Fishing thread

[karstopography]

I wonder if Calamari squid bite like the little squid here do? I mean like latch on and bite the tar out of your finger when you pull them out of the cast net. Those Australian squid look more than big enough to seriously hurt someone if they are inclined to bite and have an opportunity.

[Whwoz]

At around 1foot hood length, they are plenty big enough to take a chunk out of you if you get careless @karstopography . Karate chop across the head as soon as they come on board, helps to restrict only release as well. Calamari squid are not as flexible not as aggressive as the Arrow squid that occur in deeper waters offshore, they are really nasty by all accounts.

[worth1]

They sound almost as bad as a badger.

[rxkeith]

my wife stopped by the area fish market, indian owned, and operated to pick up some fresh
lake superior fish. she struck up a conversation with the guy that waited on her. he told her that
he helps out on the fishing boat when it goes out. she asked him if he ever got scared going out on the lake.
he replied, no, he has been out many times and that he trusts the skipper to handle the boat safely.
he did admit to getting sick while on the water once.
they were in twenty foot waves.



keith

[karstopography]

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Good day on the water!

[karstopography]

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More fishing today with more fish in the same area as last week. The key to them is the buoyancy of the fly. The fly needs to sink, but slowly.

[wildcat62]

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Still Sauger fishing here in Northern Kentucky.

[karstopography]

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Various variations on the Garstside Soft Hackle Streamer. Icelandic Sheep’s wool or Yak hair for tail (original Jack Gartside tie didn’t have an added in tail). Mostly white or pink store bought marabou bodies, but one has wild Turkey marabou around the head area. Collars are various wild duck flanks harvested by my daughter. One Hooded Merganser (rusty red tint), a couple Blue or green wing teal (very faint barring), and the rest drake Gadwall.

Good all around pattern freshwater or salt. The overall fluffiness settles down once the get in the water and after a few casts.

[Whwoz]

Went fishing again today, definitely not the best wind wise , from the east and against the tide, so lots of chop making it uncomfortable at times and with son being a BPU, restricted areas fished. Had to hunt around to find them, but eventually kept 25 King George Whiting and one 40cm/16inch flathead. Most of the KGW were between 34 and 38 cm, a few kept at 29/30 cm, but most at that length were returned. Legal minimum here is 27cm. These KGW are very tasty, with fillets selling for anything up to $110 per KG/50 per lb. we shall enjoy some on Christmas day.

The keepers at Mates place on return

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And a couple of angles on Spotted Gold

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[karstopography]

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Tied up these Borski bonefish sliders. Still no bonefish around here, but the local redfish and speckled trout don’t mind the name.

[karstopography]

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I used to tie and fish these a lot. Caught my best ever flounder on one and a 30 plus pound black drum on another, plus countless redfish, trout, etc. Shrimp when alarmed swim backwards in upward bursts and these shrimp mimic that type of swimming. There’s a 3mm glass rattle I tie into the fly for stained water.

[karstopography]

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Speckled trout action today, albeit limited. Lures produced bites, but not trout to hand. Lures did get a redfish and a flounder, but unfortunately, neither made the mark.

[karstopography]

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My 22 year old with a hefty Largemouth Bass, caught on a watermelon seed Texas rigged worm.

[Whwoz]

Went out with mate again to Corner Inlet on Tuesday just gone. Initially went outside the entrance but swell from the east of twice the height made for uncomfortable fishing. It does not help that in this area, easterly swell has to cut though a group of islands and all narrows down to an inside corner. Headed back in to a couple of marks known to produce good fish, but came up with a 35cm Gummy Shark which is way under size and a chimera about the 90-100cm mark. These are slow breeders that do not taste the best so straight back it went, whoops should have taken a photo first, too late now. A few rubbish fish and a lot of just size came and went before we headed back to the Lewis channel for whiting. Bagged out on King George Whiting (allowed 20 per person) and kept a few flathead to eat, plus an Australian Salmon (no relation to the true salmon or trout), a couple of trevally and a yellow eyed mullet for bait on future trips.

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In dollar terms at fishmongers, a bag worth between $550 and $600 as fillets

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I also pulled up a lump of scallops and weed and while we were inspecting said to mate - watch out octopus, thinking Blue Ring initially but no, turned out to be a very much alive Brittle Star

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[worth1]

My neighbor has some friends that talked him into going fishing.
So they went to Cabela's.
800 dollars later he walked out of Cabela's.
Naturally he bought what they suggested.
He ended up buying a Shimano spinning reel for around $120 and a St Croix rod for around the same price.
So that's $280 or so just for one rod and reel setup for bottom fishing.

[worth1]

I can't believe this fish was caught on 6 pound line

Possibly new record gar.
https://www.star-telegram.com/news/stat ... 75359.html

[karstopography]

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The biggest alligator gar I’ve brought to hand was about 1/2 as long and maybe 1/10 the weight of that record gar.

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That’s a big gar. Must have been tricky getting that to hand on such light leader material.

The rivers and estuaries around here are often loaded with alligator gar. Alligator gar can tolerate brackish, at least 1/2 strength salt water. I incidentally hook a few every year going after other saltwater species like redfish, trout or flounder, but seldom target the sighted alligator gar. In my experience, Alligator gar near the surface of the water will attack lures and flies, but mostly only when the offering is brought slowly and closely to their mouth and eye area. Little bit like playing cat and mouse with kittens fishing for sighted alligator gar with lures or flies, get their interest, keep their interest and induce them to pounce. Hard to keep them hooked with those bony mouths.

My biggest gar brought to hand shown in the photos was caught fishing a shallow bar in Brazos River, basically just making casts with a soft plastic paddle tail at fish sign. Though I hung a log at first, but then the log moved.

Once it cools off a little more, I plan on fishing quite a lot. Fall is a great time to fish the saltwater hereabouts. My freezer is empty of fish.

[worth1]

I had about 25 witnesses that saw the monster I caught that came out of the water spit my hook out and swam away.
The great beast was spooling my real with a medium heavy rod bent in half.

[karstopography]

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Got some Columbus Day groceries.

[karstopography]

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Water was much lower today and it was going out. That made things easier to see fish and fish sign. Glad to have the flounder, season will close November 1st for six weeks.