The Fishing Thread!

So today I went w/ the cast net and got a bunch of wild shiners, that was fun in and of itself.

So tonight I went back to the river.

2 kids down the bank from me (maybe 17 and 14, respectively) were pulling them out of the water every couple casts. I wasn't catching CRAP.

Then the old guy next to me started catching some, he wound up w/ about a 3 lb cat and several white bass.

Still, I caught nothing.

So I went and asked the kids to show me what they were doing, and they invited me to join them. Basically, I realized that the sauger don't hit like I expected them to...it's more of a tug than a strike, lesson learned.

So I think I get a great bite, I reel to pressure, set the hook. I'd swear, literally swear it was moving, but no...it' sa snag. Odd, so I get it in and I've lost my weight. Np, I retie.

Couple casts later I get a nice bite, I set the hook. It's definately, and I mean DEFINATELY moving. Horray! I'm reeling...and...no...it's a snag. Wtf? So I pull pull pull and it comes loose...but, wait...it's moving again! And crap it's big. It's dark by now, and JUST as it gets to the surface by the landing area it flips off and dissapears. I didn't see much of it, but I saw how long it was...easily 24 inches. I'm thinking it was a big ol' walleye. Weight still there, hook still there in the minnow, stinger hook's out and flopping, I'm guessing that's how I hooked it.

So, again...later..still no landed fish. Great bite, set the hook, swear it's moving...snag. Here's the weird thing...if I don't reel, the line just keeps getting tighter and tighter. If I give it slack, it just runs, and I mean RUNS. If I pull, it does NOT give. At all. none. Line breaks (20lb test). Everything BUT the 3 way swivel is gone. WTF? There's a wicked rip current from the dam outwash, which is where we were fishing, enough to suck the lure towards the flow, which is the purpose. DEFINATELY not strong enough to pull THAT hard though. All I can can think was that maybe it was a big ass log on the bottom, being rolled towards the flow via the current? No idea, it was weird as hell.

Total fish caught today: none. I'll get 'em though!

<edit> Or maybe they're biting and running for cover? I dunno. Very, very weird.

 

Light pulling is a classic sign of a walleye strike. In the hay day of the late 80's and early 90's,we'd kill the walleye at lake erie. Cast out an earie dearie/with pc of nightcrawler and count to about 15-20 and reel in. We would let the wind drift us around,and the walleye would take the bait and swim with it-but you could barely feel them on there. That's before spiderwire/fireline/and all the other superbraids. If I had that fishing line back in those days,I'd probably had double the fish. Hard telling how many I lost cause it was very hard to feel the bite.

Saugeye seem the same way when trolling. They'll nip at it or clamp down on it and swim with the crankbait.Very seldom do they take out any drag. Hook them and they come in until they see daylight,then they fight like hell. Spiderwire does come in handy.Very sensitive/no stretch/and very strong for our stumpy lake.

Saugeye or walleye: When you hook into a big one-over 6+ lbs-They will go to the bottom. You just sit there and put pressure on them until they come up.

Sunday,s catch: 4 in the am and 4 in the pm. East wind. All between 15-17 inches. Got wet again. Darn coldfront came in and froze our butts off.

Todays catch: Took my dad and we landed 8 decent fish. 2 went 17,1 14.5 and rest between 15-16.5 inches. We lost a lot of fish. Still throwing back 10+ little-uns per trip.

I got entered in the biggest saugeye of the year tournament for a scholarship fund. $2 for the saugeye category.Then I found out 9.5 lbs is leading the saugeye division, UGGH! It was caught around memorial day.

One more day off work,but after 3 days of work, another entire week of fishing.

Fish in the boat: 112
Goal: 200

I got a couple fresh ones to fry up today, Yummy!

 

Hey neph!

I have to trailer it. I only fish about 3 months out of the year. By the 4th of july,too hot and I'm burned out.. I'd like to buy something closer to the lake next year,but my gf has other ideas.



That's what sucks. I can't keep the boat at my place,so I keep it at dad's-in his pole barn.

Here's my usual trip:

Wake up at 4 am
I have to drive 30 mins from my apt to his house-which I leave at 4:30 am. Pick the boat up and leave before 5:15 am. Another 20-25 min drive to the lake,10 mins to unload-warm up the motor. And 5 mins to get from the ramp to the main lake.

Trolling by 6 am is the key.That's the first bite,miss it-and have to wait for the 7 am bite/8 am bite/and 9 am bite.

Today,we had 2 fish in the boat,and lost 2 by 6:15. After 9 am-went dead.Have to be at the right spot,at the right time.

I kept my boat at my apt complex this weekend-no supervisor or caretaker around.It saved me a half hour,but the horrible condition of main street in my town is a total nightmare. All the sewer covers are 2 inches below the top of pavement. Then you throw in the potholes and traffic,I'll keep the boat at dad's.

My ideal condition would be a covered boat dock with a hoist-near a public boat launch.A boathouse would be even better-for security purposes. They'd rob you blind at the lake I go to.

Weekends are nightmare at a public launch.That's why I go before sunrise-and bass tournaments,until 10 am-before everybody's waterskiing/ski-dooing,etc.

Despite being a muddy,shallow lake-lots of peeps from columbus and dayton come up.People that live near the lake,think the area's a dump and the lake is a cesspool because of the not too clear water.

Here's today's catch that I forgot to post,just a below avg day.

 

My freezer is very tiny. Mainly use it for ice. Now dad has a big freezer,but mom keeps cooking up our catch, LOL

I also gave away a bunch. My buddy paul whose daughter has leukemia,took 17 of those bad boys. He said fish was the only thing she could eat because of the chemo and her appetite. That was some mess of fillets for them. Mike,who went with us that night-I took him out last night and he took those 4 saugeye and a nice crappie home to eat. He plans on taking a couple days off next week and tag along.

The netman has been killing me. Dad knocked off a nice one this morning,and later-he was getting a crankbait untangled from the net and I lost another one.Those darn saugeye are so sneaky.At first,you think you got a small one on,but when you drag them up to the boat-they are bigger than you expect. I also don't stop once I troll,especially when I got both planerboards a running.Not even for a snag. Lost 3 baits this weekend,but I still have 5 spares.The baitshop was out of them,so nobody can get a hold of my secret killer.

If you look at my profile page,that is my #1 killer,but discontinued and very hard to find. I brought in over 200 saugeye with one of those,until I lost it.Changed hooks 3 times in 2 weeks on one of them.Not much paint left on that bad boy.

 

Here's this morning's catch:



I got both small ones, LOL. Dad kicked my ass today,which is very rare.A nice fat 18.5 incher!

East wind again,and still cold for this time of year. It'll be hot and humid this weekend,so I'll take a 2 day fishing break!

Edit: Pic too big.

 

Must be a whole lot of fishing going on with no posts since the 13th of June. Good fishing boys. George

 

I had a KICKASS day today, I thought I'd share. I went down to our dam, and just as I got there they opened a gate....just one gate, and just a little.

Took me about...I dunno...10 mins to hook the first sauger. Sum total, maybe 8 landed? Lost? Easily another 8. They bite kind of gingerly. I only kept 2, one probably went 16, the other 14 inches. Then I caught a really nice cat, not sure how big he was, but I'd say he went 24+ inches.

Then, I got this bite (on a dead minnow) and I missed the set. Then it hit again, and I thought...did I get it? Then my rod ALMOST got ripped out of my hand. I fought it about 10 minutes...there was only about MAYBE 20 feet of line out. In that 10 minutes I managed to turn the reel twice. I wasn't worried about it breaking the line, I roll w/ 20lb test at that spot, I was more worried with hook/swivel failure. Anyway, I should have just let him wear all the way out...every time I thought he was close he'd dive again. All over the dam people came over, cheering, the guys next to me grabbed their net and dropped their poles to help...it was kickass. Then, of COURSE, he got off. I can only assume he ripped his lip, because the hook wasn't deformed. I would have to assume it was a big cat, a musky that big woulda chomped through the line, and the old timers next to me said they figured a walleye or sauger would've surfaced earlier, they agreed it was probably a cat. It was, without a doubt, the biggest fish I've ever hooked. We didn't even SEE it, because like I said, I only got 2 cranks on the reel. Anyway, regardless, I got a nice haul w/ just three fish...there's only one of me...and now I'm FREAKISHLY hooked.

I'll be out there all day tomorrow. I ran out of minnies today. Tomorrow I'm buying 50...at least...wish me luck!

 

Congrats on the sauger TomMelee. Sauger/trout/musky/and salmon: I have never caught. Some day. I've got a buddy who's dad lives on the ohio river. He catches some big cats out of there,but they don't eat them. He said while he fishes the bank,no surpise when a regrigerator/washer/dryer/or hot water heater floats past him, LOL

I have been busy. Took my dad out yesterday and today.

Got 7 avg ones friday.

Here's yesterdays catch: 10 saugeye-3 at 17 inches/3 catfish/and 2 crappie-all trolling bombers:






Here's todays catch-with 3 ft waves: 11 saugeye all between 14.5 and 16 inches,and a 16 inch cat:



We did find a new color bomber that works very well. Red crawdad.

146 saugeye in the boat,54 to go! I'm on vacation this week!

 

@TomMelee............
Big stripers hang out near dams also. From your description, it could have been one of those. They pull, like you've hooked into a train......

 

Yesterday while I was down there a feller hooked into a probably 8-10 pound striper, but based on his pole action versus mine (his was the next step up from an ultralight), if mine was a striper, it was a state record, lol.

Went back yesterday, caught a couple keepers, but wound up giving 'em away.

I'm halfway sick right now, so I'm keeping this post short.

 

It was a lousy day for dad and I. Only 3 saugeyes,15/16/and a 17 incher-and 4 throwbacks.Lost 3 bombers,and the baitshop didn't have my colors. Going to have to order some from cabelas or bass pro.

Saugeye in the boat: 149
Only need 51 more!

When I got to 118 saugeye,I had a grand total of 51 yds of saugeye-avg 15.78 inches!

 

2 quick questions...

1. How do you gut a sauger/saugeye? I just scaled it, cut down the stomach to the vent, pulled out the guts, removed the head (the twist and pull method that brings the guts w/ it), and then sliced laterally along the dorsal fins and cut through them just below where they enter the back. The ones I had were really not big enough to fillet, I'm going for the easiest-to-eat method here. (Sub question, how do ya cook 'em?)

2. Just found a great local stream for musky and catfish, and I haven't the foggiest notion of how to rig/fish for musky. Apparently 40-inch-plus fish aren't uncommon, which is insane cuz this is a little stream...maybe 30 feet across but mostly unfished. I'm guessing steel leader, but do ya jig? Let it soak? I was told minnows are the best bait for either fish...so I'll take any suggestions!

 

I've seen them fish for them on tv with big topwater baits.
There's a big jitterbug that's called a "Musky size".
We don't have Musky around here........
Good luck with them.

 

1) I use an electric knife-like GE or Black & Decker. There's commercial fishing electric knives like american angler and rapala-not worth the money.

Lay fish down. I'm right handed,so I lay it with head to left-dorsal fin toward's me. Now I cut around the gills. Cut down-until you get to the spine. Then lay the knife horizontal,and cut through the rib cage-allowing the spine to be your guide. When you get all way through to the tail,don't take it all way through. Leave a quarter inch. Flip that side over,start with the tail-put electric knife in the meat until you get to the skin-put the blades horizontal-follow the skin until you get through that slap.

Now you've got a nice slab-but rib cage is still in it. Use electric knife-place next to rib cage,power it up and follow that cage. If you cut too much,don't worry. The belly meat isn't very good-the loss is no biggie.

Flip that fish over,and do the other side.

You can use a regular fillet knife.Rapala makes a good knife. Cut down through the gill area to the spine.Instead of cutting through rib cage,let the blade cut away the meat off the rib cage,after that-cut towards the tail-but not all the way.Pull that fillet over,and skin it.

I've used electric knives for years. If you have more than a few fish,it's a heck of a lot faster than fillet knives. Try cleaning 500 fish in 1 day, LOL

2) Musky?
You'll need big-big baits. Musky aren't afraid of anything- outboard motors or man.10" rapalas,believers,spinnerbaits are ideal. Even live bait like a 1-2 lb sucker/bluegill/etc.The bait has to be BIG!

I never caught one,but I saw 1 in michigan a few years back.I'm in a 10' rowboat,and that musky was half the length of the boat. 40+ lbs,easily. I flipped an 8 " rapala,and the musky swam slowly to it. Then it slowly swam off into deeper water.

They say musky are 1000 hour per fish! Very hard to catch.

 

awwwwww Muskie,the fish of 10,000 casts....I've never had the pleasure.

Good luck with the Muskellunge...make sure you keep track of your fingers LOL

 

Oh BTW I haven't been catching any fish lately...it seems that my buddy saugmon has fished them all out.....Thanks alot saugmon

 

The pickins has slowed down JD. Only 3 today,and my dad got them. He also lost a big one- 5+ pounder. We were belted by thunderstorm,after thunderstorm yesterday.Just missed one by a few miles very early this morning.

Maybe tomorrow be a better day?

 

Nothing puts them off the bite faster than unstable weather....I'm having the same problem here....I just needed somebody to blame for it...so you are it. LOL

Those are some beautiful fish...the saugeye appears to be a bit thinner of a fish then the walleye....We have some sauger around here but no saugeyes.

Happy fishing guys.
JD