Any Other Fishermen Here?

[JediFish]

Fishing is my true passion with golf at a close second. I inshore kayak fish along the nature coast of Florida. Love some snook fishing and redfish fishing! 

[JonMA1]

24 minutes ago, JediFish said:

Fishing is my true passion with golf at a close second. I inshore kayak fish along the nature coast of Florida. Love some snook fishing and redfish fishing! 

Snook fishing is the best! I'm living up in the Great Lakes area now, but I was born and raised in St. Pete. Took a trip back home last spring and did pretty well fishing Johns Pass. Caught a redfish, flounder, mackerel and a few other species. The snook were hanging out under a light by the dock but wouldn't hit anything. Smart fish. Seems like the restrictions have helped over the years.

There are some species up here that are very challenging as well like steelhead and salmon. I pretty much gave up on them because they are just tough to catch. So I'm happy catching bass, walleye, pike and catfish on ultra-light gear these days.

I've never caught anything like the muskee @14ledo81is holding. Nice fish Matt.

Stayed in a cabin right on the Menomonee River several years ago. One side of the river is Michigan, the other Wisconsin. Very good fishing in the area which was just south of Iron Mountain, MI. The cabin rental included an aluminum boat & motor for the week.

2 hours ago, cipher said:

I would imagine there are plenty of other fish that taste much better as well.

I think that's a safe assumption. I've always been told the older/larger the fish, the less edible they become. Nothing wrong with catch and release.

[jamo]

I've been a dozen times or so. Never caught anything worth keeping, but it was still a good time. 

[14ledo81]

Thanks @JonMA1.

@cipher makes a very good point about not tasting good. The old ones are probably full of mercury as well.  Also, if someone is looking for fish to eat, there are a lot easier targets out there.

[Yukari]

4 hours ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

Kayak = Speed bump.

I used to fish, but when I took up golf I found they both took the same time slot, weekend mornings. A bunch of my fishing gear got stolen and I never bothered to replace it.

Ditto for me.  I was a fisherman way before I took up golf.  I still fish once in awhile but not as much as before due to time conflict with golf.

[boogielicious]

I fished so much as a kid, I have little interest in it now. I guess I am also a bit impatient or hyper and don't find it relaxing. Fishing takes patience.

My brother OTOH, kayak fishes for stripers here in New England. He also mods his reels so he can cast extreme distances. He's written articles on how to do that as well.

[JediFish]

12 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

Snook fishing is the best! I'm living up in the Great Lakes area now, but I was born and raised in St. Pete. Took a trip back home last spring and did pretty well fishing Johns Pass. Caught a redfish, flounder, mackerel and a few other species. The snook were hanging out under a light by the dock but wouldn't hit anything. Smart fish. Seems like the restrictions have helped over the years.

There are some species up here that are very challenging as well like steelhead and salmon. I pretty much gave up on them because they are just tough to catch. So I'm happy catching bass, walleye, pike and catfish on ultra-light gear these days.

I've never caught anything like the muskee @14ledo81is holding. Nice fish Matt.

Stayed in a cabin right on the Menomonee River several years ago. One side of the river is Michigan, the other Wisconsin. Very good fishing in the area which was just south of Iron Mountain, MI. The cabin rental included an aluminum boat & motor for the week.

I think that's a safe assumption. I've always been told the older/larger the fish, the less edible they become. Nothing wrong with catch and release.

Those dock snook can be frustrating as heck haha on the other hand though, Muskie is on the bucket list of fish I want to catch! Would love to get a big one from the yak! 

[HitAndGiggle]

Well...I DO eat these. This is my biggest bluefin. About 65 pounds or so. Nothing pulls like a tuna. My first tuna, years ago, was a foul-hooked bluefin (in the side). It just about killed me getting it in.

[14ledo81]

On 1/31/2017 at 7:55 AM, JediFish said:

Those dock snook can be frustrating as heck haha on the other hand though, Muskie is on the bucket list of fish I want to catch! Would love to get a big one from the yak! 

 

Muskie is definitely doable if your goal is to simply catch one of the species of any size.  Muskie lakes typically fall across the spectrum of "action lakes" vs. "trophy lakes".  These lakes can also be just down the road from each other.  Action lakes typically have a good number of muskies in the 28''-32'' range, with a decent shot (better than 50%) at catching one if you fished for a day.  On a typical trophy lake, I can average 30+ hours per fish boated.  The fish is generally 40'' or better as well, with a legitimate shot at a 4' fish.  My stats on trophy waters is approximately 100 hours on the water per 4' fish boated.

[Rainmaker]

24 minutes ago, 14ledo81 said:

 

Muskie is definitely doable if your goal is to simply catch one of the species of any size.  Muskie lakes typically fall across the spectrum of "action lakes" vs. "trophy lakes".  These lakes can also be just down the road from each other.  Action lakes typically have a good number of muskies in the 28''-32'' range, with a decent shot (better than 50%) at catching one if you fished for a day.  On a typical trophy lake, I can average 30+ hours per fish boated.  The fish is generally 40'' or better as well, with a legitimate shot at a 4' fish.  My stats on trophy waters is approximately 100 hours on the water per 4' fish boated.

That's what puts me off musky fishing - the endless casting and trolling.  I love fishing up North . .but when I do I'm travelling a long way and I can't bring myself to spend the time searching for that one (granted . .amazing) fish . . .vs catching endless bass, pike and walleye.  

I have a lot of respect for musky fisherman . .you guys are crazy and you love what you do.  

[14ledo81]

8 minutes ago, Rainmaker said:

That's what puts me off musky fishing - the endless casting and trolling.  I love fishing up North . .but when I do I'm travelling a long way and I can't bring myself to spend the time searching for that one (granted . .amazing) fish . . .vs catching endless bass, pike and walleye.  

I have a lot of respect for musky fisherman . .you guys are crazy and you love what you do.  

 

Yea, it definitely takes a different sort.  I actually think it has much more similarities to trophy hunting for whitetail than fishing for other species.

[HitAndGiggle]

On ‎1‎/‎30‎/‎2017 at 4:12 PM, JediFish said:

Fishing is my true passion with golf at a close second. I inshore kayak fish along the nature coast of Florida. Love some snook fishing and redfish fishing! 

That looks like a lot of fun. Cool fish.

[JediFish]

On 2/3/2017 at 2:16 PM, HitAndGiggle said:

That looks like a lot of fun. Cool fish.

It is for sure! Nothing I would rather do!

[Patch]

I spend quite a bit of time fishing Lake Mead. Pretty much all is catch and release for me. Compared to golf, it appears it's easier for me to catch deep water, winter time Large Mouth Bass than to get a birdie. 

Kayak fishing with sharks...... Sounds like a good theme for another shark movie. 

I have a diy catamaran I made from two kayaks. Never felt comfotable in a kayak, stability wise. Use it with an electric motor. If the water is rough, I borrow the son inlaw's pontoon boat. 

[Hacker James]

@Patch  I saw a DIY video of a cat made from two kayaks as you describe. He used pvc pipe fittings and I think twin sit-in kayaks. I forget the model of the kayaks, and I believe he also had a motor on it.  I may have saved it, will have to look in archives to check.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, Patch said:

Kayak fishing with sharks...... Sounds like a good theme for another shark movie. 

Perfectly safe, really. Safer than fishing near gators and crocs.

[Patch]

2 hours ago, Hacker James said:

@Patch  I saw a DIY video of a cat made from two kayaks as you describe. He used pvc pipe fittings and I think twin sit-in kayaks. I forget the model of the kayaks, and I believe he also had a motor on it.  I may have saved it, will have to look in archives to check.

I used treated lumber. PVC will work, but where I live, the sun eats even painted PVC. Warps it. I bought 2 used (10 footers @ $50 each) kayaks that had been retired by the Lake Powell consessonaire. 100 amp/hour (rated 125a/hr) battery, running an 80lb thrust electric motor keeps me mobile for most of the time I want to spend on the water.  Once I get to the launch ramp, takes me about 10 minutes set up, and go. Same when I am headed for home. Very sturdy, and stable. 

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Perfectly safe, really. Safer than fishing near gators and crocs.

I can imagine. I was in  a 16' boat one time when 6 Orcas started hanging around. We were fishing for salmon out of Port Angeles, Washington. (Juan de Fuca?) I remember feeling really puny with those critters hanging around.  They didn't really bother us, but still......

[HitAndGiggle]

On ‎2‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 8:17 PM, Patch said:

I used treated lumber. PVC will work, but where I live, the sun eats even painted PVC. Warps it. I bought 2 used (10 footers @ $50 each) kayaks that had been retired by the Lake Powell consessonaire. 100 amp/hour (rated 125a/hr) battery, running an 80lb thrust electric motor keeps me mobile for most of the time I want to spend on the water.  Once I get to the launch ramp, takes me about 10 minutes set up, and go. Same when I am headed for home. Very sturdy, and stable. 

I can imagine. I was in  a 16' boat one time when 6 Orcas started hanging around. We were fishing for salmon out of Port Angeles, Washington. (Juan de Fuca?) I remember feeling really puny with those critters hanging around.  They didn't really bother us, but still......

I spent much of my youth on Whidbey Island fishing for salmon with my grandpa. Also, had a great time catching salmon off the beach there - those were the days. The orca is a mighty animal, isn't it?