Fishing

[Mushroom]

I’ve had this thread drafted up for months and with a couple recent threads about fishing I figured it would be a good time for a general fishing thread.

I know I'm not the only one on this forum that likes to fish. Whether you fish in freshwater or saltwater, are learning to fish or have been a fisherman for 50 years, I wanted to create a thread for everyone to discuss fishing in general.

Post photos to show off your catches, share stories from a day on the water, show some flies you tied, review different types of gear... Lets talk about anything that has to do with fishing!

[Mushroom]

The ice fishing season is basically over for me. I think there is some safe ice in in northern parts of New England but I don’t feel like driving multiple hours just to find out there isn’t. Even without the ice near me, water temps are still really low so the fish are still lethargic and it makes for some difficult open water fishing.

We had a mild winter in Massachusetts this year but I was still able to get out on the ice a handful of times. I didn’t catch anything too impressive but it was still worth it to get out there trying. I actually got skunked more days than I caught something, so the fishing was slow for me even when I was able to get out.

One day I did find a spot loaded with chain pickerel and made a day out of catching them on tip-ups and a jigging rod. The pond I was at has been known to produce some trophy sized bass, for Massachusetts, so that is ultimately what I was targeting but after getting skunked a few times prior, I was happy to let the pickerel fill up on my shiners. This is one of the better fish from that day, it was a few inches longer than the 19” tip up I had, so roughly 21-22”.


(21-22” Chain Pickerel caught on a shiner using a Frabill “Arctic Fire” Rail style tip up with 30 lb Sufix “coated rattle reel line” and a 20 lb florocarbon leader.)

I have seen Darby (Bearfacedkiller) recommend using a Swick as an ice fishing knife so I was really hoping to pick up one of the new Swick’s in LC200N before this ice fishing season started. Unfortunately, the season came and went before that happened because there’s still no Swick 5/6 yet! LOL Well now I’ll just have to plan on getting it for my PFD when I’m fishing on the kayak this summer. In the meantime though, the Waterway served me perfectly well as an ice fishing knife.

———

Massachusetts has a really great trout stocking program and they do a aweosem job stocking the whole state in both spring and fall with some nice sized trout: Rainbows, Browns, Brookies, “Tiger” trout, and when we’re lucky they’ll stock some “Golden” Rainbow Trout. This years spring stocking began about a week ago so I’ll be hitting those trout ponds as soon as possible.

Saltwater fishing from shore around here is slower than grass growing this time of year. That won’t really pick up until the Striper start moving in sometime around mid to late May. There are world class striped bass caught around Cape Cod every year though, so I’ll definitely have some striper updates this summer.

Lastly, once I get tired of wading around the trout ponds this spring, I’ll have a steady stream of freshwater kayak fishing updates. That’s the heart of my fishing obsession.

[Sharp Guy]

Dang I miss ice fishing!!! Not much ice here in TX

[Mushroom]

Dang I miss ice fishing!!! Not much ice here in TX

It’s a lot of fun! I wish I started doing it sooner.

You may not have much ice but the bass fishing in Texas is awesome! Especially this time of year when the trophy sized female bass start moving shallow to spawn.

[Coastal]

Hi Mushroom, fishing is a great topic; thanks for starting this thread! I rarely take pictures of my catches, such as they are, but maybe your thread will inspire me.

I didn't know chain pickerel grew as large as the one in your picture. Here in southeast Texas they're a bit of a rarity. In fact, one of my weirdest catches ever was a pickerel, maybe 10 inches or so, from a reservoir near Houston. That was probably 60 years ago, and I've never seen one since. Researching, I see that the TX record is a little under 24 inches, only a smidge larger than yours.

I am a kayak-fishing noob. I'd like to refer you to another thread concerning the Enuff Salt, to see if you have any advice about knives and kayaking:

viewtopic.php?p=1612094#p1612094

[Sharp Guy]

Dang I miss ice fishing!!! Not much ice here in TX

It’s a lot of fun! I wish I started doing it sooner.

You may not have much ice but the bass fishing in Texas is awesome! Especially this time of year when the trophy sized female bass start moving shallow to spawn.

Yeah I haven't fished since I moved here. I live by two big lakes too. I'm not much on shore fishing unless it's a pond and I don't own a boat. Maybe some day

[Mushroom]

Hi Mushroom, fishing is a great topic; thanks for starting this thread! I rarely take pictures of my catches, such as they are, but maybe your thread will inspire me.

I didn't know chain pickerel grew as large as the one in your picture. Here in southeast Texas they're a bit of a rarity. In fact, one of my weirdest catches ever was a pickerel, maybe 10 inches or so, from a reservoir near Houston. That was probably 60 years ago, and I've never seen one since. Researching, I see that the TX record is a little under 24 inches, only a smidge larger than yours.

I am a kayak-fishing noob. I'd like to refer you to another thread concerning the Enuff Salt, to see if you have any advice about knives and kayaking:

viewtopic.php?p=1612094#p1612094

Thanks Coastal! Chain Pickerel seem to thrive around here. I would love to catch a state record but Massachusetts state record is like 28.” A lot of people see them as a nuisance when they’re bass fishing because they’re so willing to bite but I don’t mind catching them. For the size they are, they still fight really hard.

I will check out the thread you linked. I pretty much always have a knife clippped to my PFD, so I should be able to share at least some insight from my experience.

Dang I miss ice fishing!!! Not much ice here in TX

It’s a lot of fun! I wish I started doing it sooner.

You may not have much ice but the bass fishing in Texas is awesome! Especially this time of year when the trophy sized female bass start moving shallow to spawn.

Yeah I haven't fished since I moved here. I live by two big lakes too. I'm not much on shore fishing unless it's a pond and I don't own a boat. Maybe some day

Don’t underestimate what you can catch from shore, especially in Texas! It’s definitely worth getting into, in my opinion. I lose track of time whenever I’m out fishing, I just get so focused that a few hours ends up passing me by in a blink.

[MacLaren]

Nice thread Nick!
We have some good trout fishing in the Blue Ridge
Heres a pic of my nephew with a nice rainbow
1st pic is of a serious fisherman lol...

[Mushroom]

Nice thread Nick!
We have some good trout fishing in the Blue Ridge
Heres a pic of my nephew with a nice rainbow
1st pic is of a serious fisherman lol...
https://i.postimg.cc/pXxk0fRj/Screensho ... allery.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/768S54Lz/Screensho ... allery.jpg

Wow, that’s really nice fish! Definitely bigger than any Rainbow I’ve ever caught. Your nephew looks proud of that one! I know I would be. Great pics, thanks for sharing!

[Sharp Guy]

Don’t underestimate what you can catch from shore, especially in Texas! It’s definitely worth getting into, in my opinion. I lose track of time whenever I’m out fishing, I just get so focused that a few hours ends up passing me by in a blink.

Trust me, I shored fished for many years on the large quarry ponds that were on our property. We had a cottage on a lake in southern Michigan too. I've done plenty of shore fishing. These big lakes here have a lot of people fishing the shores. Anytime I've went for walks there with my girl the wind's always blowing the wrong way or there's people in all the good spots. It's just not something that I'm interested in messing around with. I guess I got spoiled fishing for walleye on the Mississippi from my brother's boat. I'll probably find a way to fish again at some point but I have plenty of other things to keep me busy at the moment. But I certainly do look forward to seeing what you catch. I love seeing Lance's pictures on IG.

[MacLaren]

Nice thread Nick!
We have some good trout fishing in the Blue Ridge
Heres a pic of my nephew with a nice rainbow
1st pic is of a serious fisherman lol...
https://i.postimg.cc/pXxk0fRj/Screensho ... allery.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/768S54Lz/Screensho ... allery.jpg

Wow, that’s really nice fish! Definitely bigger than any Rainbow I’ve ever caught. Your nephew looks proud of that one! I know I would be. Great pics, thanks for sharing!

Thanks Nick!
My daughter reeled in this beautiful Brown - i hooked it for her but, didnt say anyhing, I just asked her to take over - her eyes got real big, lol.....i said, do you have a bite already, are ya sure, lol....that was real fun....

[Mushroom]

Don’t underestimate what you can catch from shore, especially in Texas! It’s definitely worth getting into, in my opinion. I lose track of time whenever I’m out fishing, I just get so focused that a few hours ends up passing me by in a blink.

Trust me, I shored fished for many years on the large quarry ponds that were on our property. We had a cottage on a lake in southern Michigan too. I've done plenty of shore fishing. These big lakes here have a lot of people fishing the shores. Anytime I've went for walks there with my girl the wind's always blowing the wrong way or there's people in all the good spots. It's just not something that I'm interested in messing around with. I guess I got spoiled fishing for walleye on the Mississippi from my brother's boat. I'll probably find a way to fish again at some point but I have plenty of other things to keep me busy at the moment. But I certainly do look forward to seeing what you catch. I love seeing Lance's pictures on IG.

Oh I can definitely relate to that. Sometimes I’ll get to a spot and see one other person fishing and I’ll leave because it’s “too crowded.” LOL In a way, I also feel spoiled from my kayak. I’ve grown to really prefer the seclusion I can get.

Fishing the Mississippi sounds like a blast! I can only imagine the monster sized fish you can pull out of there. Walleye still aren’t too prevalent in New England, so I’ve never actually targeted them. I hear they’re good eating though.

I’m also a big fan of Lances posts on Instagram. He posts some really amazing catches. I would of course welcome him to post in this thread should he be so inclined.

Nice thread Nick!
We have some good trout fishing in the Blue Ridge
Heres a pic of my nephew with a nice rainbow
1st pic is of a serious fisherman lol...
https://i.postimg.cc/pXxk0fRj/Screensho ... allery.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/768S54Lz/Screensho ... allery.jpg

Wow, that’s really nice fish! Definitely bigger than any Rainbow I’ve ever caught. Your nephew looks proud of that one! I know I would be. Great pics, thanks for sharing!

Thanks Nick!
My daughter reeled in this beautiful Brown - i hooked it for her but, didnt say anyhing, I just asked her to take over - her eyes got real big, lol.....i said, do you have a bite already, are ya sure, lol....that was real fun....
https://i.postimg.cc/cJxqRHcS/Screensho ... allery.jpg

Wow! You’re not kidding about the Blue Ridge Mountains, looks like some really good trout fishing. That’s an impressive Brown and a good story too, those are memories that will last a lifetime.

[MacLaren]

Nick buddy, I gotta come clean man. Im a stockholder in a private fishing club man. We have miles and miles of the river we fish from and every year we stock it with thousands of pounds of trout. But, its so fun for the kids. About the only time I go anymore is to take the my daughter or nephews. But, there can still be found trout that size I posted in other areas in my county.

[Mushroom]

Nick buddy, I gotta come clean man. Im a stockholder in a private fishing club man. We have miles and miles of the river we fish from and every year we stock it with thousands of pounds of trout. But, its so fun for the kids. About the only time I go anymore is to take the my daughter or nephews. But, there can still be found trout that size I posted in other areas in my county.

Well if that’s the case, your fishing club does a really good job making sure you have some impressive fish to catch! It actually sounds like a fisherman’s dream. Miles of untouched river front teeming with trophy sized trout. Hard to beat that. I’m not a “wild trout” snob, at least not yet, so the majority of the trout I fish for here in Massachusetts are stocked by the state.

There are a few small populations of sea-run brook trout, salters, left in Massachusetts but for the most part, everything is stocked these days. They stock a bunch of deep kettle ponds that can support trout populations through the summer though. Those ponds can produce some nice holdover trout if you’re lucky.

Anyway, if the kids enjoy it when you bring them, that’s all that matters. Wild or stocked doesn’t make a difference. I like to bring my nieces out fishing for sunfish, they always have a blast.

[MacLaren]

Nick buddy, I gotta come clean man. Im a stockholder in a private fishing club man. We have miles and miles of the river we fish from and every year we stock it with thousands of pounds of trout. But, its so fun for the kids. About the only time I go anymore is to take the my daughter or nephews. But, there can still be found trout that size I posted in other areas in my county.

Well if that’s the case, your fishing club does a really good job making sure you have some impressive fish to catch! It actually sounds like a fisherman’s dream. Miles of untouched river front teeming with trophy sized trout. Hard to beat that. I’m not a “wild trout” snob, at least not yet, so the majority of the trout I fish for here in Massachusetts are stocked by the state.

There are a few small populations of sea-run brook trout, salters, left in Massachusetts but for the most part, everything is stocked these days. They stock a bunch of deep kettle ponds that can support trout populations through the summer though. Those ponds can produce some nice holdover trout if you’re lucky.

Anyway, if the kids enjoy it when you bring them, that’s all that matters. Wild or stocked doesn’t make a difference. I like to bring my nieces out fishing for sunfish, they always have a blast.

Nick, I just assumed their are fish in the wild that size
I really shouldnt say unless I know for sure. Heck, it could very well be thats theres not.
But, thank you for the kind words and understanding bro.

[Mushroom]

Oh yeah, there are wild trout that size. They can grow into some real giants in the right environments. Your daughter and nephew caught some impressive fish by my standards at least! I would be more than happy to catch a trout that size. This is my personal best brown trout, caught last May on spinning gear.



It was from a pond that’s deep enough for holdover trout but this was most likely from the trout stocking last spring.

[Doc Dan]

I love fishing. Of all sports, this is the most therapeutic. The stresses all melt away. I don't even have to be in a boat. I can stand on the shore and toss and worm laden hook in the water and wait for the action. Or, I can walk down the shore casting my favorite lures.

I remember teaching my wife to fish. We went to a lake in the mountains of North Carolina that was stocked with trout, big ones. I showed her how to bait the hook and how to cast. She did well on her first cast and it went pretty far. Soon, her line began to jerk and I yelled to her that she had a fish! Her eyes were as big as hubcaps! She reeled it in and I got the net and scoped it up and what a monster! We caught a good many that day. After that, she developed a recipe for cooking trout that makes my mouth water to think of it. We went fishing often afterwards.

[Mushroom]

Thanks for sharing! That first fish is always a thrill. One thing I definitely need to improve is my trout cooking skills. I’d love to learn a good recipe that I could pack and prepare while I’m out camping.

Now between you and Paul, it’s really sounding like North Carolina might be a hotspot for trout that I was unaware of until this thread.

[Doc Dan]

I'll see if she will share it. It is one she made up after trying two other good recipes.

NC is a great place, and just down the mountain in TN, too. The Watauga River close to Elizabethton, TN is known for its trophy rainbow and brown trout.

[Rymanz]

Two weekends ago it was my first time catching something on fly gear. I'd been fly fishing 4 times previously but had been skunked every time. Was about to give up this 5th time and then caught two beautiful little brook trout back-to-back (bigger of the two pictured below).



It was cold! The eyelets on our rods were freezing as we walked from one spot to the next. Barely anybody there though, so it was worth it.

Me trying to feel my hands again :