. When the paint goes or the hook dulls, so does that jig. This is why I tend to buy in bulk and the guys at my local tackle shop light up when I come in. I'll buy cases of my key gear every year just so I'm free to dispose of them as often as I see fit. Most of my tackle bags come with a water bottle holder and I put a beer coozie in there with some cut down plastic grocery bags so I have a little trash can, that's how often I trash gear. I have fishing buddies who kill me. They'll think nothing of dropping serious coin on G. Loomis rods and Shimano reels and driving six hours to a hot lake and then they'll spend all day nursing the same re-bent hook along like it's the only one they have. That's a sure fire way to have a poo poo day on the water.
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Apr 26, 2012 20:57
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Good tips, Cluricaun. Probably also a good point to reiterate that you should always be sure to leave the the area you're fishing cleaner than you found it. Nothing is more depressing than getting to a spot and finding it covered in empty beer cans and piles of fishing line. This is the crap not only gives people a bad view of fisherman in general, but also gets good spots shut down. Bring a plastic bag if you have to and pack other people's poo poo out. It's also worth noting that there's folks who want to ban led in fishing lures due to animal poisoning so giving them ammunition in the form of hastily discarded lead would be a bad thing.
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Apr 27, 2012 02:20
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For certain, there is never any shortage of trash at most public fishing spots, especially huge birds nests of super thick monofilament for some reason, and lengths of fishing line are deadly to anything that comes across it, birds, frogs, turtles, anything. Not everyone is as much of a hippie as I can be, but if you ever see line left behind pick that poo poo up no matter if you leave all the beer cans and styrofoam worm containers behind. You can recycle line at home or even mail it directly to Berkley at the address in the link below and they'll turn it into new line! But besides my own little makeshift trash can I keep gardening gloves and trash bags in the car so that I can help keep things nice where I go since public spots tend to get destroyed. . I do organized clean ups throughout the year too where a group gets together and cleans up and posts fishing regs too, since the Illinois DNR has almost zero budget anymore to do it themselves. Fishing is enjoying being outdoors as much as its about catching fish and everyone can lend a hand to help keep the great outdoors great. Oh, the link: http://www.berkley-fishing.com/about/berkley-conservation-institute/recycling/line-recycling Sorry Dk Hz, I'm running all over your thread again bud. I'll shut up for a minute.
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Apr 27, 2012 03:12
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Cluricaun posted:Sorry Dk Hz, I'm running all over your thread again bud. I'll shut up for a minute.
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Apr 27, 2012 03:18
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If anybody needs any help with fly fishing, I'd be more than happy to give you some tips and tricks. I'm a guide living in Mammoth, so if anybody's coming up from LA and would like to hire me, just let me know. Now that that's out of the way, I've spent most of my winter fishing (instead of skiing) and tying flies to use all summer. Been a really mild winter up here, especially compared to last year. I also just bought a boat to fish with on Crowley. Really stoked on the boat because water in the rivers and creeks is going to be low, warm, and weedy this summer from the lack of snowfall. Fire away with the fly fishing questions. Also, if you need a deal on gear I can get you set up with a pretty good deal on rods/reels/etc.
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Apr 27, 2012 03:23
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Another suggestion for a trash bag is an old empty bag plastic bait comes in. I always keep one in my tackle box for my own line as well as line that's laying around.
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Apr 27, 2012 04:06
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perabyte posted:If anybody needs any help with fly fishing, I'd be more than happy to give you some tips and tricks. I'm a guide living in Mammoth, so if anybody's coming up from LA and would like to hire me, just let me know. How much? What is lodging like around there?
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Apr 27, 2012 07:19
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Had some decent catfishing last weekend. I went to the closest "lake" (a 50 acre reservoir on a college campus) and caught bullheads into the double digits as well as bluegills which I was cutting up for bait. I was dismayed at not catching any channel cats. Seems like bullheads are spawning right now as some of my catches were obviously pregnant mamas. Unfortunately, I gut hooked three of them. I was using circle hooks. Bullheads seem to pick up your bait and then just stay there or swim away so I guess I just missed them hitting it. I almost caught what I'm pretty sure was a decent channel cat since it seemed larger, fought harder, and hit my bait with a sudden "WHAM!" It pulled a half circle around the pier and right when I thought I had it suddenly darted right under the pier and got off. I don't know if I was unlucky or the fish was lucky or what because once I hook something on these gamakatsu hooks they typically never get away. Anyway, cut bait ftw. edit: If I were to add a suggestion to the OP it would be that cut baits tend to be the best bait year round for channel cats especially. I've found this through experience, reading around the Internet, and it gets discussed extensively in "Channel Catfish Fever: An In-Fisherman Handbook of Strategies." I don't know about anyone else, but I know I got a fever that only catfish can cure. Mulaney Power Move fucked around with this message at 20:42 on Apr 27, 2012 |
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Apr 27, 2012 20:39
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Even when I take my kayaks out and about I am always picking up garbage in the middle of the lake. Always getting bottles, cans, styrofoam and assorted trash that goes into my boat for disposal later. On the plus side if you are all familiar with jug line I have been recentley finding a ton of old ones washed up on shore and with the drought last year, the lower lake levels are helping me find lines that are years old, that just got released from the lake bottom. I get the benefit of removing tons of old line, bottles and floats along with getting a ton of free hooks, swivels and really nice 3-5lb weights for my own lines. Nice to clean up a lake and get a "reward" of free gear and weights out of it.
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Apr 27, 2012 22:00
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Just starting to find some free time again, here's some goodies from last year that I never posted Location: Lee's Ferry, Grand Canyon This was one of my favorite trips I've been on. Fishing at Lee's Ferry is notoriously difficult (at least for noobs like me) and I finally caught a loving fish!  And here's the beautiful rainbow. It's catch and release only of course.  So yeah that was good times. Made it out in Hawaii for spring break for some marlin, but caught a spearfish instead (first spearfish I've ever gotten). Spearfish is DELICIOUS.  According to the captain, spearfish usually come in around 30-40lbs, but are very difficult to get on the line for some reason. We also nailed a ~75lb striped marlin which was pretty awesome.
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Apr 28, 2012 00:22
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jvick posted:How much? What is lodging like around there? Half day trip is $310 for 2 people, Full day is $400. If you've never been fly fishing before, we do a beginner special for $250 for 2 people. Lodging is much cheaper in the summer up here. The Shilo inn here is cheap, so is the motel 6. Beyond that it can get expensive. If you come up with a car, you can stay down in Crowley at the Mono Sierra Lodge. It's clean, not much to look at, but it gets the job done.
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Apr 29, 2012 04:35
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The wife wanted to take the kayaks out for a paddle around the local lake and that is always a wonderful thing for me since it means I get to go fishing more, was out on the lake for a decent 1 1/2 hrs and managed to get these yummies. Not to bad a selection of Sand Bass, came away with 11 total and 9 of those where really nice 13+ inch keepers, came out to a total of 4 1/2 lbs of meat for some fish tacos next weekend. I was practicing having out two troll lines at once and it worked pretty well, except for the two times I hooked two fish at once, trying to reel in one fish while holding my other rod in my pole holder with my feet so the fish didn't take it into the water (forgot one on my gear leashes today), all the while my wife is laughing her rear end off while I try to manage two fish at once. Good time on the lake, got to spend the day with my wife and fishing, can not beat that at all.
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May 1, 2012 00:26
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I got up into the mountains of North Carolina and did some prospecting in the Pisgah National Forest for trout. I did catch one super-plump 8" rainbow trout on a wild stream, but I spent most of my time hiking around and observed the water rather than fishing. To me, that's almost as much fun. The stream was infested with this weird species of creek chub that would hit my flies, but were much to small to get hooked. Kinda made fishing a pain. If I went back to that stream, I'd just skip from honey-hole to honey-hole. But that's not really my style. I'd love to hear about other types of fishing I can do around North Carolina. Especially if someone has some pointers for surf fishing around Wilmington and the Outer Banks.
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May 1, 2012 02:18
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Dik Hz posted:I got up into the mountains of North Carolina and did some prospecting in the Pisgah National Forest for trout. I did catch one super-plump 8" rainbow trout on a wild stream, but I spent most of my time hiking around and observed the water rather than fishing. To me, that's almost as much fun. The stream was infested with this weird species of creek chub that would hit my flies, but were much to small to get hooked. Kinda made fishing a pain. If I went back to that stream, I'd just skip from honey-hole to honey-hole. But that's not really my style. Surf fishing is easy, it's just weight and bait, think like a heavy duty river rig with seven strand as a leader. Get enough lead to throw it the distance you want and tip with squid or cut bait. You can haul in little sharks all day long that way, but they don't fight for poo poo, it's entirely like cat fishing. At least that was my experience in Beaufort SC and I suspect NC would be similar. Never had my shot at OBX yet though, but hooks, bait and sinkers work everywhere right?
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May 1, 2012 03:40
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Cluricaun posted:Surf fishing is easy, it's just weight and bait, think like a heavy duty river rig with seven strand as a leader. Get enough lead to throw it the distance you want and tip with squid or cut bait. You can haul in little sharks all day long that way, but they don't fight for poo poo, it's entirely like cat fishing. At least that was my experience in Beaufort SC and I suspect NC would be similar. Never had my shot at OBX yet though, but hooks, bait and sinkers work everywhere right? I was also curious how to catch stripers and poo poo when they're chasing the baitfish around in the evening. Sometimes I'll see balls of baitfish on the surface flashing and jumping, so I know there's a big predator down there. I'll see guys chase 'em around with spinning tackle, but I haven't seen them catch anything. Got any advice on that?
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May 1, 2012 12:20
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Yessssssssssssssss. So I'm going fishing for the first time in about 20 years fairly soon - within the next two weeks or so. It's not so much a fishing trip as it's a "Let's rent a pontoon boat and float around Lake Mead for a few hours whilst drinking", but gently caress it. Based on the OP and the little I've read of last year's thread, I think I'm just going to go to Bass Pro and get an all-in-one kit, then stop in at a bait shop closer to the actual lake to get bait and ask for tips and tricks. Are there specific questions I should ask at these places? Or questions I should avoid asking so I don't embarrass myself too much? The NPS.gov site says Lake Mead has largemouth bass, striped bass, channel catfish, crappie, and bluegill. Do you guys know of any types of lures or bait I should use that would be more or less universal? I'm apathetic to the species of fish I would catch, I just want to fish, dammit.
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May 2, 2012 00:28
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Spike McAwesome posted:Yessssssssssssssss. Your plan of buying an all-in-one kit and asking at a local bait shop is excellent. Just be sure to buy some fresh line for the kit if it comes with pre-spooled line. Spend some money (bait + line) at the local bait shop out of courtesy. If you just read your post here line-for-line, you'd get excellent advice. Largemouth bass are highly seasonal and local, so you'd need local advice. Also, make sure the driver of your pontoon stays sober. It's still a DUI if you're driving a boat, and it's just common sense. Be careful and follow the local laws.
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May 2, 2012 01:24
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Spike McAwesome posted:Do you guys know of any types of lures or bait I should use that would be more or less universal? I'm apathetic to the species of fish I would catch, I just want to fish, dammit. A kastmaster about 1.5 inches long (3/4oz?) should suite you well. Ive caught LMB, SMB, bluegill, and trout on them out here in CA. I'll reiterate that you should buy these at the local shop. It's nice to support the little guys.
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May 2, 2012 02:51
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Dik Hz posted:Thanks! How do you go about choosing where to fish on the coast? Not really, sorry. I'd be willing to bet that they're throwing what we'd consider esox caliber spoons though, that's what I'd throw at a ball of fleeing bait, something flashy with a big vibrational profile. I'd even put $20 on a 5 inch Daredevil working. I'm a Midwesterner through and through though, my brother was stationed in SC when he was in the Marines and so on a visit we just grabbed some catfish style big spinning rods and picked some empty beach. Water is water, we tried to find changes in depth, or water clarity, anywhere new water was coming in, and flats. We really just chucked out shrimp and mullet and squid and drank beer and it worked. I wish I could claim baller surf caster status but that's not me. But be smarter than we were and bring gloves and spreaders or gaffs, most ocean critters are toothy or spiny or both and even a foot long shark isn't something to gently caress with. We had to cut most of them off and wish them luck which I hate but I hate stitches even more.
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May 2, 2012 03:54
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What is the most treasured fish of all? Is it something you'd have to catch on deep sea fishing or could I catch it in a small lake (Lake Ontario, so not a small lake per se but smaller than the Ocean obviously)? Thinking about doing some serious fishing for the first time without my dad to help me on the boat and I want to know which fish to gun for. Thanks!
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May 2, 2012 04:22
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