Lets talk fishing

[nhbbear]

Both of them on a Hook set. Don't get me wrong I have broken plenty of the past couple of years through my own fault. But the zodias breaks were not on me lol.

That surprises me because one of the things I looked at was the supposed durability due to the cross hatch carbon fiber and the reel seat is supposed ti be extra sensitive

 

[nhbbear]

Wife and I were at Walmart, they had a ton of rod/reels for $5. Bought a couple, now have no idea how to get started. Haven't fished since I was a kid, 50 years ago. Guess I need a license, hooks, bait........ do we still use weights and bobbers? I'm completely clueless.

Oh man, I don’t use bait anymore. I am lure only, but yes bobbers and weights are still used

 

[nhbbear]

9 lbs

wow. Giant pig

 

[koquerelle]

 

[SoSo]

Sounds like you are in Northern California.

Nope. But I do like northern California.
I'm living where all the dime pieces live. I actually was going to post a couple of really nice brown trout I caught on back to back trips these past couple of weeks. On the town river literally right next to where these dimes practice getting shiny. But couldn't be arsed figuring out how to reduce the size of my photos to post. Or putting them on imgur. Being lazy.

 

[SoSo]

Wife and I were at Walmart, they had a ton of rod/reels for $5. Bought a couple, now have no idea how to get started. Haven't fished since I was a kid, 50 years ago. Guess I need a license, hooks, bait........ do we still use weights and bobbers? I'm completely clueless.

What species are you mainly targeting?

 

[koquerelle]

Wife and I were at Walmart, they had a ton of rod/reels for $5. Bought a couple, now have no idea how to get started. Haven't fished since I was a kid, 50 years ago. Guess I need a license, hooks, bait........ do we still use weights and bobbers? I'm completely clueless.

Youtube and Google are tremendous tools.

First, you need to know the species available to you. Type the lake names and fishing in Google.

Equipment: There's some great rods at cheap prices at Walmart. I suggest an Ugly Stick. Don't go for a full combo. The reels usually fucking suck. You're better off buying a lower-end Shimano.

 

[SoSo]

Ok. Got less lazy. Both were about the same length (that coozie in the snow for reference is for 16oz cans), somewhere around 18-20", but the lower brown had much better shoulders. Probably twice the weight. Guessing 3 to 3.5 lbs. Both went back in the drink as they're not stocked anything like rainbows' are in the town river. Although not being big fish, they are top class for this stretch of the river running through downtown, considering the crazy amount of pressure it gets.

Did break my nice phenix 2-6 lb spinning rod on a rock climbing back up the riprap banks. Slipped on a snowy rock in the dark. Tried to save it as I was going down but snapped the top piece (2 piece rod) in half. And smashed my hand and knees up. Stupid ice. Going back either late this afternoon or tomorrow to go for 3 Browns in 3 trips with a 4 piece travel rod I need to test. 6-10lb rated so should be harder to break. Famous last words...

 

[BlueCat]

My PB largemouth & catfish

 

[koquerelle]

View attachment 969454
View attachment 969455
Ok. Got less lazy. Both were about the same length (that coozie in the snow for reference is for 16oz cans), somewhere around 18-20", but the lower brown had much better shoulders. Probably twice the weight. Guessing 3 to 3.5 lbs. Both went back in the drink as they're not stocked anything like rainbows' are in the town river. Although not being big fish, they are top class for this stretch of the river running through downtown, considering the crazy amount of pressure it gets.

Did break my nice phenix 2-6 lb spinning rod on a rock climbing back up the riprap banks. Slipped on a snowy rock in the dark. Tried to save it as I was going down but snapped the top piece (2 piece rod) in half. And smashed my hand and knees up. Stupid ice. Going back either late this afternoon or tomorrow to go for 3 Browns in 3 trips with a 4 piece travel rod I need to test. 6-10lb rated so should be harder to break. Famous last words...

Amazing pictures. I'm so jelly. I've never caught a brown trout and the last time I fished was late October. Québec Winters fucking suck. Thanks for sharing!

 

[SoSo]

My PB largemouth & catfish
View attachment 969466View attachment 969467

That's a hog of a blue cat mate! At least I have flatheads to chase (channels too.) Wish I could have a go at hunting down one of those big blue bitches. One day I'll make a mission south east ways to try it out.

What did that beast weigh in at anyway? And congrats!

 

[koquerelle]

My PB largemouth & catfish
View attachment 969466View attachment 969467

Great pics. You look a bit like Brendan Gallagher on your AV. How heavy were the fishes?

Please don't stretch your arms when you take a pic.

 

[koquerelle]

That's a hog of a blue cat mate! At least I have flatheads to chase (channels too.) Wish I could have a go at hunting down one of those big blue bitches. One day I'll make a mission south east ways to try it out.

What did that beast weigh in at anyway? And congrats!

Must have been a hell of a fight.

 

[BlueCat]

That's a hog of a blue cat mate! At least I have flatheads to chase (channels too.) Wish I could have a go at hunting down one of those big blue bitches. One day I'll make a mission south east ways to try it out.

What did that beast weigh in at anyway? And congrats!

I’m kind of spoiled here. The rivers around me are loaded with giant blues. And flatheads too but i only go for blues. I didn’t have a scale when i caught my biggest but he was probably around 70lbs. Those aren’t uncommon here. I had one probably over 100lbs in that same spots but it broke my rod & then my line.

 

[koquerelle]

but i only go for blues

What's the difference in approach?

 

[BlueCat]

Great pics. You look a bit like Brendan Gallagher on your AV. How heavy were the fishes?

Please don't stretch your arms when you take a pic.

The bass was 8lbs 7oz which isn’t a giant down south, but it is here in the midwest. I didn’t weigh the catfish, but it was around 70ish. The world record blue came from right by there

 

[BlueCat]

What's the difference in approach?

Flatheads are mainly ambush predators. They hide in structure & primarily feed on live bait. Blue catfish are roamers & will eat dead or live bait. I catch blues on cut up chunks of silver carp. I’ve never once caught a flathead doing that. Sounds gruesome, but my favorite bait for blue catfish is a silver carp head

 

[koquerelle]

Flatheads are mainly ambush predators. They hide in structure & primarily feed on live bait. Blue catfish are roamers & will eat dead or live bait. I catch blues on cut up chunks of silver carp. I’ve never once caught a flathead doing that. Sounds gruesome, but my favorite bait for blue catfish is a silver carp head

Do you use baitrunner reels?

 

[Spetsnaz77]

wow. Giant pig

Bladed jig pre spawn

 

[SoSo]

I catch channels on heads all the time. Sometimes I'll cut them in half vertically on a big head if I really want some juices to spill out in the water fast. Channels will take livebait too, usually up to around 8" in length, and only the bigger channel cats. At least around here where a big channel is 15 - 25lbs. Flatheads I consider big in my area are 25 - 55lb fish. 55lb being the record. Not many channels over 20lb and Flatties over well, 30lb really. Especially over 35lb. I've caught a couple at 35lb and 5 in total over 30lb. Enter a tournament ever year that has a 500 buck prize for heaviest cat over 3 days (5 dollar entry). So I get to see a lot of what sized cats are being caught in my area by the competition. In 30 something years I think the tournament high is 35.8lbs (just missed it).

Counting down the days until the river is warm enough again for those whiskered weapons to be hungry again!