The Fishing Thread

https://www.chron.com/life/wildlife/article/texas-angler-catfish-18628184.php



Record blue cat for the lake.

Was out fishing yesterday at my local pond and caught my first bass this year. Not a monster but the first fish I've hooked since trying to teach myself spey casting on a two-hander. Fishing there's been pretty bad in the last couple of years I think from the overpressuring, but maybe now that it's starting to warm up I'll have more luck. Luckily it's open enough and I can put my waders, get out into the water, and practice water born anchor casts. Still a lot of fun on a lighter switch rod, and gives something to keep practicing, which to me is half of the whole hobby. Hoping by the end of the year, I'll really have it dialed in.

Hoss said:

To use a rod like that; I'm guessing you do all your shitposting from your study wearing a housecoat while smoking a pipe and drinking brandy. I never realized you were a real Dr.

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Nah, just a normal guy that just likes fly fishing.

I think I got that rod on clearance off of eBay when a bunch of fly shops around the country were liquidating Hardy's maybe four years ago. Two handers at least allow me to punch it out a lot further if I'm just fishing lakes or ponds. I can cover a lot more water that I normally don't have the room the back cast because all spey casting is just different forms of a roll cast, and even if you've got obstructions behind you, can still bomb it out there without hooking a tree. Doesn't require any false casting so sometimes it's a lot more efficient.

I don't know it's just a lot of fun, and it helps keep me sane. I do wish I would have been introduced to it when I was young, but I guess better late than never.

Biggest fish yet on the two-hander! I'm really starting to enjoy this rod and figure out what I can cast with it. It's medium actioned enough to wear even a smaller fish feels like a fun fight, but this bass felt like I was landing a monster. Not a three or four pounder but easily two plus.

I don't know how the hell I got them in because I was using maybe a size 14 or 16 streamer, and that's a super small hook. Fucking funas hell though and really made my day. Those sort of situations are what makes fishing so much fun.

Kobayashi said:

Any opinions on Garmin fishfinders? Wasn't planning to buy anything for a while, but Cabelas has some pretty good discounts right now:

Garmin Echomap Ultra Fish Finder/Chartplotter w/ GT54 Transducer: 126SV $1500, 106SV $1000 + Free Shipping

Various Retailers have select Garmin Echomap Ultra Fish Finder/Chartplotter Combo w/ GT54 Transducer on sale listed below. Shipping is free. Thanks to Deal Hunter niki4h for posting this deal. A ...

slickdeals.net

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I think they're supposed to be good. Don't really have much experience with anything but some of the older hummingbirds.

I think the new craze is front facing imaging or something. Maybe it's side mapping, don't remember. No clue if that's pretty standard or just on higher end units.

Probably some reviews on YouTube though.

Kobayashi said:

The new thing is apparently LiveScope, which is a real time sonar where you can see your bait traveling through the water. From what I can gather, it's a 20 degree arc off the forward face. Of course that's on sale too at the moment. Reviews I saw made it look like it was a total game changer, but easy to rely on too much - would probably make me an even shittier fisherman in the end if that was at all possible.

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Maybe that's what I was thinking of, I just knew there was something that the guys on various fishing channels on YouTube I watch wax poetic about. I don't have any electronics, but I also don't have a boat, just a couple of kayaks. I've never decided to get even a small system for either of them because I don't know it kind of takes the fun out of fishing. If the technology gets so damn good where I can just drive around and find the fish what the hell's the point.

I can see it if you were doing salt water and then harvesting whatever your limit is all the time, an big salt might be more of a crap shoot, but if I'm just doing catch and release in fresh, I'd rather have the fun of trying to read the water and maybe being surprised by catching something big. Sure if I had a boat that would probably feel a little differently.

Like you said it's how you become a better fisherman. After all it's called fishing and not catching.

TheBeagle said:

White bass run in n.Texas is in full swing. Got a full 25 fish limit today.
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Awesome. Was going to try to go with a buddy of mine this past weekend but we had a bunch of rain, and typically an ends up overflowing Spring Creek since so much drains into it.

I'm hoping I can go out this next weekend, though. Been tying some jig flies in preparation.

That'll make a great fish fry, or a few of them!

TheBeagle said:

Better hurry up, it's damn near finished here. Once I cleaned em I saw that most of them were spawned out with empty bellies. Shad spawn is starting to rev up so that's where those fuckers that didn't get caught will be headed next. Lots of chilly nights lately have thrown things off, hoping to get into some spawning crappie but I never have much luck with that.

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Yeah, the weather just hasn't cooperated lately. With the swings in temp and lots of rain.