Lets talk fishing

[nhbbear]

Here’s a five pound largemouth from greenfield park in Wilmington NC. Caught on a top water frog dragged along the scum. Lots of scum there and few open areas that provide access to the water. Gators are also an issue as they come charging after your frogs. Not many places to throw anything besides a frog without a kayak.

Last year, I had a fish break off (4.5 lbs) and it was flopping on the scum and a gator was coming in to eat it. I jumped in waist deep water and ran out and grabbed my fish. I posted that one last year.

 

[nhbbear]

And the 2’11 smallies from may caught on a bone Berkeley choppo. Caught three decent ones that day including some on a tube-which was hot for a few weeks then completely dried up as did the creek fishing in general.

 

[mjmj]

Bringing this back to the top. The only kind of fishing going on around here right now.

 

[HHJ]

Dont have too much to add, other than it used to by my favorite thing to do with my Dad when I was a kid.

 

[AFanNotAFighter]

Took this photo the other day. Some skaters and ice fishers out there.

 

[nhbbear]

Forgot to post here, it I got a new personal best small mouth in late October. I was driving to my sons last football game and I was going to get there too early (he doesn’t play until the 2nd half) so I stopped at a spot on the Ohio river and started tossing a chartreuse spinnerbait.

I ended up catching 6 sauger that were small and then I hooked into something different. Doubled my rod over and peeled some drag-river fish fight differently than lake bass. It ended up beating my old pb by 2 ounces, so my personal best smallie is now 3.2 lbs.

 

[koquerelle]

Forgot to post here, it I got a new personal best small mouth in late October. I was driving to my sons last football game and I was going to get there too early (he doesn’t play until the 2nd half) so I stopped at a spot on the Ohio river and started tossing a chartreuse spinnerbait.

I ended up catching 6 sauger that were small and then I hooked into something different. Doubled my rod over and peeled some drag-river fish fight differently than lake bass. It ended up beating my old pb by 2 ounces, so my personal best smallie is now 3.2 lbs.

Nice healthy fish! Looks bigger than 3.2 lbs.

Does sauger taste like walleye?

 

[mjmj]

Nice healthy fish! Looks bigger than 3.2 lbs.

Does sauger taste like walleye?

They do. To me, saugeye, walleye, and sauger are all exactly the same as far as taste. Though it has been close to 30 years since I caught a sauger, but I don't remember any difference at all.

 

[nhbbear]

Nice healthy fish! Looks bigger than 3.2 lbs.

Does sauger taste like walleye?

Don’t know about the taste. 1. I always catch and release. 2. I would never ever eat anything from the Ohio river.

And I thought it looked bigger as well. I should have gotten a second weight on it, but I had the scale that hooks under the gill plate and I hate those because I am afraid I will hurt the fish. I couldn’t find my other scale. And I may have already posted this picture and just forgot about it

 

[nhbbear]

Bringing this back to the top. The only kind of fishing going on around here right now.

View attachment 1081133

I weluld
Never ice fish. Two reasons. I hate the cold and my area the ice rarely freezes good. Last week, there were two local anglers that went through the ice.

Nice bass though. Did you get a weight?

 

[mjmj]

I weluld
Never ice fish. Two reasons. I hate the cold and my area the ice rarely freezes good. Last week, there were two local anglers that went through the ice.

Nice bass though. Did you get a weight?

No, the pic makes it look bigger than it was. Probably about a pound. We don't get a lot of good ice, maybe every other year if we're lucky. It's a lot more fun than it seems like it should be. My youngest and I just started trying it a few years ago. This was the first fish he caught through the ice. He had his hands full on an 18" rod.

 

[Crazy Source]

Nice cat. Congrats to the lad.

 

[nhbbear]

No, the pic makes it look bigger than it was. Probably about a pound. We don't get a lot of good ice, maybe every other year if we're lucky. It's a lot more fun than it seems like it should be. My youngest and I just started trying it a few years ago. This was the first fish he caught through the ice. He had his hands full on an 18" rod.
View attachment 1081168

Nice. And good on you admitting that. I guess it was the ice rod made it look bigger. I assumed they was full size-again, I have never ice fished nor would I want to. I just hibernate all winter. But within the last two weeks, I have started watching my fishing YouTube videos and playing with my tackle like a child again. March is just around the corner and I plan to go back to that spot on the river and try to get some spring smallies

 

[mjmj]

Nice. And good on you admitting that. I guess it was the ice rod made it look bigger. I assumed they was full size-again, I have never ice fished nor would I want to. I just hibernate all winter. But within the last two weeks, I have started watching my fishing YouTube videos and playing with my tackle like a child again. March is just around the corner and I plan to go back to that spot on the river and try to get some spring smallies

Feb and March are usually when cabin fever gets the worst here. Not enough ice to ice fish, but no open water for the boat. A few spillways around, but its hit or miss. Usually takes several hours of fishing to catch a couple fish. Not something I expect my kids to enjoy.

 

[nhbbear]

Feb and March are usually when cabin fever gets the worst here. Not enough ice to ice fish, but no open water for the boat. A few spillways around, but its hit or miss. Usually takes several hours of fishing to catch a couple fish. Not something I expect my kids to enjoy.

Yeah, that sucks. I won’t fish until mid march after a week or two of warmer weather. Usually, by April, I am in full swing. Last year, my first proper day out, I caught three really nice smallies (one just under 3 lbs) on a berkley choppo.

 

[Crazy Source]

I've never been ice fishing, but I would imagine there is no need to bring an iced cooler for the fish or beverages. Win-win.

 

[koquerelle]

They do. To me, saugeye, walleye, and sauger are all exactly the same as far as taste. Though it has been close to 30 years since I caught a sauger, but I don't remember any difference at all.

Cool. I didn't know sauger and saugeye until today. I'm not sure we have them in the places I fish (upstate NY and Vermont, Ontario and Québec).

I think many panfish taste similar to walleye. Give me a nice, fat, fall sunfish or bluegill and I'll be a happy man. They give a good fight for their size and taste delicious.

Don’t know about the taste. 1. I always catch and release. 2. I would never ever eat anything from the Ohio river.

And I thought it looked bigger as well. I should have gotten a second weight on it, but I had the scale that hooks under the gill plate and I hate those because I am afraid I will hurt the fish. I couldn’t find my other scale. And I may have already posted this picture and just forgot about it

You don't like fish? I do 90% catch and release and I love fish. My wife loves them even more than I do. She wants to try every specie. She specially love walleye and pike.

Size: Yeah. I'm 99% sure that bass was heavier than 3.2 lbs. Anyway, all it matters is the thrill you had when it bent the rod and the fight it gave you.

So glad this thread is coming back to life.

 

[nhbbear]

Cool. I didn't know sauger and saugeye until today. I'm not sure we have them in the places I fish (upstate NY and Vermont, Ontario and Québec).

I think many panfish taste similar to walleye. Give me a nice, fat, fall sunfish or bluegill and I'll be a happy man. They give a good fight for their size and taste delicious.

You don't like fish? I do 90% catch and release and I love fish. My wife loves them even more than I do. She wants to try every specie. She specially love walleye and pike.

Size: Yeah. I'm 99% sure that bass was heavier than 3.2 lbs. Anyway, all it matters is the thrill you had when it bent the rod and the fight it gave you.

So glad this thread is coming back to life.

No, I love salmon and rich from the ocean. But I prefer ocean fish over fresh water fish with the exception being the salmon best


Unsure whether the salmon was ocean or fresh

 

[mjmj]

Cool. I didn't know sauger and saugeye until today. I'm not sure we have them in the places I fish (upstate NY and Vermont, Ontario and Québec).

Probably don't have saugeye up there. They're a cross between walleye and sauger, they're a "put and take" fish raised and stocked by the DNR. All of our lakes and rivers used to be stocked with walleye, but 30 or so years ago they switched over to saugeye, I think because they survive hatchery life and stocking much better. In appearance, they're nearly identical to walleye. Since you have good populations of walleye, I doubt they stock any saugeye. Not sure about sauger. The only place we have them around here is down on the Ohio River, and a little ways up the Muskingum River. Smaller than walleye and saugeye, but they're a cool looking fish, with really pronounced markings.

 

[Crazy Source]

Probably don't have saugeye up there. They're a cross between walleye and sauger, they're a "put and take" fish raised and stocked by the DNR. All of our lakes and rivers used to be stocked with walleye, but 30 or so years ago they switched over to saugeye, I think because they survive hatchery life and stocking much better. In appearance, they're nearly identical to walleye. Since you have good populations of walleye, I doubt they stock any saugeye. Not sure about sauger. The only place we have them around here is down on the Ohio River, and a little ways up the Muskingum River. Smaller than walleye and saugeye, but they're a cool looking fish, with really pronounced markings.

I was reading up about saugeye. They can breed with any parent species, so the gene pool would get really muddled I would imagine. We have hybrid striped bass here, which is a striper/white bass cross. Really tasty and fun to catch.