Fishing

[tomterp]

I spotted two adult snakeheads in the Mallows Bay area of the Potomac yesterday, as well as spooked another adult off her nest.

Also caught a couple of nice bass in the clear filtered water, sight casting to them with a Senko.

These are the fry she left in her wake.  I coudn't get a better shot because of the glare and if I got any closer they'd absorb into the grass.

[mitlen]

I spotted two adult snakeheads in the Mallows Bay area of the Potomac yesterday, as well as spooked another adult off her nest.

Also caught a couple of nice bass in the clear filtered water, sight casting to them with a Senko.

These are the fry she left in her wake.  I coudn't get a better shot because of the glare and if I got any closer they'd absorb into the grass.

Infestation can't be good.   I'm not a fisherman (per se) but from what I've read, these guys eat all the local life.

[tomterp]

This could go in the vacation thread, but here too.

Next August I'm going with my son, and two other dads with their 18 year old sons, to Wyoming into the Wind River Range.  While we are couching this as a "last hurrah" for the boys going off to college, the overt goal of the trip is to catch as many trout as possible.  Brook, Cutthroat, Mackinaw, Lake, Rainbow, and the holy grail, Golden.

My friend who is leading the trip did this as a 20 something, and has never experienced better trout fishing in his life.  A cursory review of Youtube would show that the fishing is as good as ever for those willing to make the trek. 

Day 1 will be about a 14 mile hike with our hydration/daypacks while our full packs are carried in by horseback to our rendezvous point by Grave Lake.  From there, we head north into the Shoshone Reservation for a truly primitive and remote experience.  Grizzly, black bear, mountain lion, wolves, elk, bison, moose, antelope, all the grandeur of The West.   

Can't wait!

[Terpfan76]

To anyone that likes/enjoys fly fishing, on of my co-workers has a fishing business. Here's the web page.


http://www.earlyriseflies.com/

[tomterp]

A couple of my friends fished Mattawoman creek (lower Potomac) friday a week past, and hammered fish on top.  Fishing a frog, George caught 6 snakeheads and 15 bass.  The largest snakehead was 9 lbs, he had a 7 as well.  Rob also had a 9, didn't get his full report.

It's only a matter of time before the state and US records fall, perhaps a number of times before things settle in for snakeheads.

I'm going tomorrow, going "light" with a canoe, just going to fish 5 hours, quit at noon.  Think I"m going to hit the back of Piscataway.  Grass is getting up, starting to filter the water, so topwater should work plus dropping a Senko in a hole is deadly.

[NatNasty]

Bump

I was about to start a fishing thread but did a search and saw this.  Anyone here still fish?

[imref]

our troop recently did a trout fishing event at graves mountain lodge in Syria, va. Beautiful spot.

[tomterp]

Bump

I was about to start a fishing thread but did a search and saw this.  Anyone here still fish?

Yup.

Saturday the 21st after swapping out the prop we headed out on the Pasquotank, got one small rock before the wind and waves blew us off the set of pilings we were trying to fish.  Ran in up a tiny creek opening nearby and found a nice refuge.  Put on the bass lures and my son promptly got a keeper on a Senko.  We got a couple of throwbacks, slow fishing but saw a beaver up close (out of the water on cypress knees), a cottonmouth and a copperhead. 

Next day put in at Sawyer Creek and went out to the main Pasquotank (near Elizabeth City, NC) and fished about 4 hours.  All the fish we caught - a pickeral, large sunfish, two yellow perch, catfish, and my best fish of the week, a 4 lb. bass, were all jet black from the stained water.  Really cool.  Got the big one on a Pop-R after seeing surface action up tight to the shoreline.  What a gorgeous river.

Monday another friend Ed picked us up at the Blue Point Marina in Oak Island NC. and we fished a couple of creeks / rivers around the Intracoastal Waterway, I landed one keeper speckled trout and lost a hoss red drum.  We got a few assorted small flounder and other stuff (toadfish, lizardfish, bluefish). 

Tuesday we headed upriver into the Lockwood Folly River and bassed for a couple of hours, boated 3 keepers and lost as many more, plus caught some throwbacks.  Headed downriver where I caught a nice keeper flounder to go with the trout from the day before, we grilled outside that evening.   

Wednesday we trailered the Carolina Skiff (16' J16 I partner on with the owner)  to Mount Pleasant, outside Charleston, but did not fish.  Nor Thursday, mostly scouting out what I wanted to do.

Friday put in at Isle of Palms and fought the wind, saw lots of mullet but didn't see but 1 red up on the flats, it was hard to spot them unless tailing and I didn't see any.  Got a small flounder.  Always cool to see dolphin up in the small creeks.   Had a wake come towards the boat, expected dolphin but as it passed by it was a hefty 5' bull shark.   

Saturday went earlier and got one keeper trout.  Saw a tailing sheepshead (!!) but couldn't get a cast into the tight spot.  Spotted Ralph Friedgen in the ICW in his Whaler "Fishin with the Fridge". 

In summary, had a great week where I fished 6 times, but very moderate success.   Never did have a big day.  Starting to get the itch to head down to Mallows Bay and look for snakeheads. 

[NatNasty]

Yup.

Saturday the 21st after swapping out the prop we headed out on the Pasquotank, got one small rock before the wind and waves blew us off the set of pilings we were trying to fish.  Ran in up a tiny creek opening nearby and found a nice refuge.  Put on the bass lures and my son promptly got a keeper on a Senko.  We got a couple of throwbacks, slow fishing but saw a beaver up close (out of the water on cypress knees), a cottonmouth and a copperhead. 

Next day put in at Sawyer Creek and went out to the main Pasquotank (near Elizabeth City, NC) and fished about 4 hours.  All the fish we caught - a pickeral, large sunfish, two yellow perch, catfish, and my best fish of the week, a 4 lb. bass, were all jet black from the stained water.  Really cool.  Got the big one on a Pop-R after seeing surface action up tight to the shoreline.  What a gorgeous river.

Monday another friend Ed picked us up at the Blue Point Marina in Oak Island NC. and we fished a couple of creeks / rivers around the Intracoastal Waterway, I landed one keeper speckled trout and lost a hoss red drum.  We got a few assorted small flounder and other stuff (toadfish, lizardfish, bluefish). 

Tuesday we headed upriver into the Lockwood Folly River and bassed for a couple of hours, boated 3 keepers and lost as many more, plus caught some throwbacks.  Headed downriver where I caught a nice keeper flounder to go with the trout from the day before, we grilled outside that evening.   

Wednesday we trailered the Carolina Skiff (16' J16 I partner on with the owner)  to Mount Pleasant, outside Charleston, but did not fish.  Nor Thursday, mostly scouting out what I wanted to do.

Friday put in at Isle of Palms and fought the wind, saw lots of mullet but didn't see but 1 red up on the flats, it was hard to spot them unless tailing and I didn't see any.  Got a small flounder.  Always cool to see dolphin up in the small creeks.   Had a wake come towards the boat, expected dolphin but as it passed by it was a hefty 5' bull shark.   

Saturday went earlier and got one keeper trout.  Saw a tailing sheepshead (!!) but couldn't get a cast into the tight spot.  Spotted Ralph Friedgen in the ICW in his Whaler "Fishin with the Fridge". 

In summary, had a great week where I fished 6 times, but very moderate success.   Never did have a big day.  Starting to get the itch to head down to Mallows Bay and look for snakeheads.

Sounds like a blast and a pretty good catch.  Haven't done any saltwater yet this year.  My wife was at her folks place on the Potomac last weekend and supposedly some guy caught about 40 rockfish on Saturday.  My father-in-law and brother in-law went out but didn't catch jack. I try to get out at least once a week at a private lake I fish.  You can catch a good assortment on a good day:  Pickeral, bass, crappie, bream, warmouth.  Almost had a citation crappie a few weeks ago. 

[varoadking]

I have an expression I use when I'm doing something I don't enjoy:  "I'd rather be fishing...and I hate fishing."

[mitlen]

My fishing life has been non-standard.    I always enjoyed taking the boy fishing (Potomac, Lake Fairfax, etc.).   We didn't catch a lot or keep what we did catch but we had a good time.    Now, fishin' in the Ohio?   

[saltydad]

Used to fish as a boy and teen.  After I caught the scuba diving bug my water fun changed. Still remember those days fondly. I did win a contest at an Izaak Walton League pond when I was a Cub Scout after a cleanup day. The damn fish was probably smaller than the koi in my pond! Won an open reel and rod. Rained all day, but I had fun. Would love to try a dip my line in the water again sometime.

[NatNasty]

Got out yesterday for a few hours.  It was definitely quality over quantity.  Only caught two fish, but one of them was my first citation pickerel.  I'm pretty happy about it.

[tomterp]

Got out yesterday for a few hours.  It was definitely quality over quantity.  Only caught two fish, but one of them was my first citation pickerel.  I'm pretty happy about it.

Pickeral are fun to catch, savage in attacking the bait.  Where were you fishing?

I got out for a few hours yesterday, wading in the Cacapon in WV.  Water was up a bit, on the borderline of wadeable, but ultimately we salvaged the day by finding quite a concentration of redbreasted sunfish around 8", which is on the large side for them.  I was using an ultralight rig with 4# test and a silver bladed Panther Martin spinner.  Hooked one bass over 12" but he jumped high and threw the spinner.  Caught 18 in all but no keeper bass at all.

Went down this morning to give them another shot but the water rose over a foot overnight, not wadeable in the least.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwisweb/graph?agency_cd=USGS&site_no=01611500&parm_cd=00065&period=7

[NatNasty]

Pickeral are fun to catch, savage in attacking the bait.  Where were you fishing?

I got out for a few hours yesterday, wading in the Cacapon in WV.  Water was up a bit, on the borderline of wadeable, but ultimately we salvaged the day by finding quite a concentration of redbreasted sunfish around 8", which is on the large side for them.  I was using an ultralight rig with 4# test and a silver bladed Panther Martin spinner.  Hooked one bass over 12" but he jumped high and threw the spinner.  Caught 18 in all but no keeper bass at all.

Went down this morning to give them another shot but the water rose over a foot overnight, not wadeable in the least.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwisweb/graph?agency_cd=USGS&site_no=01611500&parm_cd=00065&period=7

I was fishing at a private lake in Powhatan.  It had been a slow day. I'd caught one bass all day.  The battery on the trolling motor was starting to die and we decided to call it a day.  On the way in I hooked something big, but it bit through my line.  Assume it was a pickerel (there's plenty out there).   My buddy tells me, "Lot's of times a big one will get away, and you'll get redemption 15-20 min later.  We've got enough juice to make one pass on the north bank."  He was right.  Caught using a crankbait on medium action rod with 10# line.  24-1/4".  Didn't have a scale but would guess around 4.5 lbs.

[NatNasty]

Went fishing this morning for about 3 hours.  Early on, my buddy got two citations.  One from the Game Warden and one from a 9 lb. largemouth bass.  I've fished this lake for nearly 10 years and have never once seen the Game Warden. 

We'd been out for probably 30 minutes or so and the Warden pulls up asking to see our fishing licenses.  We pull to the shore, show him our licenses.  "I see you don't have life jackets", says he and gives my friend a ticket.  Ridiculous.  It's a relatively small lake, the surface as smooth as glass and we're both good swimmers.  I could understand getting cited on the river (I always carry life jackets on the river and bay), but on a small private lake with no current in a 10' boat?  Pfffffftt   Clownish

[mitlen]

Went fishing this morning for about 3 hours.  Early on, my buddy got two citations.  One from the Game Warden and one from a 9 lb. largemouth bass.  I've fished this lake for nearly 10 years and have never once seen the Game Warden. 

We'd been out for probably 30 minutes or so and the Warden pulls up asking to see our fishing licenses.  We pull to the shore, show him our licenses.  "I see you don't have live jackets", says he and gives my friend a ticket.  Ridiculous.  It's a relatively small lake, the surface as smooth as glass and we're both good swimmers.  I could understand getting cited on the river (I always carry life jackets on the river and bay), but on a small private lake with no current in a 10' boat?  Pfffffftt   Clownish

Do the crime, pay the fine.   

[HalfSmokes]

Only time I've ever seen a cop on the lake, he asked my cousin how many he'd had, my cousin told him six, guy tells us to be careful and goes on his merry way

[GburgNatsFan]

Seems pretty ridiculous.  I always carry a life jacket when I take the 'yak out, even though I never wear it, but it seems like a dick move on his part.

Went fishing this morning for about 3 hours.  Early on, my buddy got two citations.  One from the Game Warden and one from a 9 lb. largemouth bass.  I've fished this lake for nearly 10 years and have never once seen the Game Warden. 

We'd been out for probably 30 minutes or so and the Warden pulls up asking to see our fishing licenses.  We pull to the shore, show him our licenses.  "I see you don't have live jackets", says he and gives my friend a ticket.  Ridiculous.  It's a relatively small lake, the surface as smooth as glass and we're both good swimmers.  I could understand getting cited on the river (I always carry life jackets on the river and bay), but on a small private lake with no current in a 10' boat?  Pfffffftt   Clownish

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Busting people for dynamite fishing is one thing, but citing someone for not carrying a life vest on a small lake is undermining evolution.   

[NatNasty]

Do the crime, pay the fine.   

Gee Dad, thanks!  I'll try to remember that in the future. 

But seriously, I never would have imagined getting cited for such a thing in that situation.  I have no problem with him checking our licenses (even though it's a hassle), but I believe we should have gotten off with a warning.  Nothing we did was morally wrong or put others or ourselves in danger. 

The big stinker of it is that my buddy (whose boat it was and therefore was the one ticketed), had hit a rough patch financially a few months ago and really couldn't afford a fine.  When he got ticketed, he was concerned what the fine would be and asked the Warden.  The Warden didn't know and said he'd have to call the court to find out.  He hoped that it would be around $25-$35, and no more than $50. 

Wrong.  $130.  I call BS.  The Warden seemed pretty decent and didn't act like a jerk at all (can't say the same for other Game Wardens I've encountered in the past), so I was surprised he didn't cut us a warning.  Makes me thing the agency is hurting for money and his boss told him to go out and write some tickets.  On the Sabbath.  Shameful.

[HalfSmokes]

Probably - police departments do it, wouldn't be surprising if game wardens do the same

[mitlen]

     

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/man-missing-in-potomac-after-trying-to-retrieve-fishing-rod/2016/07/18/eb9b33fc-4ca5-11e6-a7d8-13d06b37f256_story.html

[tomterp]

 

I've dived for a couple of rods. 

Was fishing the first bend of Nanjemoy one crisp October morning, we had just put a quick 5 bass in the boat when I had a faux pas and dropped my spinning rod over the stern.  I made a quick lunge for it and would have gone in completely had my cousin not been standing close behind me and grabbed me by my ankle.  I got my head, one arm and half my upper body wet.  Cold!  Worse, that disturbance stopped the fish from biting at that spot.   

Fishing a spot in the Rappahannock when I was a late teen I dropped my treasured Lews Speed Stick (paired with a Mitchell 300) overboard.  This was summertime, and a low tide occurred so I spent 15 minutes diving for it.  But the water was so murky it was by feel only, and about 12 feet deep.  I no sooner would get to the bottom and start probing around in the roots, empty bottles and eels that I would need to come up for air again.  Never did recover that one.   

But I know how to swim, apparently unlike the missing person.

[mitlen]

But I know how to swim, apparently unlike the missing person.

Diving into unknown waters can sometime negate the ability to swim.