Topic: The Fishing Thread

[rrocket]

Seems we have a few anglers here so I though I'd get a thread going to talk fishing and show off some catches.

As mentioned in another thread, I'm totally crazy for ultralight fishing. I also mentioned that I was sour yesterday because I hooked 2 nice bass and didn't land either! So I went back today for my revenge. Caught 4 real nice ones!

2lb test. Using 1/10th oz. Rebel Crickhopper. Started off with a natural green/brown color then switched to chartreuse after the sun set.

[bridgecity]

Nice Ron.

I love fishing, can spend a whole day doing it.  I still go fishing frequently at our lake, but don't venture out to other lakes much any more.  My boys enjoy it but don't have the passion for it that I do. 

I don't have multiple rods for targeting specific species of fish. I'm not hard core.  I've got a spinning reel that is typically wound with 20lb test of Fireline (about the thickness of 10lb mono).  It works great for the walleye and pike that I normally go after and I can't remember ever having a break. Even for large pike you don't need a leader.  Our lake also has a ton of small perch.  You can easily catch them by putting on a small J hook with a piece of minnow.  Can catch one after the other that way if you want to entertain kids. 

A couple pics below of walleye from this year.

[tortoise]

No joke, I was about to create a thread like this, same title and all.

While I don't consider myself an avid fisherman, I do get out a fair bit during the season.  Lately we've been going after lake trout just after ice out, and then in the summer we target bass and pickerel. 

I have a 6'6 spinning rod and a 9ft fly rod.  The fly rod is mostly used for bass fishing and it's an absolute riot.  And you can outfish people on spinning gear if the bite is on.

Also, I now have an ultralight courtesy of Ron.  He PM'd me that he had an older rig he wasn't using and would be happy to mail it to me so it would get some use.   He rigged a new line on the real, packaged it up and even included a bunch of tackle.  Sometimes this place is just awesome. 

We're about to head out for 3 nights of camping, so it'll be coming along.  Hopefully some bass photos are to follow.

[bridgecity]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tortoise]

Damn, those are nice fish!

Pickerel/Walleye is by far my favorite fish to eat.

And I too run a braided line, but I tie a Fluoro leader to it. Best of both worlds.

[bridgecity]

Damn, those are nice fish!

Pickerel/Walleye is by far my favorite fish to eat.

And I too run a braided line, but I tie a Fluoro leader to it. Best of both worlds.

Thanks.  Its a very small lake, with a ton of small perch, but the walleye I catch are generally 20" plus.  It's odd because there are pike in the lake, but I rarely catch one, even if I try to target them over walleye.  Maybe they are fed too well with the perch.  I dunno. 

Lately most of my success with the walleye comes from using a Rapala X-Rap in shallow water (6-8 ft) in the morning when they come in to feed.  Cast out, let it sink for 10-20 seconds, then slow jerking retrieve.  They almost always hit when the lure pauses.

[rrocket]

Damn, those are nice fish!

Pickerel/Walleye is by far my favorite fish to eat.

And I too run a braided line, but I tie a Fluoro leader to it. Best of both worlds.

Thanks.  Its a very small lake, with a ton of small perch, but the walleye I catch are generally 20" plus.  It's odd because there are pike in the lake, but I rarely catch one, even if I try to target them over walleye.  Maybe they are fed too well with the perch.  I dunno. 

Lately most of my success with the walleye comes from using a Rapala X-Rap in shallow water (6-8 ft) in the morning when they come in to feed.  Cast out, let it sink for 10-20 seconds, then slow jerking retrieve.  They almost always hit when the lure pauses.

Wow..great, great fish! Too big for eating even! We throw big ones like that back .

As mentioned before, my dad is on the water most days for walleye (we call them Pickerel here). He was such an avid fisherman that for awhile he even had 2 boats...one for the river and one for the Lake.

In the spring, we'd go out for Silver Bass for fun. Just non stop action! I remember days when we caught in the hundreds. Your fingers would be raw from unhooking so many fish!

Despite all that, my first fishing passion is still UL. I love ponds, channels, streams, creeks, etc When I was fishing yesterday I saw a Gar strike and miss my lure! Glad he missed because those teeth would have broke me off immediately!

As far as jigging for walleye...have you tried the Rapala Jigging Shadow Rap? Really nice jigging lure. When you jig, it moves very erratically back down in a circular motion.

You pretty much need only 2 things here to catch pickerel. A regular lead jigging head with a plastic minnow or paddle worm or the Jigging Shadow Rap.

[bridgecity]

I used to call walleye "pickerel".  Pickerel is actually a different fish, but a lot of people still reference them as such around here.  If you visit any fishing pages people generally get chewed for calling them pickerel.  Doesn't bother me any.

I throw most fish back, only keeping the odd couple for a meal.  Try to keep the smaller ones and let the larger go as they produce better.

And yes, have some of the shadow raps.  Great for jigging.  I generally use them for ice fishing.

Don't know if you guys follow any youtoubers, but Clayton Schick and Jay Siemens have some great content.  Spent many hours through Covid restrictions watching their vids.  Jay does much better on the video/presentation end of things, but Clayton is entertaining.

[blur911]

I used to call walleye "pickerel".  Pickerel is actually a different fish, but a lot of people still reference them as such around here.  If you visit any fishing pages people generally get chewed for calling them pickerel.  Doesn't bother me any.

I had it explained to me that it's Walleye if you're throwing them back,  it's Pickerel if you're gonna eat them.  (Bay of Quinte) 

[rrocket]

I used to call walleye "pickerel".  Pickerel is actually a different fish, but a lot of people still reference them as such around here.  If you visit any fishing pages people generally get chewed for calling them pickerel.  Doesn't bother me any.

I throw most fish back, only keeping the odd couple for a meal.  Try to keep the smaller ones and let the larger go as they produce better.

And yes, have some of the shadow raps.  Great for jigging.  I generally use them for ice fishing.

Don't know if you guys follow any youtoubers, but Clayton Schick and Jay Siemens have some great content.  Spent many hours through Covid restrictions watching their vids.  Jay does much better on the video/presentation end of things, but Clayton is entertaining.

I think you might have the "regular" Jigging Rap, which looks more like an ice fishing jig. It has 3 hooks whereas the Shadow has only 2. And the action is a bit different.

Yes! I do watch some YouTube videos...mostly for tackle. I like The Minimalist Fisherman (pretty much how I fish) and Online Outdoorsman (another UL nut! ). He's also the owner of Mule Fishing. Like me, he hard a hard time finding UL lures..so he started his own company. His Mule Jig heads are great as are his Donkey Tail/Jr. Baits. Great guy! Answers all my emails and sends a hand written note with most orders.

I also HIGHLY recommend the Plano Guide Series rod holders. Great bags. I have the single (43"long), but the double comes with pockets. Nice to be able to store and transport fully rugged rods. Below the case is my collapsible 40"

Their Guide Series tackle boxes are also great! They have magnetic pads on the outside so you just toss your pliers, lures, etc and they stick. Very nice...but a bit too large for my use. net.

[draghon]

I used to call walleye "pickerel".  Pickerel is actually a different fish, but a lot of people still reference them as such around here.  If you visit any fishing pages people generally get chewed for calling them pickerel.  Doesn't bother me any.

I throw most fish back, only keeping the odd couple for a meal.  Try to keep the smaller ones and let the larger go as they produce better.

And yes, have some of the shadow raps.  Great for jigging.  I generally use them for ice fishing.

Don't know if you guys follow any youtoubers, but Clayton Schick and Jay Siemens have some great content.  Spent many hours through Covid restrictions watching their vids.  Jay does much better on the video/presentation end of things, but Clayton is entertaining.

Been watching Jay Siemens for years! When I stumbled on his yt channel it only had ~20k subscribers but the production/cinematography was/is top notch! He was doing a mini series with Clayton called "Clay vs Jay", very entertaining!

[Gurgie]

Used to fish a lot more when I had the boat, but the past few years we barely went out & that's why I sold the boat. We've caught all kinds of fish in the Ottawa River, bass, walleye, pike, muskey, catfish, sunfish, perch, sturgeon, carp & rock bass. I caught a 20lb catfish once with a mepps #2 spinner, broke my damn rod trying to land it.

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[tortoise]

I need to ask you about fishing spots on the Ottawa next time we golf.

Another fishing channel in YouTube us Uncut Angling.  Aaron is hilarious and pulls off some crazy missions. Unfortunately, he doesn't post much anymore.

Another great series is 39 hours.

[bridgecity]

I need to ask you about fishing spots on the Ottawa next time we golf.

Another fishing channel in YouTube us Uncut Angling.  Aaron is hilarious and pulls off some crazy missions. Unfortunately, he doesn't post much anymore.

Another great series is 39 hours.

I’m guessing Aaron is too busy with his Frostbite ice fishing gear company. Quality stuff. To be honest I never cared for his YouTube stuff. Just always thought he was trying too hard.

[blur911]

We are going to NB in about a month, going to bring my rod and get some striped bass.   

Anyone have vacation in Sept and like to fish?  I'll be on Miscou Island, there's a campground with cottages right next to us.
You can cast from the beach and pull in  two or three foot bass while watching the sun set.

[tortoise]

Man, I would love to do that, but no chance my life lets me.

I managed to break the tip off of my main fishing rod this weekend.   I was trying to put the hook on to the hook holder (can't think of a better word for it) so my sons friend could walk around with it.  But I wasn't paying attention and pulled too hard on it.  Stupid mistake.

It was a ~$100 Quantum rod, 6'6" medium.  I'll have to sort a replacement this week. Argh.

[rrocket]

Been fishing a top water wake bait the last several nights. Lure was designed in 1926. Arbolast Jitterbug. Makes a "glug, glug, glug" sounds as it walks across the water. Lure is a riot since the fish explode it on the surface! 

Caught my personal best from that location tonight!

Every bit of 14" and fat!!

[tortoise]

That's a nice fish.

Fishing topwater for bass might be as good as it gets. 

[tortoise]

We landed a good sized small mouth. It was pretty tough fishing after a massive temperature swing.

[rrocket]

REALLY nice!!!!!

What were you using?