DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Fishing

I grew up fishing the rivers and streams of eastern NC, mostly largemouth bass and Breem (aka Bluegill). Also, surf fishing for croaker and flounder on the Outer Banks of NC with my dad. Eventually, we started deep sea fishing for yellowfin tuna, mahi mahi, and spanish mackeral, either at the gulf stream or in the Chesapeake Bay (the mackeral in the Bay).

When I got married, my wife's family has a cabin in WV, and I started fly fishing for rainbows, and I love it.

Fishing is one of the greatest experiences in my life, I wish I could get my son into it(he's 15). My favorite fishing will always be surf fishing on the ocean, it's so calming for me, just on the beach in the waves with a rod and reel. Lots of people find surf fishing boring, but I love it, and croaker is one of the best eating fish ever.

You sir; Have been a very fortunate man .. I envy you !

My first fishing rod was a 3’ Snoopy branded Zebco. I started fishing in a creek across the road from where I lived. Creek chub and bluegill. In 1981 we moved to the country outside a town on the Maumee River. We had a half acre pond dug on our land. The pond was then stocked with catfish, bluegill, and large mouth bass. I spent a lot of time honing my skills there. Once I was old enough my friends and I all but lived on the Maumee. My buddies and I knew the section of river as well as anyone could. I fished the walleye and white bass run, pike, catfish, and crappie. I caught a ton of fish on the muddy Maumee as a kid. Helping keep the family freezer full.
Once I moved to Columbus I fished less but found a few spots for smallmouth bass around the city.
I moved to Oregon in 2001. I had hoped to find a fishing buddy quickly but never really did. The couple guys I found to fish with over the years either had kids (keeping them at home), moved away, or retired early and travel too much to make it fit my limited schedule. So I tend to now fish alone, or with a buddy that doesn’t fish but enjoys hanging out at the river.
Steelhead fishing has become my focus. Primarily the fall run on the Deschutes River. They’re just so much fun to hook. Super athletic, strong fish, that have an incredible knack for jumping high out of the water and spitting hooks. A challenge anytime you hook one. They’re also incredibly good cooked on a cedar plank on the grill.
The Deschutes is world class fishing less than a couple hours from my door. I’m thankful for the proximity and bounty it provides.

I have never fly fished. My fishing experiences started in ponds - local ponds. Bass, perch, sunfish. I've fished on lakes, and on Lake Michigan for salmon and also lake Trout. (those are fun. All fishing is fun)

Taught my daughter and nephew how to fish in our pond when they were young. Why? They wanted to. And, no better place for 5-14 or so year old kids to fish. Because in the pond, you catch fish. Maybe not big, but kids want bites, and fish, and the pond supplies that.

I do have a decent number of good sized bass, but my rule is those are catch and release. Also have had some flat heads, and a channel cat in there as well. Flat heads to help with the blue gill issue.

And, perhaps 17 years ago, my cousin's kid caught a darn near state record Crappie in my pond.

I've gone from doing the fishing, now to being the guy that has kids and their parents, or grandparents, over to fish in my pond. Again, for the young kids, doing a lot of catching is more important than the size of the fish they catch. But, inevitably they'll catch a nice size bass as well. Makes them smile, everytime.

Even had a die hard democrat ask if he could bring his grand kids over. Our political views are polar opposite, but he's a friend. Obviously, I said yes, and his grand kids first fishing was here. 2 kids, 1 1/2 hours, 52 fish.

I've spoken on different occasions about the small place where I grew up. On a state route with only a small store, or market to overstate it, two churches and no stop lights. To say you would miss it of you blink is being kind. There was only one side street in that village. It wasn't even really two cars wide and dead ended at the Miami River. Our school bus driver owned a farm where a water falls was located. She got a divorce when I was a teenager and the park district bought it and turned it into a nature preserve. So if you would like to get an idea as to where I spent a lot of my time and the environment I grew up in, this will give you a look at it.

https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/charlest...UTfarkwVS-A-yvA

It's not anyone I know in the photos but this was the most photos I could find of it in one location.

As such most of my free time was playing sports, going the the falls and fishing at The Miami River.

It was a small group of four friends growing up in a very small place. I am still very close to one of those friends I've known since the second grade. We weren't anything close to being avid fishermen. I never have been. Yet I have fished a lot over the course of my life. We knew where all of the best spots were due to the fact we fished that river bank so much. We had a spot we called "The Rock" where a large slab of concrete was that we sat on. About thirty or so feet out from that spot was a huge hole that always resulted in pretty good sized Smallmouth bass. Everyone in the group caught at least one that weighed well over three pounds from out of that hole.

We also had great spots for catfish. Living in a farming community there were a lot of farm ponds. I worked for a lot of the local farmers and as such had access to some of those ponds. Great places for Large Mouth bass! In the farm ponds I used a selection of rubber worms and spinner baits but mainly live baits in the river.

We would catch night crawlers, seine for minnows and soft craws and could always catch salamanders at the falls so a wide variety of bait was plentiful.

I went on some charter fishing trips and such as I grew up and enjoyed those as well. But nothing beat those days growing up on the river bank and fishing those farm ponds. It was just a special peace of mind an enjoyment that was hard to replace.

Fishing

Buddy got pulled over in a sports car, speeding, but thought he was profiled. He said to the Cop, what about that car, what about that other one they are speeding.

He said to me, He said, " do you know what he said"

He said the policeman said to him

"When you go fishing do you catch all the fish?"

"Well I caught you"

I don't fish much anymore. It never really hooked me like it hooks some.

Fresh water, my largest catch was a 18 lb Pike. Salt water, 26 lb red snapper.

I largest fish I almost caught was a catfish. That sucker had to have been 50-60 lbs. It was a monster. The hook slipped when I got it in to about 4 feet of the bank. I still had the hook on line. Must have barely had it hooked or it was just ripped out.

To be honest, I was a bit relieved. Nobody had a net big enough and I was thinking as it was getting close I really didn't want to handle that hog.

Cousin caught a 45 lb 48 inch catfish.....or it may have been a 48 lb. 45 inch catfish. Flat head. He knew of my bluegill issue in the pond. Bluegill breed like rabbits, except much faster.

Put it in my pond. The dude did more to retard the blue gill population than the 25-30 bass I had. Large mouth bass, striped bass.

Mine was a blue. I have caught some flatheads, smaller, 8-10 lb range at the largest. Still a nice fish.

But, I actually didn't catch that blue, but I had a few friends see it and have one picture, so I can kind of, sort of talk about it.

I think my buddies were glad it slipped too...nobody really wanted to wrangle that thing. One of them died a few years back, but both gave me credit for that fish, so, I take it!

There is nothing quite like the feeling of reeling one in that's really fighting but you get it anyway.

Horse Racing says it's the best 2 minutes in sports, I'd say check out having one on the line!

My father had a small boat for a few years, would go out on lake Erie and limit out on perch. Always had perch in the freezer.
We have been on the lake many times after that in rental boats.
I took my wife "fishing" a several years ago on vacation. We rented some small rods by a small lake. She hooked her first fish and was having trouble reeling it in. She asked me to help in a panic. I said nope thats your fish. She finally brought it in was an average size catfish. Since then we go fishing a lot. every year in the Poconos we get a cabin with boat rental included. We pull about 4 nice bass in a day. love fishin!

Also spent many nights when I was younger. Night fishing at the local pond with a bunch of beer and friends. I have also fished with fly lures, but I cheat. I put a thin bobber on a line with about 6 foot of line to the fly and cast with a fly. I use to fly fish local ponds and lakes many years ago with a real fly rod too.

Spent most of my teens and early twenties fishing alone. Fishing was less of a sport and more of a reflecting pool. I got so tired of the questions that would race through my mind that I just quit fishing.


On October 2, 1970, my father went fishing with his brother and oldest son (my stepbrother), they never came home. They drowned in the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ontario.


Fishing haunted me for most of my life. My father had two families - I was the "b@stard son". He had five children with his first wife, they lost their older brother the same day they lost their father. Most of my fishing trips were spent wondering where they were. My dad died when I was three years old, one of the few things I knew about him was his love of fishing, and the fact that he was known to go anywhere to get a line in the water. After my mother died, and I was shuffled around a bit, there was little hope of finding them.

Forty-some-odd-years later, thanks to power of the internet, I found one of my sisters. Within a day of finding a "name", I was reuniting with the family I never had. Before long we planned a trip to Canada.

A few years ago, we spent a week in Pointe au Baril, Ontario. Rented a large cabin for a week, a boat, and we fished. Along for the trip were my cousins, who also lost their father that fateful day.

We fished in the early morning, we fished til we couldn't see at night. I had an immediate connection with my oldest sister, after a few trips out on the boat, we were the only two that had still not really caught anything of significance. The next morning, I met her on the dock and she had tears in her eyes and a tackle box that looked like it had survived a World War - Dad's tackle box. We pulled out some red and white spinners that were nearly fifty years old and... yep, you guessed it... 25 inch Northern Pike, 30" Pike, one each, nearly back to back. She was a mess as we pulled back in and began telling the others the story lol.

Over about five days we caught so many fish that we feasted for the final two days, ate Pike 'til we could eat no more. I heard so many stories about my dad and my stepbrother, and their love of fishing. My stepbrother kept journals of every trip, and every detail about every trip. I heard stories of how my dad was so meticulous, so well prepared, dotted every "i" and crossed every "t". I also learned how their mother, a woman who hated my mother, went to her death bed still worried about me. "You've got to find your brother, you've got to make sure he's okay".

No one could ever understand what must have happened that day, but the Ottawa River has claimed many and there was bad weather. What made them go out? We all spent a lifetime trying to get a grip on the "whys". As they were a little older, every event in their lives was framed by how close in time it was to "the day we lost the boys". We took this trip as the opportunity to give "the boys" their proper send off with a memorial service where we all said our piece, and told them goodbye.

A lot of tears, a lot of laughs, and a lot of fishing. I'm sure dad smiled down with great joy.

On that day in 1970, "fishing" destroyed three families... All these years later, it helped all of us put the pieces back together.

Thanks so much for telling us that very personal story. I got emotional just reading it, so I can only imagine what it meant (and still means) to you. You lost your Dad but found a family. God is good.

Me at 17, with my 8lb 7oz largemouth. I was fishing from an old canvas covered innertube. This catch hooked me on bass fishing. This was also the last fish I ever kept. I have it mounted. It's always been catch and release ever since.

The last time I went fishing, it was shark fishing with some friends on the first island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel. I minded a rod that I never baited and drank beer all night. I just wished they'd turn off the lights on the pier so the stars were more visible. Didn't catch anything, so it was a very relaxing night. It was probably the best time I had fishing.

Damn Fate, what a moving story. Thanks for sharing.

I love fly fishing, it is so relaxing. I only do it in WV at a stocked pond now, but catch Breem on the fly rod is really fun.

My favorite fishing story is, my Dad and I were surf fishing at Oregon Inlet on the Outer Banks of NC, catching croaker and spot. When I hooked a small shark, it looked just like Jaws, except it was about 12 inches long. Now, I know if I put my hand in there to get the hook out, this sucker is gonna bite me, so I take out my knife and try to cut the line, and roll him back in the ocean with my foot. When this kid comes running down the beach yelling, "Mister, what you gonna do with that shark?" I said push him back in the ocean. The kid pulls a coke bottle out, hits the thing on the head and kills it. Takes the hook out his mouth, grabs the shark, and takes off back down the beach. I look at my Dad and said, "Did that just happen?" and he goes, "Yep, it happened, even though I'm not quite sure what happened." We laughed about that for years.

Thanks for sharing. Believe it or not, I’ve NEVER been fishing. I’m probably the only one on this board with no experience.

I will say that I enjoy the water and scenery and stuff ... just have never been fishing. Seems like a relaxing and rewarding time.

My favorite Deschutes River fishing hole.


My favorite fishing moment. My stepfather about 10 years ago with a beauty of a steelhead taken on the Deschutes. RIP old man. You’re missed.

Probably best. It's expensive.



Before you know it you have all kinds of rods and reels. Not to mention all kinds of lures and flies, some maybe $40 each, or more. Add in line and hooks, sinkers, floats, steel leads, it adds up.


Then all the other stuff. Sprays that supposedly attract fish. A boat and motor, life vests, bumpers, trolling motor, insurance....you can have $50,000 in it pretty quick.

It depends on the kind of boat. I don't want a $50,000 boat that fly's from place to place, buying gas and oil and renting a storage unit to store it.

Now I've fished all my life from a tube, slip on some waders and fins for my feet and start kicking my way around smaller lakes, or just move from cove to cove. I've gone as far as 3 miles in a six hour trip with this method. It's not fast to be sure but you work an area like a big boat just can't do. You can go places a big boat just can't get to. But, a motor would be nice. Now I don't want to buy gas/oil and I don't want to pay to store it. What's the answer?

The Ultraskiff 360 fishing platform.




This is pure fishing fun. I'm kind of a weird guy, this is kind of a weird looking boat, symmetry at it's finest. I call it my UFO, unidentified floating object, or my floating saucer. A perfect, cost-effective upgrade for a tube fisherman looking to cover more water.

That is major cool

Spent a lot of time fishing for Walleye and Smallmouth in Canada when I was a young man. Lost many a lore to toothy Pike in the process.

Fly fishing Belize and a bunch of different locations in South America. (Lived down their foe several years..

I had a Fish Cat 9’ pontoon boat. Easy to transport. Lightweight. Made fishing smaller rivers a lot of fun. I could carry a spin rod and a bobber and jig rig too. I’d strap a cooler and a dry bucket to the back of the seat, on a small platform on the boat frame, and could be gone for hours.
This is me on the Trask River near the Oregon Coast. Me and two of my buddies had them. We got out a few times before one buddy moved to Sri Lanka. The other buddy had a kid and sold his. I haven’t fished with him in years, sadly.
Unfortunately after my divorce I sold the boat as I had nowhere to store it. Nor buddies that could go out with me. It was something I didn’t get a chance to use enough anyway. It’ll be something I’ll look to replace when I have more time in my life again to fish. Hooking big steelhead on small water is incredible. Takes the difficulty level way up. Floating small coastal rivers in Oregon is never a bad day. Fish or not.

That's the Fish Cat Tubes big brother.

Here's my fish cat 4 Tube setup.



I keep two of these setups for friends that may want to experience tube fishing before investing in it.

I have tube. It was a gift. Still in the box. I just don’t fish that way. The giver didn’t know. It was a nice gesture.
I’m sure they’re great for ponds and small lakes. Anything that can get you and your gear out into the water is good.

I was teaching myself the ART of fly fishing out on Ambergris Caye ( Caye Caulker also ) and down in Placencia on the Mainland. Still not very good at it..lol .. The Country has gone through many changes over the years. Some laid back folks..

Works on big lakes too, just fish the coves. Stay out of the main body so the skiers don't run over you.

I got a little leery of ponds myself. One evening my bro-in-law and I were fishing one he found. He was on the bank and I was casting back to the shore line with a Rapala. I had some new white tipped fins. I'd always used complete black fins prior to that day. Something, I still do not know exactly what it was, hit the fin and hit it hard, jerking my right leg. 3 seconds later, a second hit and jerk. I figured out in the brief moment, how it was Jesus managed to walk on water, as I exited the pond. I never wore white tipped fins again and neither have I been on the evening menu.