OT: Annual MGoFishing Thread
MGoAnglers,
With warm weather finally gracing our presence, I've been fishing more and more often. Right now seems to be a good time for late season crappie and walleye fishing with the recent cold snaps ruining their spawning times. Right now is also a great time for catfish with the mild temperatures. With a decent sized cat landed last night, my fishing fever is burning red hot again.
So, a few questions for the board: What do you like to fish for? Favorite gear? Any recent trophy catches? Have any big fishing trips planned for the summer?
Again this year, my friend and I will be traveling to Branson, Missouri to fish for bass out of Table Rock Lake, one of the premier bass lakes in the United States. Last year we didn't so well with so many people on the lake for the 4th of July, but we learned our lesson and will be going a week earlier this time around. If you've never been, I highly recommend it as both a great fishing area and an awesome family getaway to the Ozark Mountains.
Please share your fishing stories, favorite spots (if you don't mind), and excuses to tell your spouse for that needed time away (I need more of these).
Happy fishing, and Go Blue!
Alaska is definitely on the bucket list. Something so intriguing about driving out from your back yard, dropping a shrimp pot then go fishing for halibut. Not to mention the scenery.
are you a boat owner (no, i won't ask to join you, just curious)? we have had some pretty wild stuff out in the alaskan bush and in the ocean up there. definitely one of my all time favorite places. fortunately my alaska buddies are whiz-bang outdoorsmen, pilots,ski-patrol, etc, so they are great to adventure with.
I'm in Juneau. 24ft fiberglass here.
Try a charter on Lake MI.4 guys will run ou about 5 or 6 hundred for half day. Salmon were big last year 1 of our pro staff landed a 41.48# king. You can drink and have a blast. They clean and pack all the fillets for you to take home. Great time.
Are you a member of the Big Weenie Brand? We use your meat rigs for salmon all the time, great product!
Big weenie? Tehehehehehehehhe
Yes me and my wife own it. I stay home and take care of Weeniedogs. We rescue and help with other rescues and most money made goes to saving dogs. She works the big show in GR every year. Love all dogs here. Thanks we try and make the best, all plastics are made here in GR along with product.
Forest Preserve Lakes are popular I hear
Check out Dale Bowman's wednesday fishing report in the Tribune (and online, you can google him). That will give you a lot to think about!
I'm taking my dad on a nostalgia-laden fishing trip up north in late June. Any tips about water bodies along Lake Michigan or in the Traverse area? His mobility is limited, so we're not hiking too far.
You'll most likely be flying into my town (Juneau) and jumping a float plane (Maize and Blue colored Alaska Seaplanes maybe?) to Angoon. July should be plenty of daylight (not sunlight haha) and decent halibut fishing. Keep an eye on salmon regulations. They're restricting the amount of kings we're allow to catch until late june. After that, the regs will be re-evaluated. Between commercial guys, sport fisherman, tourists, charter guys, etc.. they don't want to let the reproduction numbers get too low.
Bring your camera! I _think_ you might have basic cell service there too. Voice/text, but probably no data.
Funny story:
There is a small town nearby called Hoonah. They have a church group that comes to Juneau every month or so and collects donations. They turn around and give/sell at a small retail shop in town. I've donated some shirts etc quite a few times. I happened to be over there last summer for a day and saw TWO of my old michigan t-shirts being worn there!
Me to wife: "Hey dear, check out this fella rocking the 1998 rose bowl tee."
Try the new graphite rods, Pops. THEY'RE SWELL!
j/k, I've fished a lot of vintage and contemporary bamboo, from Leonards and FE Thomases to Mike Clarks and others, had a large collection of Grangers at one point, and even started out on a beat-up Heddon.
Anyone into tenkara fishing?
Do it all summer long on the small streams of northern Colorado, just with a regular fly rod.
How does that work? I'm trying to imagine using a regular fly rod without a reel and can't really figure out how that would work.
I mean dry fly fishing in pocket water on small streams, fishing with a fixed length of line -- there's a reel but it's just holding the line you're not using -- and false casting just to dry out the fly, pick it up and lay it down. It's just like tenkara fishing. High sticking pocket water. Same thing, same approach, same techniques, just with regular fly gear instead of the specialized tenkara rig. When the tenkara wave swept through here, I was like, That's what you're already doing if you're doing right!
I used regular flies, even nymphs, so not "real" tenkara with a tenkara style dry fly, but whatever... I went back to a traditional western rod and reel though. I snapped one expensive tenkara rod after a light snag. Also, any amount of wind makes it really hard to cast. The "fly line" is super ultra light weight and won't carry a fly in the wind. It must be less windy in Japan than in Colorado. However, it is awesome for backpacking. You can just take one with you on a bike ride, hike, stop, telescope the rod and fish. Super convenient. Very minimal gear. Would be good for overnight backpacking etc.
However, if you are going to drive out to the river and fish, I guess I don't see the point? In a small stream with really light wind it would work great though because the super long rod allows you to reach out and just drop the fly into the hole then follow it down stream with no drag.
I am jealous. Catching any of those is a goal of mine and you did it all on one trip. Congrats!
For years I'd take my two boys into Canada (an hour north of Sudbury) on a remote fishing trip for a week. GREAT TIMES, GREAT MEMORIES.... They're young adults now and have more on their schedule taking priority over going fishing with their dad.... it's too bad. Phenominal walleye, northern pike and small mouth fishing up there.
There is something to be said for living off the grid (if even for a week). No cell phones, no electricity, no civilization. Propane lights, stove and fridge and God's country.
One of my greatest fishing memories is going to Lake of the Woods with my dad, uncle and cousins. Phenomenal fishing for walleye, perch, pike, and musky. 100 fish days were not uncommon. I can still remember my cousin casting a buzzbait next to a downed tree along the shore and watching a 50+" musky follow it all the way to the boat before disappearing.
Was on the Detroit River last Saturday and took 29 fish to catch a limit of 20 between 4 of us. The fishing was slow and steady, all of the fish were males from 14 to 20 inches. For my money you can't beat the sport of smallmouth fishing on the River Raisin in Monroe during late summer. Wade in and catch fish on almost every cast and they weigh between 1.5 and 3 lbs, they fight like nothing else on light rod and reel.
I love surf fishing but only get the chance to get out during spring break each year.
The minimum length for walleye is 15 inches.
The minimum length for walleye is 15 inches.
Have not been fishing since, well a long time.
Seems everyone I talk to recently is fishing walleye so I purchased a fishing license this week.
I don't have access to a boat however. But people can fish the St. Clair and Detroit river from anywhere on shore.
Marine City, Algonac, Port Huron, Chene Park, downtown Detroit and a park off Alter Road. Bring 9mm and above.
Use jigs, which are simply hooks with a weight, usually painted like an eye. Put that through a wide variety of rubber worms or grubs.
Bought some at Bass Pro today and by opening a credit card did not pay for any of it.
Let the jig sink and give a little jerks back towards shore. Repeat.
Limit of five daily, 15 " minimum length.
That is all I know, but have joined a number of walleye facebook groups the last couple days.
Expect to be out this Sunday.
Well maybe not. All my fishing equipment was at my parents house and apparently one of my siblings cleaned me out.
Who the hell steals from family?
its a gas. use flies called poppers, those are the best for pan fish. you can also use some streamer patterns. give it a try. you'll like it. example of some poppers below. they get their name from the fashion that you bring them in. they float on the surface and you strip the line in in short bursts, causing a 'popping' on the surface and the bass rise to that movement.
