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!
Steelhead fishing is a blast! But it is also very tricky. You mostyly fish them by drifting spawn or nymphs. Might seem a little complicated at first, but you can find plenty or resources on the interwebs. If you really want to learn fast, then go out with a guide. I fished with Steve Martinez a few times and learned a ton. He is based out of ludington and fishes the Pere Marquette
nuke eggs
timing! I want to get into fishing with my kids. My knowledge of fishing is limited to what I have already written in the previous sentence. I want to get a fishing rod and reel combo for myself and my 10 year that we can take to local lakes, etc., that is both cheap enough that I won't care if it is used a total of 2 times but good enough that it could hold up for a couple of year if this catches on.
There is an Ugly Stik rod and reel combo for $50 on Amazon. Is this a good choice for what I have described?
My kids have been using the same Ugly Stik combo for several years, and they have held up. I would recommend getting it.
really couldn't even tell you, man, seriously, to call me a beginner is being polite. My son is just a kind of "to himself" type of kid, likes activities but not organized sports, etc. He took to golf (my obsession) a little bit but frankly golf is really expensive and time consuming when you are just trying to get into a hobby with your kid. I am just trying out new things for quiet weekend days without a lot to do and to have a couple of ready options for him when I tell him to get the hell off the screen. Fishing seems to fit the bill.
I appreciate it. But as to the "other gear" I would need right now, aside from a tackle box and bait, what else would I need? This is not snark, at all, I just want to know. I hate making a plan to do something and then trying to do it only to learn that there is something I didn't account for. I know of a couple of different spots, a good couple of parks where we could rent a rowboat if we wanted, and am accounting for poles, bobbers, bait, and licenses.
What is that one thing I will be forgetting and will not realize until it is too late? I would rather find out now than have to leave the lake to go to Dunhams on the day of.
it. I was accounting for the basics, and the necessities (Cheese Its) but wanted to make sure there was nothing else I wouldn't be aware of. Pliers helps.
soggy cheez-its make for a nice bait in murky waters on a sunny day
soggy cheez-its make for a nice bait in murky waters on a sunny day
Winchester beat me to it.
Cheez-Its are good. We go with Combos and any fruit drink in a plastic bottle. Ice cream stop on way home.
Between ages 3 and 13, I was fortunate enought to fish with my daughter for blue gill and perch in local canal on inland lake. Get what Winchester said and you will be good. She may have caught the same blue gill fish some thirty times.
I did no fishing with my daughter until late in the second trip at age four. I spent a lot of time making things safe and ready for fishing prior to that.
Avoid the Mickey Mouse rod for kids. They will out grow it very quickly. My daughter still has the original pink rod with closed reel and it still works kind of just fine.
Good luck
Never had much luck or enjoyment on the Great Lakes but love walking around inland lakes (pike/perch) and streams (trout once-upon-a-time) in the Keweenaw
Get a Pfleuger President reel, you can find them for about $40 if you check around. It's a great beginner reel, and decent quality for fresh water fishing. If you're willing to spend a bit more, check out a Daiwa Fuego, or BG. They're near bulletproof, don't require much maintenance, and you can also use them for salt water. I'd go with a 2500-3000 size.
Pair w/ a medium fast, moderate power 7' spinning rod. Get a decent quality rod.
Ugly Stik rods are durable for sure. It's what I started with when I started fishing. They're a little on the heavy side but if you're not used to anything else, you wouldn't even notice.
No idea on the reel but you can always replace that if it's junk. I wouldn't put anything more than 6-8 pound mono on it.
to all for the feedback. I think I am going to get a couple of them, but certainly going to check that Walmart price before I do.
This reel is nice too if you find a rod you like and the 2 are comparable in price.
To add to what others have posted, I would highly reccomend Ugly Stik rods. I have used the ultra lights for trout, and blue gill all the way up to the larger rods for pike and walleye and they are always high quality for the price you pay.
A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work! AMIRITE!?!?!?!?
My rod could use a good cast. If you know what I mean.
Sure! Well my rod has a pretty thick handle, but it gets brittle so I need a good oil to keep it supple. It's an older rod that I've had my whole life so it needs a little TLC from time to time. Anwyays, I'd say start with a firm grip right at the base. Two handed is better if it's your first time. Bring your arm back and flex your wrist down a bit. It's all in the wrist as they say. So once your arm is behind your body you jerk it forward firmly across the body, flick the wrist slightly and then release yoru thumb right at the end once it's fully extended. You'll probably want to stay out of the way because if you do it right it's gonna shoot out there pretty far. It will take some practice, but eventually you'll be great at casting my rod.
can't even...
Yes YOU can.
If you can fit it in your mouth it's a keeper. I've had to throw a lot back this year.
is too small...
Once went fishing with my brother and father. Dad noticed two missile-sized northern pike swimming side-by-side about 10 feet from our boat right as my brother was throwing the anchor in - directly on top of the fish. They both see the fish swimming away and scramble to cast their lines, only for them to tangle mid-air. My father looks over and starts screaming about the lost opportunity.
I was cackling and drinking a beer on the other end of the boat.
Had no luck out on the ice this year. Saw some huge pike slowly creep on by, no interest at all in the minnow. Hoping it is better Spring/Summer fishing.
I was in Hamburg/Pinckney area. Zukey Lake to be exact. Only got out there 3 weekends but none of us had any luck. Saw a few, but no bites.
I would think that area would be good for pike on tip-ups.
My suggestion would be try it at first ice and fish near and in the weeds with sucker minnows.
Ice fishing seems to slow mid-winter.
3 tip ups set, 3 strike outs. Did see some guys pull out smaller sized pike on tip-ups though.
We did go beginning/mid January smack dab in middle of Winter so that could explain it.
So ready for fishing. We usually fish Puget Sound for salmon and cross over to Canadian water for ling cod. Open all summer while it's only open for a couple weeks in Washington, and if it's the right time of year we drop the crab pots first and pick them up on the way back. Occasionally go down to the Columbia River to fish sturgeon with my buddy's family. I suck at sturgeon fishing, but they make sure I catch some.
Oooh, Ling Cod. Those are some tasty fish.
Yep. We eat a lot of it. Catch a lot of rock fish, too, but only keep really big ones as they're a bitch to clean.
Hey Stu, I'm new to fishing in the Seattle area, any good recommendations? Shore spots mostly unless you have a boat and want to come pick up another Michigan fan...