The fishing thread

We've dabbled in this a time or two, so I know there are a bunch of fellow anglers on the boards. I am never able to get out on the water at this time of year, as a combination of work, weather and car projects always get in the way, but I'm still busy planning my first trip of the year.

I do 90% of my fishing from a kayak. I target both fresh and saltwater species. I'd probably target the saltwater fish 100% of the time if it wasn't a three hour drive to the coast, but what can you do. I fish artificial lures and live bait, usually both at the same time.

Fishing around my home in Raleigh, I like to target bass, catfish, pickerel- well, everything, really. I like to catch fish, and use light tackle, so even the sunfish are fun to catch.

At the coast, I fish mainly in the Ft. Fisher area and target red drum, weakfish and flounder, all of which are delicious.

My son and I decided this guy was improved with lemon and butter:

When I get up to see family in New England, smallmouth bass are always primo targets, as they are my favorite freshwater fish to catch on a regular basis. Salmon used to be a big player, but I've not fished for them in years. Salmon are also delicious:

*

So, lets swap lies and bigger lies, share some strategies and otherwise waste some time.

*note: I had my PFD with me in the boat and was wearing it up until I took a brief shore break. I put it back on minutes after this photo was taken.

I mostly fish for smallies and Walleye in the Menominee River and Green Bay in the Upper Peninsula/Northern Wisconsin. Live bait, Rapala's, Big-O's. We seem to pull in a lot of drum with whatever we use, caught the odd catfish, and hooked into 3-4 sturgeon as well. Only pulled one into the boat. Boat is an 85' Lund Alaskan, a true GRM boat. We bought it with weeds growing out of the floor, and spent a summer when I was a kid bringing it back to life. Engine is an 82 Merc with 70hp (don't tell the Coast Guard! It is only rated for 55!)

Last Easter, 2 of my uncles, my cousin, brother, dad and I went out on a Charter fishing boat on Lake Michigan going for Salmon. 2 lake trout and a steelhead, good day. First time I'd ever done that, I would love to get into it but you need a big boat to tackle that kind of water.

I'd love to try deep sea fishing some time, but I've never even seen the ocean.

This is my dad on that charter trip that we took, as far as I know the only picture of any of us on the interwebs with a fish (others are on facebook, but I can't link there from work).

I have the rods in the car and I am going to give it a try after I get off work today! I'll report back if I catch anything (translation: don't get your hopes up)

FISHING!!?? Jeebus, It's cold as taters here in the Midwest. We won't be able go fishing for months. Do love it though, especially now that my boys are old enough to go. With so many electronic doodads now and the utter absence of kids outside, even on nice days, I'm glad that they have both taken a liking to the outdoors and we go fishing and camping frequently throughout the warmer months. I wish I could go fishing close to home in January......

I caught a 100lb Sturgeon on a 20lb test.

FISH ON! /Primus

Lots of good smallmouth fishing here in VA. In fact, I've caught probably my biggest ever smallmouth in the James River in downtown Richmond.

Haven't been in a while. Last time out was back in September when we took the kids to Disneyworld and booked a charter on the Disney lakes and caught a few dozen largemouth bass.

<img src="" /> <img src="" /> A nice southern Michigan Smallmouth Bass. This wonderful river is 20 miles from Flint. I take many people that are not serious anglers with me and they have similar results.

<img src="" /> A mess o' Sac A Lait, or as we call them in the north crappie, largemouth bass, catfish and a chain pickerel. We caught these while duck hunting on Bourbe Lake Louisiana. They fish with a device called a Yo Yo. You set the bait and when a fish hits a spring loaded reel sets the hook. We set them on the way to the blind and harvested our catch on the way in. It does not strike me as sporting , but those fish are delicious.

I do enjoy fishing. However, I don't like going by myself, unless it's down to the pond behind my house, so I don't go that often.

I'm hoping to get back out when the weather gets warmer.

I see what you did there, Mojo. I like "John the Fisherman", too.

Sometimes I catch stuff them while taking a shore break and letting my butt rest a bit. This red fell to a mullet:

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Othertimes I just get them from shore.

This catfish came from a popular local park in the middle of Raleigh:

This bass was caught when I decided to take a detour away from a horrific traffic jam on I-40 and hit a little spot off of Rt. 751 in Durham. I am still in my work clothes, and it was about 100 F that day, too. Keeping a rod in your car is essential to these impromptu fishing moments. This guy went for a blue flake Mr. Twister on ultralight gear (4 lb test):

OH NO! JAWS!

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A nice fighting carp from the Flint River in downtown Flint. It hit a piece of old bread dough rolled in cinnamon.

Trout from lake, stream or river. Lakes are mostly for beer drinking and being annoyed by knuckledraggers. Anymore, the tailraces from the dam on the mountain and downstream the river work for me.

There are some nice fish in the thread already. Keep them coming!

That shark is adorable! I'd jump that.

I do actually really enjoy fishing, all I have tried so far is lake/pond fishing. I have caught my fair share of brim, bass and catfish. In a private pond in south Raleigh there is a HUGE catfish that I nicknamed "Ol' Rusty", after he broke my line and took off with my hook in his mouth. If you catch him, please let me know. He looked like good eats. Of course, I have no pics, so I cannot prove it ever happened. Ol' Rusty however, he knows I speak the truth.

When I was around ten or eleven we went on a fishing trip up into Canada for two weeks. I caught the biggest fish of my life on that trip. A northern pike. Put up a hell of a fight. Don't know how big was but I haven't caught anything as big since.

I mostly go for catfish. Growing up fishing out of a boat I never really enjoyed bank fishing. One day I'm going to get a boat because I do love fishing.

I have nothing to add except that our school has a club that competes in FLW/BASS affiliated intercollegiate bass fishing tournaments.

I have a fishing boat for sale if anyone is interested. PM me. T

Brett_Murphy wrote: My son and I decided this guy was improved with lemon and butter:

What in heck is that? Looks prehistoric.

Love that little shark picture, sure hope you let him go!

Lesley wrote:

Brett_Murphy wrote: My son and I decided this guy was improved with lemon and butter:

What in heck is that? Looks prehistoric.

Flounder, after the eyeball migrated around his head.

I do not consider myself a fisherman, so consider this a place holder for when I go and drink beer while others are sturgeon spearing on Lake Winnebago in a couple weeks. I should have some neat pictures of some prehistoric bottom feeders.

Here's a preview from last year: (not my photo)

I like to rag on my friends up north that like to brag about their bass etc. We use BAIT bigger than that! Some of those posted are pretty decent, though. Biggest fish I ever caught was an 8' shark off the Seven Mile Bridge. That was a fun night.

Yelp, got a late start and the tides were much lower than expected (read: making excuses) so came home empty handed. We only fished for 30 minutes or so and I had a couple trout hits but nothing stuck. I wanted to change to a jig but since we were short on time I figured I would keep trying with the topwater.

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A 34# Wahoo. I did not catch it, a friend did. I was hooked to a 20# Barracuda when the Wahoo hit. We were trolling 2-8 miles off St Croix. The slashes on the tail are from a shark trying to get a meal.

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Not a monster pike ,but a respectable 26" fish.

In reply to Lesley:

I let the little shark go, of course.