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So, this is something I enjoy doing-but for the last 6 weeks or so, the weather has not been kind to my schedule, and I'm going a bit stir crazy.
I'm part of a close knit bunch of guys (7-8) who do the same-but I don't really associate outside this group when it comes to fishing.

So, what about you guys? What rigs you use, tackle, favoured brands? Do you shore fish, boat, or kayak? Fresh or Salt? Do you get in and spear, or just stick to rods?

Favorite eating, fighting, recipes?

I hugely prefer kayak fishing to land based-we're pretty reefy, lots of snags. I love being on the water, and don't mind it being a bit rough.

Not so much the last few months, because winter drops the viz and temperature, ups the swell and brings in the sharks, but I spear a little, mostly off the shore, or from a kayak, 3-400m out.

Be interested to hear how Dakka treats the worlds 2nd oldest profession.

I grew up on Lake Erie have a boat launch about 100 ft from my parents house. I enjoy walleye and perch fishing in the summer. Ice fishing is by far my favorite type of fishing spend a few weeks in Canada in the winter and ice fish alll over NW PA.. in the spring fly fishing for trout and fall fly fishing for salmon and steelhead. Added bonus a creek runs behind my parents barn which empties into Lake Erie so steelhead and salmon galore. I have fly fished all over the US from the Rockies to the ocean... Taught fly fishing and tying classes at a university in the past now just teach kids at events. When I'm not fishing, tying fishing flies, making lues, hand tying fly leaders (yeah I'm old school), reorganization of tackle is my favorite. My parents live in Florida in the winter so tie a ton of ocean flies for my parents to use.

I live about 1200 miles from the nearest ocean, so only fresh water fishing for me. Mostly from the shore or bridges, as I have some time constraints. Usually it's catch and release, but about 10% of the time I'll keep them.

It sounds a bit silly, but my favorite fish is the bluegill. Small, but I find them so fun to fish for, especially when I am with my kids. There is a smallish pond not too far from my house that doesn't get fished at much, and there are a number of large adult Bluegill in there. The largest Bluegill I ever caught was at that lake, almost 11 inches.

I also enjoy bass fishing, but there are too many anglers around here doing that so it's a bit fished out.

I live in Ottawa, Ontario - Canada. Lots and lots of great fishing around here. Though, we've had a lot of rain this summer and there's been quite a bit of flooding in this area, which has definitely had a negative impact on my season.

I fish for anything. Depends on the season, water levels (I prefer wading), shore access or time availability. I mainly fish for bass, but am perfectly happy when the odd pike or muskie slams my lure.
Though I wade, I don't fly fish. Give me my baitcaster all day long.......unless it's REALLY windy.....then I'll cope with a spinning rod. Of course, I'll happily fish from a boat too.


Fav Lures - Spinnerbait followed by a 4-6 ft diving crankbait.

Fav Fighters - Pound for pound I'd have to say either smallmouth bass or trout


I don't often keep my fish. I generally catch and release, but have no issue with anybody keeping their catches within regulations. I do keep some of my fish (not the ones downtown Ottawa) and for me nothing beats Crappie fried in a light batter - usually tempura with a little bit of salt . Mmmmm tastes like deep fried cotton candy. lol.

If it were up to me, I'd be fishing all day every day and I can certainly talk about it for hours on end. My user name is FishinMikey for a reason. haha.

Keep those lines tight

I do all types of fishing, just whatever opportunity presents itself. A few pictures of catches I've had.

 cuda1179 wrote:
It sounds a bit silly, but my favorite fish is the bluegill.

It doesn't sound silly to me at all. I don't eat fish, so am nearly always catch and release. For me, I fish for fun, and catching bluegills, crappies, and sunfish is fun as hell. Bass are OK but I'm seldom talented enough for them, and catfish are, imo, boring as hell to fish for.

My wife does eat fish, and so when I go back home to visit my brother, we sometimes go on a party boat and catch Bluefish and stripers. Those we do keep and grill.

I'm an awful fisherman, although I do enjoy it. I prefer spincasting.

 Farseer Anath'lan wrote:
So, this is something I enjoy doing-but for the last 6 weeks or so, the weather has not been kind to my schedule, and I'm going a bit stir crazy.
I'm part of a close knit bunch of guys (7-8) who do the same-but I don't really associate outside this group when it comes to fishing.

So, what about you guys? What rigs you use, tackle, favoured brands? Do you shore fish, boat, or kayak? Fresh or Salt? Do you get in and spear, or just stick to rods?

Favorite eating, fighting, recipes?

I hugely prefer kayak fishing to land based-we're pretty reefy, lots of snags. I love being on the water, and don't mind it being a bit rough.

Not so much the last few months, because winter drops the viz and temperature, ups the swell and brings in the sharks, but I spear a little, mostly off the shore, or from a kayak, 3-400m out.

Be interested to hear how Dakka treats the worlds 2nd oldest profession.

OK I'll bite

Diawa multiplier rod with abu ambassador reel c5000 mag elite ( open frame with dual brakes normal and magnetic).
I normally use three hook clipped down, wishbone, or pennel rigs, depending on the beach and tide.
I use a Diawa moonraker as my second rod usually, although I have several others.

I like rainbow trout best, although burbot is good too. When it comes to ocean fish I like halibut quite a bit.

I'm sick of salmon.

I'm a horrible fisherman. I think it comes from growing up with an abundance of fish around me. If they don't bite after the third cast I just want to go home.

Dog salmon are probably the funnest to catch but they're not supposed to be good eating. I've always thrown those back.

Your in australia, I thought there the fish cast lines for humans, hooking on dollar bills and fosters

I've always wanted to try either spearfishing or Bow fishing.

A number of years back the river north of Omaha flooded. The land there is extremely flat for a couple miles on either side of the river. After the water went back down there were literally hundreds of good sized fish trapped in ditches, ruts, and dips. Would have been fun to walk up and poke one with a stick.

Roasting a 20-plus pound fish over a campfire while on a rustic vacation is definitely on my bucket list.

If you are catching the fish to eat, I really have no problem with that. I do dislike fishing as a 'sport' so I don't do it. I don't like hurting any living creature out of sport, and pulling any animal out of the water by its lip is simply cruel and there is no other way to do it. I certainly wouldn't want it done to me.

I live close to the Mediterranean Sea (5 min ), so every summer I do spearfishing with a friend.
When I was a kid, I did some fishing, it was great ! However, I have never tried again.

Fishing around here is stupidly expensive (£100-150 a day on the Dove or the Wye) so I only go a couple of times a year. Upstream dry-fly only for Brown Trout and Grayling, usually on a 7' #4 weight rod and line using my own fly patterns tied from feathers I have found and hair from the cat and dog. Tortoiseshell cats are great, three colours of fur in one cat!

 ZenBadger wrote:
Fishing around here is stupidly expensive (£100-150 a day on the Dove or the Wye) so I only go a couple of times a year. Upstream dry-fly only for Brown Trout and Grayling, usually on a 7' #4 weight rod and line using my own fly patterns tied from feathers I have found and hair from the cat and dog. Tortoiseshell cats are great, three colours of fur in one cat!

Need to come spend a week in the US. It'll be cheaper.

 djones520 wrote:

 ZenBadger wrote:
Fishing around here is stupidly expensive (£100-150 a day on the Dove or the Wye) so I only go a couple of times a year. Upstream dry-fly only for Brown Trout and Grayling, usually on a 7' #4 weight rod and line using my own fly patterns tied from feathers I have found and hair from the cat and dog. Tortoiseshell cats are great, three colours of fur in one cat!

Need to come spend a week in the US. It'll be cheaper.

Yup. Day fishing licences are often only a few bucks in most places. Even cheaper per day if you get one for a longer time period.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

KTG17 wrote:
If you are catching the fish to eat, I really have no problem with that. I do dislike fishing as a 'sport' so I don't do it. I don't like hurting any living creature out of sport, and pulling any animal out of the water by its lip is simply cruel and there is no other way to do it. I certainly wouldn't want it done to me.

Fish mouths are mostly cartilage, not sensitive flesh like ours. They feel very little pain unless the hook gets embedded deep. And from the fishes point of view its better to get put back than eaten.

Seen a couple homeless during a Salmon run using bats...

I avoid fishing so mainly I crab or oyster hunt

Took the wife fly fishing this morning her second time for trout on a local fly fishing only catch and release area. She for the most part enjoyed herself just needs work on her casting which she practiced roll casting on a large area. Her first trout was a nice 12" brown on a BWO 18 comparadun on top. Best part we had the stream to ourselves, most give up after June. Looking forward to our next day off to try again

Glad your wife buys into it. First time I took my wife out, she hooked a solid 3lb small mouth.

Haven't been able to get her out since.

 Jihadin wrote:
Seen a couple homeless during a Salmon run using bats...

I avoid fishing so mainly I crab or oyster hunt

Crabbing used to be a summer event for my family. We’d go wading along the shore, net in one hand, flashlight in the other, someone dragging a boat behind them to toss the crabs in. So much fun. We also did a lot of fishing off boats, I mostly recall going after bluefish, flounder/flukes, and anything else we could drag up. Generally my Uncle ran the show, telling us what was swimming in the area and what to use to catch it. And which rods were lucky; an important thing on an expedition.

Last two summers I had the chance to take The Boy out to fish. Pulled a lot of sea bass out of the ocean. Good eating. It’s nice to reconnect with the sea. Part of my childhood was always spending part of the summer out on the water, and I loved that he took to it as well. My cousin is picking up the reins from his father running the show. Nice to see the torch upheld and carried on.

 djones520 wrote:
Glad your wife buys into it. First time I took my wife out, she hooked a solid 3lb small mouth.

Haven't been able to get her out since.

She does get bored the a fish would rise and she would get excited. Plus every fish I hooked I handed her my fly rod. Biggest problem is she is a lefty, I mess with her and tell her I tied all the flies for right handed fishing and that's why they aren't working for her.