OT: does anyone fish?

[tarkus]

I moved from NJ where I was keen on stripers, and now fishing to south Florida. I lost the biggest bonefish of my life the other day, at least 6'pounds.

Spring is here. I know Keith Emerson likes to fish ( although he was Pier rat growing up).

Some of the Chicago guys like James Cotten liked to fish. My buddy used to hit the fresh water with him.

Today, I took Easter Monday off and tried my luck with kingfish and bonitos. No luck.

If any of you are ever in south Florida and want to fish or share a charter, look me up

[J. Dan]

I do, but fishing is a lot different around here. Either it's lake fishing in a boat for bass or crappie, or (my favorite) trout fishing in streams - usually in waders fishing with flies.

[SHaka40]

Love fishin', but I haven't been in probably 2 or 3 years now. My Dad used to take me all the time when I was coming up, but for various reasons we haven't been recently. I was REALLY into into it as a kid, to the point where I used to watch and tape all the TV shows (Bill Dance, Roland Martin, Shaw Grigsby, Jimmy Houston, etc.) and had a long running subscription to In-Fisherman magazine. As you can probably gather from my location, most (actually, just about all) of my experience was right here on the Chesapeake Bay, but most of it was limited to pier fishing, as we didn't have a boat. Really miss it.

[Steve Force]

When I had my Great Lakes boat ( a Carver) I fished all of the time. I want to get back into it , as Michigan has fantastic lakes to fish. Where I live in metro Detroit I am surrounded by many excellent inland lakes.

[16251]

I love eating fish.

[mate stubb]

I love fishing for compliments.

[The Real MC]

Used to fish when I was a kid. Beginner's luck landed me some trophies. Went fishing a few years ago, my luck and patience isn't what it used to be.

[RABid]

As a child my second home was Southern Dock on Cherokee Lake in Tennessee. Every vacation and every weekend getaway was spent on that lake. That burned me out on fishing but I still went because I like being around water. That was in the 60's and 70's. I went back 10 years ago and was totally depressed at how the place had run down.

 

When my parents retired they spent the next 20 winters fishing in Florida. Usually they would go down the day after Christmas and come back in time to sign tax papers. 18 of those years were at Bud's Ramp and Camp on Tiger Lake, 10 miles from Lake Wales. We would load a deep freeze into the back of Dad's pickup and fill it with food. He would bring it back 3 months later full of fish. It is a great area for bass fishing. They bought a 40 foot park model camping trailer and left it there. The owner would set it up before they got there and put it in storage after they leave. They got the same spot every year. It was like a second home.

 

Did I mention, it is a great area to fish? I miss my parents, and I miss eating dads fish.

[Steve Force]

As a child my second home was Southern Dock on Cherokee Lake in Tennessee. Every vacation and every weekend getaway was spent on that lake. That burned me out on fishing but I still went because I like being around water. That was in the 60's and 70's. I went back 10 years ago and was totally depressed at how the place had run down.

 

When my parents retired they spent the next 20 winters fishing in Florida. Usually they would go down the day after Christmas and come back in time to sign tax papers. 18 of those years were at Bud's Ramp and Camp on Tiger Lake, 10 miles from Lake Wales. We would load a deep freeze into the back of Dad's pickup and fill it with food. He would bring it back 3 months later full of fish. It is a great area for bass fishing. They bought a 40 foot park model camping trailer and left it there. The owner would set it up before they got there and put it in storage after they leave. They got the same spot every year. It was like a second home.

 

Did I mention, it is a great area to fish? I miss my parents, and I miss eating dads fish.

 

Great story! Good memories.

[PinkFloydDudi]

I do, but fishing is a lot different around here. Either it's lake fishing in a boat for bass or crappie, or (my favorite) trout fishing in streams - usually in waders fishing with flies.

Similar to upstate NY. I love trout fishing in streams around here and I go down to northeastern PA. My parents live up in the 1000 Islands region, so I go up there some times for some northern pike, salmon, etc...

 

My favorite though is this float-tube fishing. Did it once last year and loved it. Sit in an inner-tube with waders on, beer in the cup holder, and just float down the river stopping at certain spots to fish. It was a blast.

[J. Dan]

I do, but fishing is a lot different around here. Either it's lake fishing in a boat for bass or crappie, or (my favorite) trout fishing in streams - usually in waders fishing with flies.

Similar to upstate NY. I love trout fishing in streams around here and I go down to northeastern PA. My parents live up in the 1000 Islands region, so I go up there some times for some northern pike, salmon, etc...

 

My favorite though is this float-tube fishing. Did it once last year and loved it. Sit in an inner-tube with waders on, beer in the cup holder, and just float down the river stopping at certain spots to fish. It was a blast.

 

I've done that as well, except I prefer a canoe since it's a bit easier to maneuvre and you can cover more territory. I'll go on a 10 mile float, pack a lunch and a cooler of beer and spend the day swimming, fishing, cliff diving, etc.

[JeffLearman]

Any excuse to get on or near the water is a good one.

 

I misspent much of my youth on the shore of Lake Huron. There was a small creek (prounounced "crick", since my mother is from WVa), and I caught an awful lot of 6" brook trout using a hand line, dropping a worm on a hook under a log. To this day I'm disappointed whenever I order trout at a restaurant, as you can hardly improve on young fish caught from cold water, quickly cleaned and tossed right onto the grill!

 

I also caught a bunch of panfish (bass, bluegill, pike) in a small inland lake, back in the 80's, from a skiff. I remember one evening the bluegill had spawned; I was using a fly rod with a popper. We could see the nests by the shore; drop the popper between shore and nest and let it drift over the nest and bang, every time. We fished for a few hours and quit because we tired of reeling them in. It took us until midnight to filet them all, but it sure was good eating. I still wonder whether we put a dent in the population, but we hadn't covered much of the perimiter, but that was about the last time I fished there.

[jazzdoc52]

playing music is my first. It used to be the other way around, but im playing in a praise band at church every sunday and still playing jazz..and practicing almost every night, so that has taken over. But I salt water fly fish down here on the Ms Gulf Coast, and go at least twice a year to the Mountain west to fly fish for rainbow and brown trout. That is truly heaven on earth.

[PinkFloydDudi]

I do, but fishing is a lot different around here. Either it's lake fishing in a boat for bass or crappie, or (my favorite) trout fishing in streams - usually in waders fishing with flies.

Similar to upstate NY. I love trout fishing in streams around here and I go down to northeastern PA. My parents live up in the 1000 Islands region, so I go up there some times for some northern pike, salmon, etc...

 

My favorite though is this float-tube fishing. Did it once last year and loved it. Sit in an inner-tube with waders on, beer in the cup holder, and just float down the river stopping at certain spots to fish. It was a blast.

 

I've done that as well, except I prefer a canoe since it's a bit easier to maneuvre and you can cover more territory. I'll go on a 10 mile float, pack a lunch and a cooler of beer and spend the day swimming, fishing, cliff diving, etc.

 

Yup to all that. Considering the hectic nature of live music, fishing is certainly on the other extreme for a hobby. Mostly relaxing, hanging out, little expectation, no venue owners to deal with...

 

There are worse ways to spend your days =)

[The Real MC]

I play bass, does that count?

[zaj58]

Since you mentioned stripers I thought you would like to see a pic of my personal best to date..I live on Long Island and I am a life long fisherman..Sometimes i resent having those late night gigs because I'm just getting home when i would normally be leaving to begin a day on the water..

 

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa257/misnjoe/002-2.jpg

[allan_evett]

Very cool to read all of this so far.... I fished like crazy when I was a kid. Chicago area, northwoods - WI and MN; basically wherever I could toss a line. Have fished less in salt water, but have had some great times off of Ocean City, MD and Myrtle Beach.

 

Still try to fish as much as I can; usually get out at least eight or ten times a season, currently; it's been less since I came to CO. Used to dabble in fly fishing back in the midwest; mostly bluegills and small bass at a pond near my childhood home. Out here fly fishing is the major leagues compared to that. We have fly rods, but haven't made too significant a dent in the trout population here

 

Have enough fish stories to fill several live wells. Maybe we need an ongoing, OT fishing thread.

[Leh173]

I went finishing a little while back in a spot north of Sydney (Central Coast). Very enjoyable though I doubt I'd have to time to do it regularly...

[J. Dan]

Maybe we need an ongoing, OT fishing thread.

 

Or an annual keyboard corner fishing trip!

[Bucktunes]

Maybe we need an ongoing, OT fishing thread.

 

Or an annual keyboard corner fishing trip!

I'm in either way! Now that the weather here is finally starting to think about warming up, I'm looking forward to it again.

 

Dan, I live just about 100 miles up the Mississippi from you, so the fishing is similar here. A lot of catfish to be caught around here as well, especially in the rivers or in stocked lakes. Honestly, I wouldn't want to eat anything from the Mississippi, though...

 

When I was a kid in Boy Scouts we had a camp about 30 miles north of here out in the woods. It was so well stocked with bluegill and bass that it was nearly impossible to go fishing without catching a stringer full. Definitely spoiled me, but now I have access to a farm lake nearby that's about as well stocked with bass and catfish. I'm ready!

[tarkus]

Since you mentioned stripers I thought you would like to see a pic of my personal best to date..I live on Long Island and I am a life long fisherman..Sometimes i resent having those late night gigs because I'm just getting home when i would normally be leaving to begin a day on the water..

 

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa257/misnjoe/002-2.jpg

Whoa! That's a slob of a bass right there!

 

My best was about 35lbs, but I've caught some incredible fish.

 

As for the float trippers, I bought a SUP and fish the flats from that. Haven't caught anything bigger than a 2 lb jack, but I'm waiting for the day when I get pulled around by a tarpon.

 

[PinkFloydDudi]

Live music and fishing really do clash against each other. Same for hunting. Quite difficult to get out in the woods by 5:30am (or stream/river/lake) - when you got home at 3am from a gig.

 

Last year I was sitting around bored and decided to really get back into fishing more. Never realized just how much stuff my dad supplied to me. Minnow bucket, certain hook sizes, re-spooling the fishing line, different lures, etc... Dropped about $100 on fishing lures and looked at them and said "thats it?"

Got out about 15 times last year, and plan on matching or beating that this year...starting with a trout fishing trip first weekend in May =)

 

Zaj58 - one hell of a fish ya got there!!

[PinkFloydDudi]

Random question - you guys have any favorite fish recepies? I love to cook, and always enjoy hearing some good ideas from people.

 

One of my favorites is the cedar-plank salmon. Soak a piece of cedar in water overnight. Rub some brown sugar on the fish, a few fresh herbs (I have this delicious lemon-basil type of plant that works great). Put the fish on the wood, grill it...dash of lemon, mmmmm.

[tarkus]

Live music and fishing really do clash against each other. Same for hunting. Quite difficult to get out in the woods by 5:30am (or stream/river/lake) - when you got home at 3am from a gig.

 

I bow hunted alot back in NJ. If I had a gig during season, I would sleep the afternoon of the gig and pull an all nighter.

Usually get into the treestand by 5am.

 

One problem was dozing off while hunting. I had a Summit Goliath that a friend sold me for half-price. The stand was huge. It was like having a Lazy Boy recliner up a tree.

 

I had to get rid of it as it was way too comfortable.

[PinkFloydDudi]

Live music and fishing really do clash against each other. Same for hunting. Quite difficult to get out in the woods by 5:30am (or stream/river/lake) - when you got home at 3am from a gig.

 

I bow hunted alot back in NJ. If I had a gig during season, I would sleep the afternoon of the gig and pull an all nighter.

Usually get into the treestand by 5am.

 

One problem was dozing off while hunting. I had a Summit Goliath that a friend sold me for half-price. The stand was huge. It was like having a Lazy Boy recliner up a tree.

 

I had to get rid of it as it was way too comfortable.

 

Lol...even without pulling the all-nighter (a good idea btw) - I still struggle to stay awake sometimes. All bundled up, sun comes out, birds chirping, babbling brook nearby - I mean come on!

I have a Summit now, and despite my better judgement, I just can't deal with the safety harnesses. Sigh, all this talk makes me want to leave work and go toss a line in a nearby stream...

[tarkus]

Safety Harnesses are a fact of life. I bought a Hunter Safety System. Putting it on takes about 30 seconds. Attaching to the tree no problem.

One occassion I almost fell off of a hang-on stand, the harness saved my life.

 

I'm fishing today after work.

[J. Dan]

Maybe we need an ongoing, OT fishing thread.

 

Or an annual keyboard corner fishing trip!

I'm in either way! Now that the weather here is finally starting to think about warming up, I'm looking forward to it again.

 

Dan, I live just about 100 miles up the Mississippi from you, so the fishing is similar here. A lot of catfish to be caught around here as well, especially in the rivers or in stocked lakes. Honestly, I wouldn't want to eat anything from the Mississippi, though...

 

When I was a kid in Boy Scouts we had a camp about 30 miles north of here out in the woods. It was so well stocked with bluegill and bass that it was nearly impossible to go fishing without catching a stringer full. Definitely spoiled me, but now I have access to a farm lake nearby that's about as well stocked with bass and catfish. I'm ready!

 

I used to cover Quincy as part of my territory up until this last October and was up that way pretty regularly for ADM and BASF across the river in Hannibal. I don't fish in the Mississippi. There are some catfish in there big enough to swallaw an adult human. I prefer the streams and lakes.

 

Random question - you guys have any favorite fish recepies? I love to cook, and always enjoy hearing some good ideas from people.

 

After visiting Hawaii, I tried something that worked pretty well. I went to the International Foods market and bought some Banana leaves. You put butter and all of your seasonings on the fish and wrap it in banana leaves, closed up with a wood skewer, and throw it on the grill. Steams on the inside and comes out really tastey.

[PinkFloydDudi]

Safety Harnesses are a fact of life. I bought a Hunter Safety System. Putting it on takes about 30 seconds. Attaching to the tree no problem.

One occassion I almost fell off of a hang-on stand, the harness saved my life.

 

I'm fishing today after work.

The line for me always gets in the way when I am looking around. I scare enough deer away myself, don't need another moving piece! I know I should definitely wear one =(

 

And if it weren't 30 degrees out today, I might have the same after-work activity as you!

 

After visiting Hawaii, I tried something that worked pretty well. I went to the International Foods market and bought some Banana leaves. You put butter and all of your seasonings on the fish and wrap it in banana leaves, closed up with a wood skewer, and throw it on the grill. Steams on the inside and comes out really tastey.

 

I saw that on cooking network once...looked delicious. Now to find me some banana leaves....

[allan_evett]

PFD, that cedar-plank salmon sounds awesome. Your recipe would have come in handy during the years I went out trolling several times on Lake Michigan with my uncle.

 

While I have caught smallmouth bass in Lake Loveland, and there is a fair pike lake about a half hour from our house - albeit sans trees, it's mostly trout, and more trout out here in CO. Don't mind trout, but a more balanced variety of fish would be cool. Another argument for moving back east, one of these days

 

At least we'll get a respite in late May / early June: heading for northern MN - my late father's old fishing grounds. Lots of great memories there: plenty of walleye and northern pike caught over many years. Spent close to an hour one afternoon watching dad wrestle a trophy-size Muskie from the weed-edge; unfortunately it tossed the spoon, about 20 feet from the net.... Magnificent fish, though.

[Steve Force]

Allan, that must have been impressive!