I actually don't know much about them. We use the long, heavy, deep-drop jigs mainly: I was dropping a 20 count (~200ft) or less, depending on where we were marking the fish on the depth finder, and then working it about as fast as my body would let me.
Thorne Bros is having a sale on all Shimano Trinidads. $100 off all models. These are pretty popular amongst us muskie guys as the best reel for burning double 10s, and I hear the saltwater guys like them too. I guess Shimano is coming out with a new line that makes the old Trinidads seem like junk (so says a certain guy who knows how to 'hunt for big fish', if you catch my drift). <a class="postlink" href="http://www.thornebros.com/muskie/reels/shimano/trinidad.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.thornebros.com/muskie/reels/ ... nidad.html</a>
No monsters of the deep sea, but took off from work early yesterday afternoon to rest up for our big commercial launch today, and stopped off on the way home along the banks of the Fraser river. A lawn chair, a few beer in the cooler, 4-lbs fly rod, and 2.5 hours relaxing in the sun on the bank of the river, and the end-result is 6 sockeye. 5 of them were vacuum packed and frozen, and a 6th was slow bbq'd in a nice dry-rub, after stuffing it with some herbal minute rice. The world was set right again.
I need some advice on fishing as a beginner. I am in the central Virginia area and I want to start going out for a couple of hours on a Saturday morning or a Tuesday evening just to relax after some long work days. Eventually I would like to start heading to the mountains for a long Saturday or Sunday trip. What type of gear for freshwater should I invest in? Where should I start fishing? Thanks and I apologize for such a simple amount of knowledge.
What are you going to fish for? Cats, bass, panfish, pike . . .? Freshwater fishing is a multi-billion dollar a year industry, and for good reason. I'm not saying one rod and reel can't catch any fish that bites the hook because that's how my grandpa did it, but having the right gear can sure save you a lot of headache.
First thing I'd do is try and find a small, local fishing shop with the type of staff that aren't out to sell you every fucking thing under the sun, and say "hello". Tell them you want to get into fishing, and get them to kind of mentor you a bit. If they're smart, they'll happily give you a hand. They're also one of the best resources for what's biting what where. Get an idea from them of what you can fish for in your local area, and what kind of gear/bait you need for it. Figure out whether you want to go fly fishing or casting/lure fishing. (Easiest starter is the latter). They'll be able to set you up with some simple beginner gear that will get you results. Once you get a feel for it, maybe cruise CraigsList for rods/reels for pennies on the dollar. And show your appreciation for their time, experience, and help... be a loyal customer. It pisses me off to see the Walmarts of the world undercut these guys and force them out of business. And believe it or not, the Fishing For Dummies book is a pretty good introduction to the basics.
Nice haul for 30 hours, those are some toad amber jack, congrats on the success glad you could get out there.
Nice flatty, how about some more info? What boat, where, what did they catch it on? Thanks for posting.
Caught it out of Homer Alaska. Just got lucky and was sitting in the right place at the right time. Sat in the kelp in about 60ft of water for 4 hours or so and chummed a lot, then caught this guy toward the end of the day. Caught it on straight herring, but I'll use salmon heads and octopus when I've got them. It was pretty exciting to get, biggest one I've caught on my boat. Seeing a fish that big come out of the water really gets the adrenaline pumping, especially when we shoot them with a 4-10 shotty.
Here's a 20" x 16" smallie I released last weekend. Estimated weight was 5.3 lbs. When it was coming up it was fighting like a carp, so I was pleasantly surprised when it surfaced. I caught a bunch of channel cats in the 6-10 lb range, too. It was a good day on the river.
Just got back from 3 days on the pacific, 150 miles south of san diego. Water is still cold but did manage a few rock fish and got lucky and scored a few bluefin on the way back in.
Just got back from 10 days in northern WI. I came back with a wife and this 35" musky. It wasn't a giant, but it was the biggest one we put in the boat for the week.
I'm looking into getting some new hunting clothes for this season. The ones I wore last season were a hand-me-down from my father and did the trick but they're old, bulky, non-waterproof, and really didn't keep me that warm. Cabelas has a decent deal right now on their 7-in-1 parka that's gotten some good reviews and looks to be durable and warm. I like that it's waterproof because it will probably serve double duty for deer and waterfowl. Since I'm hunting in areas with tons of briars, their MT050 fabric seems to be a good choice for durability as well Anyone have any experience with it? Any other recommendations for something better in the same price range? Thanks for any input.
I have this one, and quite like it. Don't buy into the whole "waterproof" schtick, though... it's somewhat repellent, for a while, but I still treat mine a couple of times well before I head out for the hunt. I also couple it with a hand muff LIKE THIS if I find I'm not going to be moving much, as I have shit circulation in my hands. Pop a couple of Hot Shots in there and it's like an easy bake oven for your fingers. In general, the 2 main clothing manufacturers that I really like are Browning (overly expensive, but very high quality, I've found), and Cabela's. I've found that the RedHead brand that Bass Pro and others seem to carry are very cheap knock-offs that aren't quite as good. EDIT: And I've also found that the Under Armor Cold Weather Gear is fantastic. Makes a huge difference in the cold.
And can be found for a very reasonable price... after season. I've picked up two sets of Cold Gear, from Dick's, for $40 per set. That's mock turtle neck and the bottoms for $40.
Absolutely. I tend to buy all of my outdoor gear and equipment off-season. Or even used from CL sometimes. End of season sales at Walmart or Canadian Tire (huh?) have HUGE savings.
Does anyone else just hunt in Carhartts? Sure, I'll throw on a simple camo jacket for waterfowl and deer hunting, but otherwise I stick to coveralls (I have black, tan, and white bibs) and an insulated tan jacket (that can easily be covered). I just can't justify spending $XXX on a set of clothes that can only really be worn hunting and won't help you if you can't sit still and be quiet (and position yourself downwind). Given, I'm not as hardcore a hunter as lots of guys (I envy you, Dewercs), but I'm still successful enough to enjoy the hell out it. Besides... the ladies love the look of coveralls with leather boots.
I dress depending on the type of hunting I do. I do the majority of my hunting in Ontario, Canada, which can be damn cold in November. It's damp/wet, and hovers around the freezing point, which absolutely sucks. It'd be so much better if it were well below freezing, as the dampness really chills you to the bone when you're trying to sit still for hours on end. Especially if there's any kind of wind blowing. In that situation, I'll definitely wear a crap-load of gear, and I'll be the first to admit that the high-tech stuff really does make a difference. If the weather's nice (very rarely), or I'll be walking/stalking rather than still hunting, I'll totally head out in Carhartts.
I've said it once, I'll say it many times... the right gear can totally make the difference between having a great time and enduring a shitty time.