anyone here into fishing? (1 Viewer)

[S.K.A.]

I wore them out today, fellas. I flyfish 99% of the time, but I was on a reservoir today trolling for Macs, Bows, and Cutties. Between the four of us in the boat, we put over fifty fish in the net. We were almost limited out in four hours and started throwing them back so we could keep fishing. We decided to call it a day and finished off our limit. We must have miscounted along the way because we were two fish short when we got to shore.

I'm not sure what I am going to do with all of these fillets. I'm guessing my Omega 3 count is going to be pretty high over the next few weeks.

 

[eoMMan]

I went out to Bonita Beach on Saturday morning to do some surf fishing and didn't catch a damn thing. It was frustrating because a couple guys that were about 400 feet down the beach from me were bringing some fish in. I'm not sure exactly what fish they were bringing but my guess is that they were spanish mackeral. They were long, skinny silver fish. The guys were using bobbers with what looked like live bait and would real it in slowly after popping it every once in a while. I didn't have live bait and was using everything else I had (spoons, chunk bait with no bobber, etc.). Nothing worked for me. I think I might have to go buy some live bait now. I'm looking at getting one of these because I always have a problem with the live bait dying on me:

http://baitkit.com/baitwell/livewell-systems/1124.html

 

[S.K.A.]

Here are a couple of pics from last week.

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I got back to my flyfishing ways today. The fish were cruising the shallows. I only got to fish for a couple of hours, but I put a few good ones in the net.

LINK

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[Jutz]

Had my best ever day fishing in public waters for Largemouth Bass last week while pre-fishing for a tournament.Had 7 fish 5 lbs or better including a 7.5 and a 9.2Couldn't believe it.

What tournaments do you fish and what lake were you on? Thats an awesome limit. I've seen some incredible limits at the TX lakes on the Bassmaster tournaments... especially at Falcon Lake and Lake Fork.

 

[Jutz]

Any of the FL fishing guys on the board ever fish the mangroves at Terra Ceia Preserve State Park? Looks like there is a public boat launch there and I've heard fishing the mangroves are awesome.

I havent fished there, but that whole area is known for great fishing.

If I were fishing the mangroves... what the heck would I be fishing for? Snook? Is it salt or fresh... or brackish? Also, from what I understand you actually need a small boat. Would a 14' jon boat be big enough?I don't know if I would ever actually do it... but I have a jon boat and was thinking about checking it out. I just don't know anything about the area.

 

[Wingnut]

Any of the FL fishing guys on the board ever fish the mangroves at Terra Ceia Preserve State Park? Looks like there is a public boat launch there and I've heard fishing the mangroves are awesome.

I havent fished there, but that whole area is known for great fishing.

If I were fishing the mangroves... what the heck would I be fishing for? Snook? Is it salt or fresh... or brackish? Also, from what I understand you actually need a small boat. Would a 14' jon boat be big enough?I don't know if I would ever actually do it... but I have a jon boat and was thinking about checking it out. I just don't know anything about the area.

Snook, Trout, and Redfish would be the main 3 fish in that area...Its saltwater, but some of it could be brackish, Im not 100% positive...a 14ft jon would be plenty big enough....Ive read reports from guys in canoes and kayaks fishing there.I pass right through there on I-275 every time I go to the Skyway Pier, and every time I do I think about fishing there, but I dont have a boat....yet....

Ill be passing through there in about 6 hours on my way to the pier...

 

[eoMMan]

What's the best way to bait a live shrimp, through the head or through the tail?

Any idea how much live shrimp cost?

$1.50 for live pinfish can get expensive.

 

[QUEZILLA]

I caught a couple Spanish Mackerel today.

Where do you fish? I brought home some macks Sunday...theyre great fried fresh...a recipe Ive discovered for ANY gulf fish lately is flour > egg wash > instant potato flakes w/parmesan cheese and everglades seasoning > then deep friedFriggin outstanding!

Right here. It was a little windy that day so we weren't getting too close to the shore. Usually we go for trout / snook. All around Weedon is usually pretty good.I'm busting out the fly rod in a few weeks. Going up to Maggie Valley to gf's parents place. I have only caught small bass and brim off of a fly so this will be a new experience.

 

[QUEZILLA]

What's the best way to bait a live shrimp, through the head or through the tail?Any idea how much live shrimp cost? $1.50 for live pinfish can get expensive.

I'm not big into shrimp because it's boring fishing just letting it sit there. I'd rather use jigs / bait fish. You can catch green backs / white bait with a cast net or sabiki rig, or find a place that sells them. Bait is everywhere during the warm months.Don't let this discourage you from fishing with shrimp though. I'm just a little A.D.D when it comes to fishing so I don't like to sit and wait.Oh, and dead bait works just as good as live bait many times. Odds are by the time the bait dies if your not catching anything, then they probably just aren't biting.

 

[remote controller]

Heaven on Earth! I go yearly and they take care of the rest!

http://www.eaglelakeislandlodge.com/

Outside of this I fish for Walleye most of the time, and have no boat. I also like crappie fishing.

If you want a nice vacation check out the above link. Walleye, Northern, Muskie, and Smallies.

 

[Wingnut]

I'm not a fan of shrimp, either. I use greenbacks and pinfish usually...like Quez said, greenies are easy to catch with a net or sabiki. Pinfish are easily caught with sabikis or small single hooks tipped with small pieces of shrimp or squid. Believe it or not pinners can be caught in the surf that way, too.

 

[Wingnut]

Last trip out to the skyway pier I did pretty good on the Mangrove Snapper -- limited out, one of them being a pier personal best 16 incher...also got an 18 inch Mack as a bycatch. Also caught a bunch of short grouper to 20 inches. Good times.

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/8702/im...01005082056.jpg

 

[John Rambo]

Here are a couple of pics from last week.

LINK

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I got back to my flyfishing ways today. The fish were cruising the shallows. I only got to fish for a couple of hours, but I put a few good ones in the net.

LINK

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Nice fish. For a fly-fisherman I'm surprised you harvest so many fish.

 

[Ned]

Here are a couple of pics from last week.

LINK

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I got back to my flyfishing ways today. The fish were cruising the shallows. I only got to fish for a couple of hours, but I put a few good ones in the net.

LINK

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LINK

I am so damn jealous.

 

[Rustoleum]

I like fishin for walleyes.They are running pretty good in lake erie right now.

Looks like I was a couple weeks, err years.... too late. Took a charter out and pretty much got blanked last weekend. 12 poles in the water and we pulled 1 walleye on the trip. In other words, a $600 fish. Beer was cold and crappie were biting good off the dock though.

 

[BigJohn]

I dont fish too much. My brother is a great fisherman. Fishes the amateur Walleye circuit on occasion. He took me to Lake Erie a few weeks ago and I caught 6 really nice fish. This 9 lb'er was the biggest out of the 8 we caught. They were all 7-9 lbs, though. Great time.

 

[the rover]

Lingcod season in Puget Sound. This is some weird fishing. Drifting over the wreck of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (collapsed into the sound in 1948(?)), which has created a heck of an artificial reef. Impossible not to lose gear snagged on twisted steel, cables and concrete while drifting under the new bridges. Saw a guy break his rod below the reel seat a couple days ago. Never saw that before.

 

[Rustoleum]

I dont fish too much. My brother is a great fisherman. Fishes the amateur Walleye circuit on occasion. He took me to Lake Erie a few weeks ago and I caught 6 really nice fish. This 9 lb'er was the biggest out of the 8 we caught. They were all 7-9 lbs, though. Great time.

I'd been up there a couple other times and done much better. Still had a good time, especially watching some of my weaker-stomached friends turn green around the gills.Someone told me the walleye spawned a little early this year (right around the time you were there) and the fishing was crazy. We just had the bad fortune of hitting the lake while they were more or less in transit from the spawning beds to the where you normally would expect to find them on the lake.

Judging from the radio chatter while we were out there, nobody else had any luck that weekend either.

We were fishing near Put-In-Bay/ Kelley's Island.

 

[DevilsTrifecta]

What's the best way to bait a live shrimp, through the head or through the tail?Any idea how much live shrimp cost? $1.50 for live pinfish can get expensive.

I can usually get uncooked shrimp for like 4.50 a pound. I bait them through the head to the tail.But....the only time I ever use shrimp is if I am catfishing.

 

[Wingnut]

Did some offshore fishing Sunday 35 miles out in the Gulf...Red Snapper season is open and me and 2 friends brought our limit home (2 apiece), plus a few other fish (3 Mango Snapper, a Gag Grouper, and a Triggerfish)

Also caught about 10 Lemon Sharks, they were a real pain in the ###, but man do they fight. Every time we moved, we got into some more...Saw some schools of AmberJacks and Mahi-Mahi but couldnt get them to bite.

40 second video of one of the Lemon Sharks as we got it to the boat

Pic of our haul for the day

The biggest fish of the day - 28 inches and 11lbs

Me with a couple more Reds

Triggerfish - this is one funky looking fish

Check out the teeth on that Trigger

 

[E-Z Glider]

Did some offshore fishing Sunday 35 miles out in the Gulf...Red Snapper season is open and me and 2 friends brought our limit home (2 apiece), plus a few other fish (3 Mango Snapper, a Gag Grouper, and a Triggerfish)

Also caught about 10 Lemon Sharks, they were a real pain in the ###, but man do they fight. Every time we moved, we got into some more...Saw some schools of AmberJacks and Mahi-Mahi but couldnt get them to bite.

The biggest fish of the day - 28 inches and 11lbs

I love grilled snapper.

 

[BigJohn]

Check out the teeth on that Trigger

NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM

 

[E Street Brat]

What boat have going out on?

 

[S.K.A.]

Here are a couple of pics from last week.

LINK

LINK

I got back to my flyfishing ways today. The fish were cruising the shallows. I only got to fish for a couple of hours, but I put a few good ones in the net.

LINK

LINK

LINK

Nice fish. For a fly-fisherman I'm surprised you harvest so many fish.

Like I mentioned before, I normally don't keep but one or two a year. The lake trout are a catch and keep deal though. We were not flyfishing for those, it was out of the norm for me. I ended up with over thirty pounds of filets. I ended up giving several pounds away to a few neighbors. I can only eat so much fish before I hit my limit.

 

[Wingnut]

What boat have going out on?

Ive been going out on a private boat, a friend of mine in Bradenton knows the captain and his wife...hes not a commercial charter but takes up to 4 people out for $60 apiece to cover gas and boat maintenance...Last time it was just myself and my buddy, the total for the trip was $120....you cant beat that ANYWHERE for a for a 7-8 hour trip...Ive been out with him twice and both times its been absolutely worth it. All we have to take is food and drinks, they supply everything - bait, rods, tackle...and theyre real cool people and fun to hang and fish with...and yes, alcohol is allowed on board...lolIm gonna be lining up another trip in July real soon.

heres the captains wife with a 40lb Blackfin Tuna she caught on March 30th, a day before snapper season, in the same spot we fished Sunday....she caught it on a spinning rod with 20lb test....took her 20 minutes to get it boatside...that woman can FISH!!!!

Blackfin Tuna

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Here are a couple of pics from last week.

LINK

LINK

I got back to my flyfishing ways today. The fish were cruising the shallows. I only got to fish for a couple of hours, but I put a few good ones in the net.

LINK

LINK

LINK

Nice fish. For a fly-fisherman I'm surprised you harvest so many fish.

Like I mentioned before, I normally don't keep but one or two a year. The lake trout are a catch and keep deal though. We were not flyfishing for those, it was out of the norm for me. I ended up with over thirty pounds of filets. I ended up giving several pounds away to a few neighbors. I can only eat so much fish before I hit my limit.

Your fly fishing brethren would not be pleased.

 

[the rover]

just got back from visiting my brother in Hilo. first day's catch minus a big mahi we gave to the skipper. would have gotten more but he got seasick and couldn't take drifting, so we left fish biting. still not a bad day.

 

[E-Z Glider]

Anyone ever have any luck surf-fishing? Im heading to an island off the coast of NC this weekend. It will be my first time. Red-Drum is the trophy and October is when they run.

 

[Wingnut]

Im gonna have a fishy weekend....heading to the Skyway pier for a bit Saturday for some land-based action, then goin 30 or so miles offshore Sunday to take advantage of the re-opened Red Snapper season in the Gulf...hopefully Ill be posting some pics of my catches...

Last weekend at the pier I landed a 22 inch Spanish Mack, some barely short grouper (20 inches), and a respectable 16 inch Flounder.

Spanish Mack

Flattie

Googly!

 

[Statorama]

 

[Wingnut]

Went offshore last Sunday about 30 miles out in the gulf...caught some nice Red Snapper, a ton of Amberjacks, a nice Red Grouper, and a 15lb Kingfish. I smoked the kingfish steaks and made some awesome smoked fish dip and froze everything else.

Girlfriend had the biggest catch of the day

My Kingfish

Biggest Amberjack of the day

 

[eoMMan]

Any tips on fishing with live shrimp? I plan on using one under a popping cork. How do you hook them?

 

[Dr. Gobbler]

Any tips on fishing with live shrimp? I plan on using one under a popping cork. How do you hook them?

Hook them through the head, make sure to miss their brain or they won't be live anymore, run the hook down their side, the length of the hook and then out through the side to expose the hook tip.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Just booked a trip with Musky Joe in July. I have never caught a large musky so I have my fingers crossed that Musky Joe can put me on a good one.

 

[E-Z Glider]

Just booked a trip with Musky Joe in July. I have never caught a large musky so I have my fingers crossed that Musky Joe can put me on a good one.

Sweet. Catching a Muskie is on my bucket list. Around here, you pretty much need to fish at night or else get lucky during the day. Hoping to spend a couple nights this summer trying to land one of these river monsters just like my idol "Jeremy Wade, biologist and extreme angler".

 

[Wingnut]

Went fishing for a bit out at the Skyway Pier a few days ago, caught about 15 Spanish Mackerel, brought 4 home and made smoked fish dip with them. Biggest of the day was about 22 inches.

Spanish Macks

Macks on the smoker

Next weekend Im going fishing up near Crystal River for Redfish, Black Drum, Trout, and hopefully Cobia, and the weekend after that Im going offshore for Amberjacks, Shark, Snapper, Kingfish, and whatever else decides to show up.

gonna be a fishy couple of weekends!

 

[E-Z Glider]

Macks on the smoker

that looks fantastic. cant even imagine having such easy access to fresh mackerel like that. what's in your smoked fish dip?

 

[Wingnut]

Macks on the smoker

that looks fantastic. cant even imagine having such easy access to fresh mackerel like that. what's in your smoked fish dip?

Thanks, I dont use measurements for my dip, I just kind of do it by eye and taste depending on how much smoked fish I have, but the basics are:Base: equal parts cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream

Seasonings: salt, pepper, fresh lemon and lime juice, worcestershire, everglades seasoning, hot sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, chives

I mix the cream cheese/mayo/sour cream together in a large mixing bowl until its a nice smooth consistency, then I add a little bit of each of the seasonings until Im happy with the taste, then mix in the smoked fish.

Its really amazing stuff, always a hit with everyone who tries it. I usually serve it with whatever kind of crackers I have on hand (Ritz, Club, Saltines, etc)

 

[Charlie Frown]

Been fishing some private ponds. Not much luck until Sunday. First cast in I caught about a 2-3lb Large Mouth on a top water cricket about 5 feet from shore. Caught a bunch of smaller bass and crappie too.

Later that day I hooked a tree limb in the same spot. I set my new ultra light rig down and pulled the limb over to unhook the lure. The line broke on the lure side and the limb snapped back catapulting my new rod and reel into about 10 feet of water.

It took about 20 minutes to fish it out with my backup and a treble hook.

 

[TheWalkmen]

So a couple years ago (Aug 09) I was in Bonita springs and did some snook fishing by boat. Caught like 15-20, it was awesome. This yr I'd like to try some beach fishing when we're down there in a few weeks (week before memorial day).

My first two questions are simple: will I be able to catch snook at that time of yr (or anything else), and is it legal to just go out to the beach and fish at any time? It's a private beach... Just want to make sure I'm breaking no laws.

 

[Wingnut]

So a couple years ago (Aug 09) I was in Bonita springs and did some snook fishing by boat. Caught like 15-20, it was awesome. This yr I'd like to try some beach fishing when we're down there in a few weeks (week before memorial day). My first two questions are simple: will I be able to catch snook at that time of yr (or anything else), and is it legal to just go out to the beach and fish at any time? It's a private beach... Just want to make sure I'm breaking no laws.

You now need a license to fish from shore or any land based structure in Florida, its a new law that was passed in the last year or so.Snook probably wont be around the beach that time of year, they usually disappear when season opens around Sept 1st...But I think Snook season isnt gonna open this year, but you can always catch and release if you do happen to find some. There are always fish on the beaches though, so its always worth going out and giving it a shot!

 

[Wingnut]

Had an interesting day of fishing last weekend. Last Saturday, (April 30th), Myself and 2 friends went on an inshore charter with a newly licensed Captain...fished about 6 miles off of Clearwater, caught some nice Mangrove Snappers, some nice Spanish Mackerel and had some big break-offs, as well as lots of short grouper. While we were fishing, about 50 or so yards off, we watched a boat start to take on water...it got so bad the crew had to abandon ship onto their friend's boat, tossing coolers, beer, gear, etc from their boat to their friend's boat. Three or four times the boat was about 75% under water, but somehow it kept coming back up afloat. Heres a quick pic I snapped on the sinking boat, the boat on the left in the boat they all bailed onto.

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7705/sinking.jpg

We were sure that it was going under, and could only imagine what it would be like to be on a sinking boat like that. After an hour or so of the boat going almost under, then back up, then almost under, then back up, they ended up using a tow rope and slowly towed the boat back to shore, somehow keeping it just afloat enough to get it back to shore.

So we fished that spot for another hour, and we decided to head over to the Skyway Bridge for some grouper/kingfish action....but....uh-oh...now OUR bilge pump is not working, and WE'RE taking on water. ####. So we start limping back towards shore at about 5mph (we couldnt go any faster due to the water weight) while the Capt tries to get the pump working, to no avail...the weight from the water was bogging us down, and we dont have a hand bilge pump on board. So we get about halfway to shore, and myself and the other 2 passengers are now riding on the bow of the boat to keep weight off the back of the 20 foot center console boat...the Capt then asks me to steer the boat towards shore while he bails 5 gallon buckets of water form inside the center console...Yes, this is getting bad...but where else can you charter a boat and get to drive the darn thing?? Pretty cool! So we stop a few times here and there while he tries to get the pump working, but its clear that its not gonna happen. So we call the local search and rescue team to bring us a portable bilge pump, and they met us a mile or so out and escorted us back into the pass. By the time we got into the pass, we had so much water on board, we had no choice but to let the, board and pump the water out so we could make it to the marina. Heres a pic of one of the crew pumping water off the boat, and a pic of the rescue boat:

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/8792/pumpd.jpg

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/4673/resueboat.jpg

So it was a pretty interesting day. The captain refunded all of our money when we got back in, but I paid him for the half-day we got to fish. It was an eye-opening day for sure, especially for myself, as Im looking to buy a boat in the next few months. One things for sure, Ill definitely have a backup hand bilge pump or 2 on board. Funny thing is the Capt has owned that boat for a few years and never thought to put a hand bilge pump on board

Hey, at least we got an interesting story to tell, and we still brought home some quality fish and had an awesome fish fry! The Capt now has a couple back up bilge pumps on board and has invited us back out for another trip. Cant wait to give it another shot!

Closeup of Mackerel: http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7737/mackteeth.jpg

Some nice real estate on the way in: http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/9987/passgm.jpg

 

[Wingnut]

Fished the flats with a buddy yesterday near Ruskin at Cockroach Bay on his bass boat.

Had a great day, caught tons of Speckled Trout, Ladyfish, Lizardfish and a few catfish and grunts. I managed a couple of Flounder (1 keeper), and between us we took home 6 nice Trout, the biggest was about 23 inches (a real hog). My buddy also caught a 3 foot Bonnethead shark we released to fight another day. We fished in water between 2 and 4 feet, used mostly live shrimp and soft plastics.

Saw lots of marine life, including a 5-6 foot blacktip shark that hung around for about an hour (couldnt get him to bite), a couple of nice Cobia that we lost when trying to chase them down, lots of small bonnethead sharks, a bunch of schools of Sting Rays, blue crabs, horseshoe crabs, a manatee...just a great day on the water. I love living here.

Launching at sunrise: http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/4336/img2011050800050.jpg

View on way to our spot: http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4672/img2011050800051.jpg

Bonnethead before: http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/6575/img2011050800054.jpg

Bonnethead after: http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4868/img2011050800057.jpg

Looking for a handout at ramp: http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/6140/img2011050800060.jpg

Smallest one is 16": http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/497/img2011050800063.jpg

Buddy with his pig of a trout: http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/2112/img2011050800062000.jpg

 

[griff321]

Just booked a trip with Musky Joe in July. I have never caught a large musky so I have my fingers crossed that Musky Joe can put me on a good one.

Good luck! Remember it's the "fish of a thousand casts" for a reason. Have a great time.Just a few more days until the drunken blur that is MN opening weekend. We'll be targeting 'eyes but it may be slow with the ice just going out last week. I think we'll still slaughter them on slow presentations like a slow death rig, jigs, and low profile rapalas.

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Any Florida guys do any Peacock Bass fishing? I have been thinking about doing a trip in the Amazon but I am a bit apprehensive about going down there, so I was thinking Fla. might not be a bad second choice.

 

[Wingnut]

Any Florida guys do any Peacock Bass fishing? I have been thinking about doing a trip in the Amazon but I am a bit apprehensive about going down there, so I was thinking Fla. might not be a bad second choice.

Personally, I dont freshwater fish, but a buddy of mine fishes for Peacock Bass down south somewhere near Miami and has caught some really nice ones. Ill ask him where he fishes next time I see him, which will probably be sometime this week. Ill also ask him for a link to some of his pics.

 

[TheWalkmen]

So for the beach fishing, can I just use a spinning rod and reel with like 20lb test? Use a hook, weight and some live bait and cast somewhat parallel to shore? I'm getting quite pumped about this actually! It'll give me something to do besides sitting at the pool ALL day...

 

[gmbacm]

Heading to Victoria BC in June and hoping to get out on a charter. Anyone been out there and would recommend any outfits? Looks like about 25 to choose fromn

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

So for the beach fishing, can I just use a spinning rod and reel with like 20lb test? Use a hook, weight and some live bait and cast somewhat parallel to shore? I'm getting quite pumped about this actually! It'll give me something to do besides sitting at the pool ALL day...

Take two rod's, one for some weighted bait and another to throw some metal.

 

[Wingnut]

So for the beach fishing, can I just use a spinning rod and reel with like 20lb test? Use a hook, weight and some live bait and cast somewhat parallel to shore? I'm getting quite pumped about this actually! It'll give me something to do besides sitting at the pool ALL day...

You can get by with a single rod, although I usually take 2 -- one with weight (for pinning bait on the bottom), and one without (for freelining live bait or using artificials). Check the local tides, and try to fish the hour before/after a tide switch (i.e. the last hour of falling tide and first hour of rising tide). Thats usually the most productive time. Hottest part of the day is usually less productive regardless of tides, Id try to fish closer to sunrise/dusk if you can.I caught by biggest snook (32 inches) on 20lb test on the beach. Just make sure your drag isnt set too tight, and let the fish run and tire themselves out if you get a big one on.