Favorite Fish & Fishing Style

[ET]

Since I was a young man, been a few years since then, I always-enjoyed fishing small streams for Brook Trout. There was always hiking involved following a stream that had had different bank terrain to deal with, lead you into new territories and for a small fish always gave you one great fight. These fish can be easily spooked if you are not careful with making your presence known. Then there is the anticipation of drifting your bait downstream hoping it would go near a bank undercut that might hold a nice hard brookie
strike. Of course trying to keep your line from tangling in the nearby brush or underwater obstacles was a challenge in itself.

Sometimes you would find a stream that pooled along its course or at a beaver-dam that was usually good for a nice brook trout or two. Then at the end of the day a nice dinner with the trout fried in butter along with potato home fries also done in butter. It’s been a while since I done this type of fishing because I would have to travel northward to find clear freshwater streams that hold brook trout. Just something I need to prioritize in my life again.

So what’s your favorite fish and fishing style you enjoy the most.

Another thread topic I would enjoy seeing and know if others have built their own fishing rods.

Ed

[ozark]

This will be new to many of you but my favorite. In the springtime around the time that dogwood leaves get the size of a squirrels ear the suckers begin to shole in the clear waters of streams here. We snag them (called grabhooking locally). First get a large treble hook, strong line and stiff rod. Wrap the shank of the treble hook with white tape so it is visable in the clear water. Toss rocks to move the school of fish over or between yourself and the hook.
Timing it just right you jerk the hook into the fish and the fight is on. From 16 to 23 inches is the length. Now, the eating. Clean the fish soon after catch and put on ice. They have many bones and can be scored crosswise, breaded and deep fried but they are great if pressure cooked and made into fish cakes. Good taste. I liked this sport because it encompassed the visual hunting plus the catch. Sometimes if you catch them at the perfect time you can catch a barrel of them in a day. OK, laugh but it is fun. Ozark

[jims]

;D The words hunting, fish and a barrel in the same paragraph. ;D Actually it is not that easy, takes some skill to get it right.

[youp50]

The most difficult that I enjoy is deep water ice fishing for whitefish. I use a double hook snell set up tied to a small barrel swivel and a worm style sinker. Lower a couple of salmon eggs on each hook into the hundred foot depths and try to catch them. They bite like a 3 inch sunfish, fight like a supercharged trout, and have a mouth as soft as a crappie. They eat pretty good, too.

I also enjoy Lake Trout fishing in the 280 to 300 foot depths. That is done with a nylon covered steel hand line. Lakers don't fight like whitefish, but they is something about them and ice fishing I really enjoy. I think part of it is the thrill that courses my spine when I look at the six or eight inches of ice, the crystal clear Lake Superior water and realize the closest land is near three hundred feet straight down. It is also fun to take my well trained Lab along. Most won't take a dog because he doesn't listen and walks through your line when its laid on the ice landing a fish or checking bait.

[wilmsmeyer]

Big, broad shouldered Canadian Walleyes. Trolling on hard-to-reach reservoirs. I like the Gouin!

[chickenhunter]

My favorite way to fish is with a jig,either casting or vertical. It keeps me busy,efficient, and like the way you can feel what's going on. Walleye & Yellow Perch I like the taste of the best but I don't get to fish for those much. Bluegill & crappie is what we eat most. Don't care for Bass much, under 2# are OK.

[ozark]

Sounds like you have tried this style jims. Mixed in that paragraph are the "Catching them at the right time." ONly been able to do that a time or two. OK, small barrel. LOL

[dans]

Drifting with the tide, bottom bouncing jigs, for reds.

[ET]

Ozark the mention of fish cakes that I was first introduced to in the 70’s when I spent about a year on the east coast brought back a good memory. A platter of fish cakes and deep fried battered clams with tartar sauce. Yeah some of my memories are taste bud orientated. ;D

Pickerel and Perch are my second choice for consuming. Followed by Rainbow and Lake Trout.

Dans
Not sure what Reds are and hope you will enlighten me. The one fish that came in from the ocean and I caught was the sea trout when it came up river in the spring to spawn. It had a dark pinkish, almost light red meat color. Darn good eater and fighter.

Ed

[raf]

My favorite fish is the walleye. Sometimes they're hard to find. And they can be fussy too. Sure just after the spawn they seem to be easy to catch for a week or so but after that you have to work to find spots that hold them. And they good eating too . And I don't mind catching other species. They're all fun to catch.

[mike3132]

Walleye on Lake Erie! For several years I had a boat on Erie. I sold the boat but keep all my gear. Trolling, jigging and drifting all work at different times of the year. Trolling will catch them when other ways wont.

I hate drift fishing with live bait unless the wind is blowing real hard and I'm using bottom bouncers with night crawler harness.

In the 4 years I had a boat on Erie Ive caught thousands of walleyes. The biggest was 11 1/2 lb. on my homemade crawler harness. Mike

[petev]

Mike, when you caught the walleyes, how is Lake Erie for pollutants as far as eating the fish?

[mike3132]

petev,

Erie has cleaned up a lot since the zebra mussel invaded the waters. I'm not sure what the recommended amounts of fish are but I ate a lot of them and I'm still alive! LOL I imagine if you go to the Ohio DNR website that information would be available. Back in the 60's Lake Erie was considered dead from all the industrial dumping but the clean water act and zebra mussel has made it the walleye capital of the world. Mike

[KerryB]

I love wade fishing the streams of the Ozark Mountains of central Missouri (Current River) for trout. The lakes and streams of Wyoming for trout and mountain whitefish. The northern Wisconsin lakes for Walleye and Muskies. The Gulf of Mexico for all salt water varieties. And finally right here at home for Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, a Catfish. I just love fishing, no matter where it is or what the species.

[nitro1947]

I'm mainly a bass fisherman ..Have all the tools and jingles to catchem but this early season I fish for crappie and bass do fall for some of my tactics...I wade fish some of the ponds in my area this time of year using small jigs and tipping them with bee moths or power bait crappie candy I use 4 lb line and casting bobbers with jigs anywhere from 12 to 18 inches deep...right after ice out is the best times...The old reliable Heddon Sonics are my favorite bass bait this early season ,,,Bayou boogies and rattle traps seem to work well also

[davewolf]

I guess I'm a loner here, I prefer fly fishing for trout, bass, muskie, stripers, blues, tarpon, bone fish, pike, maui-maui--the non-"flipper type douphin, reds, landlocked and non-landlocked salmon, and steelhead. Been doing this since I'm six and release the all most all of my fish.
Have a great day!
Dave

[12ptdroptine]

Ozark I remember as a very small child my Grandpa taking me when the dogwood bloomed and catching sucker's..I had forgot that till I read your post. Today I have a 21ft john boat with a 90hp Johnson... And I love to fish for Bluegill..It ie the best fish I have ever eaten..And my wife and I have a blast with them on ultra light tackle ..and we use cricket's .. Eager for spring. Drop

[ET]

Davewolf

Fly fishing is an art and just captivating for me too watch. Then there’s the art of fly tying that to me is amazing with what is involved. Never really had the time to get into it but have some friends that just love it. Maybe one day but for now I just enjoy being a spectator.

Drop

Have never fished with crickets and would really like to know how to hook and method to use them?
There’s enough of them around here and I do like using natural bait when I can.


Ed

[Rifleman]

Trollin for stripers!

[fowlplay]

I fish mainly from a boat. My favorite eating fish is catfish. I do a lot of fishing for bass and crappie. When I was a child we ate every fish we caught. Unfortunately it is mainly catch and release now because the waters are to polluted to eat from. The only edible fish are migratory fish I catch out in the Delaware bay like that nice Rock fish that Rifleman is proudly displaying.

Thank God we can still catch and eat Blue Crabs. I don't think I can survive a Summer without steamed crabs.
Steve

[sincyrman]

I have a sit-on kayak that I take out on the Atlantic ocean in New Hampshire. I fish for stripers, and my goal is to catch one big enough to tow me around for a little while. Kind of like the old man in the sea! I have not caught a big one yet, just a few schoolies (15 inches or so) They are not big enough to tow you very far!

[kevin k]

drift fishing steelhead and jigs for walleyes they are both in our rivers right now got 5 walleyes last night and sunday got 3 steelheads now they are a true fight they dance on the water once hooked and also our salmon runs are awesome. but i love to fish for all of them big or small bluegills are pound for pound the most fighting fish ive seen thanks gotta go get some more wallys before they go back to the Saginaw bay i really think the sag is the walleye capital more record walleyes have been caught there then any were else check it out online thanks. kevin thats on lake Huron side

[ET]

May 6, 2009 7:03:35 GMT -5 kevin k said:

drift fishing steelhead and jigs for walleyes they are both in our rivers right now got 5 walleyes last night and sunday got 3 steelheads now they are a true fight they dance on the water once hooked and also our salmon runs are awesome. but i love to fish for all of them big or small bluegills are pound for pound the most fighting fish ive seen thanks gotta go get some more wallys before they go back to the Saginaw bay i really think the sag is the walleye capital more record walleyes have been caught there then any were else check it out online thanks. kevin thats on lake Huron side

Kevin

See you are into the Skamanias and they are one tail walking trout that give a dandy fight.
Wonder if you have any browns as well?
Out in Lake Ontario they can give you a run for the money.
Also wonder if your have any Derby's on the go in your neck of the woods?

Ed

[kevin k]

yes we have a lot of browns they are great prob the best tasting of trout imo we also get lakers or oilers as they are called here our perch have gotten very hard to find and now i guess they made your limit smaller there et is that true? we used to come there to get the slabs but now isnt it 50 limit that will cut down trips cost verses amount per day but yes gotta love those skamanias way fun and the salmon are one heck of a fight we have it all also like you brook trout, rainbows gr8 fishing gotta love them. kevin ps you are talking the kings right when you say the derby yes we have gr8 runs of them way strong fish

[ET]

May 7, 2009 8:49:53 GMT -5 kevin k said:

yes we have a lot of browns they are great prob the best tasting of trout imo we also get lakers or oilers as they are called here our perch have gotten very hard to find and now i guess they made your limit smaller there et is that true? we used to come there to get the slabs but now isnt it 50 limit that will cut down trips cost verses amount per day but yes gotta love those skamanias way fun and the salmon are one heck of a fight we have it all also like you brook trout, rainbows gr8 fishing gotta love them. kevin ps you are talking the kings right when you say the derby yes we have gr8 runs of them way strong fish

The Kings and Lakers we have also but seem to be more a fighter in the water.
Yeah they put a limit on Perch where one time you get as many as you could handle.
There are a few Spring Derbies on the go for Lake Ontario with prizes for Chinook, Coho, Rainbow Brown, Lake Trout and Steelhead categories. Haven’t been in one for a while once I started traveling around to Construction Sites. Our Pickerel Season (Inland) should be opening soon, now that is one great eating fish.

Glad to hear someone is really enjoying the Spring Fishing. Have a great time flexing some rods.

Ed

[kevin k]

we dont see the pickerel have been gone here since i was a kid when my grandpa used to take me very rare to see anymore but the walleyes are numerous all winter and summer just got 3 more last night all thats in the rivers now are males good eaters at 15 to 20 inch yum

[10ga]

Favorite fish to eat: speckled trout (saltwater) yellow ring perch (freshwater)
Favorite fishing method: gill net

Of course I have a VMRC commercial license.

I like to measure catch by the 100# box

10ga