Fishing Megathread: Looking For Big Girls Who swallow

[Sbbruin 21829]

The fishing off the SoCal coast right now is sick. Leaving for Cat on Thursday and rigging up a couple casting rigs (heavy, 40lb) to see if any kelp paddies are alive. Most bigger than a trash can lid have yellowtail and dorado playing underneath. We shall see.

[tequila 317]

16 hours ago, 4th and 5 said:

You could book a guide 300 times and have money left over

True, but fishing for sport rarely makes any sort of economic sense.  And I’d have to run two guides any time I took the fam fishing.  

[UncleBuck 6452]

The Boy likes the new set-up 

Edited August 8, 2022 by UncleBuck

[MalibuSheriff 1090]

14 hours ago, Sbbruin said:

The fishing off the SoCal coast right now is sick. Leaving for Cat on Thursday and rigging up a couple casting rigs (heavy, 40lb) to see if any kelp paddies are alive. Most bigger than a trash can lid have yellowtail and dorado playing underneath. We shall see.

My buddies in Encinitas have been killing the yellowtail lately.  Some big tuna offshore as well.

[Sbbruin 21829]

2 hours ago, MalibuSheriff said:

My buddies in Encinitas have been killing the yellowtail lately.  Some big tuna offshore as well.

Yeah y buddy is fishing right now off the backside of Catalina and up towards Santa Barbara Island.  Only have one bluefin aboard, but he said the weather is a little pissy.

[troph 24781]

21 hours ago, tequila said:

True, but fishing for sport rarely makes any sort of economic sense.  And I’d have to run two guides any time I took the fam fishing.  

It’s about harmony, power and competence. There is an innate desire to reconnect and merge back into nature as a part of it not separate from it, a desire for the power that comes for mastery and the feeling of true competence that drives - at least me - from a passive guided noob to one that can manage the entire expedition alone. Interestingly, once that’s achieved the desire for a guide becomes the smart choice in unknown waters.

For me I’m nearly there on freshwater wade fishing and after a month next summer of daily fishing the roaring fork I suspect it will be indisputable. For rockport/corpus/PINS I’m probably 18-24 months away - with a heavy focus on continuing to see the fish / understanding tides and wind / knowing the underwater terrain - at which time purchasing a skiff becomes a dangerous possibility. Beyond that I suspect I will enjoy the good advice of a guide everywhere else until the day I sleep with the fishes.

Edited August 8, 2022 by troph

[Jerry Callo 8698]

4 hours ago, troph said:

at which time purchasing a skiff becomes a dangerous possibility.

Before you run off and buy a boat, try a kayak for a couple years.  When I started fishing the Texas coast, I started wade fishing.  Once I realized there were places that were only a short paddle away, I purchased my first kayak.  There are more fishing spots than you could fish available with a kayak.  Between Aransas Pass and the Port A ferry - Lighthouse Lakes on one side / Brown and Root Flats on the other.  I've caught more fish in and around B&R Flats than anywhere in the world.  Copano Bay has several good launch locations, as does St. Charles Bay where you get to paddle with alligators.  Get a kayak and fish the spots on the Colorado you mentioned above.

I've probably had 10 different kayaks over the last 20 years.  After a hiatus due to focusing on youth sports, I purchased another a couple months ago off of craigslist. 

Nothing fancy.  You're more than welcome to borrow it and try it around here or take it to the Coast.  Just let me know.

[troph 24781]

You lost me at paddling with alligators. I’m a boat girl so any reason to buy one is good enough for me. I would kayak and might. I don’t think I would kayak and fish simultaneously tho. I prefer standing or wading. 

[fattyflattie 4639]

39 minutes ago, Jerry Callo said:

Before you run off and buy a boat, try a kayak for a couple years. 

Fly fishing from a yak has to be pretty difficult.  Wading you lose your vantage of sight.  

[UncleBuck 6452]

Have always enjoyed the idea of a micro skiff. Probably not crossing the bay on a rough chop, but perfect for stalking the flats and running protected. Granted, I don't fly fish (yet), but I'd roll along with a trolling motor casting as I went. 

 

Something like this, or a bit bigger, even (though they actually do have smaller). 

Edited August 8, 2022 by UncleBuck

[fattyflattie 4639]

Have always enjoyed the idea of a micro skiff. Probably not crossing the bay on a rough chop, but perfect for stalking the flats and running protected. Granted, I don't fly fish (yet), but I'd roll along with a trolling motor casting as I went. 
 
Something like this, or a bit bigger, even (though they actually do have smaller). 

Will have a little HB one day. Maybe when the kids get old enough for me to pole around.




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[Pescado_Rojo 19413]

44 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Will have a little HB one day. Maybe when the kids get old enough for me to pole around.




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Don't do it! They'll end up better fishermen than you, and won't stop talking shit. 

Edited August 8, 2022 by Pescado_Rojo

[Pescado_Rojo 19413]

If I had won the powerball the other night I'd have one of these on order. Absolutely the finest built skiff floating these days. They make about 12 a year, all by hand. They have about an 18 month lead time. 

Drake Boatworks

[fattyflattie 4639]

30 minutes ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

Don't do it! They'll end up better fishermen than you, and won't stop talking shit. 

Shit they may already be. I don’t even fish anymore, just dream about when I did.  
 

But seeing how my rig would cost me 2.5x what I paid to have same built today, and it’s been maintained with open checkbook since day 1, I just keep it and continue to dream that someday I’ll get back into the groove.  Career building and competition children’s sports have said FU to me on that lately.  

[Pescado_Rojo 19413]

1 hour ago, fattyflattie said:

Shit they may already be. I don’t even fish anymore, just dream about when I did.  
 

But seeing how my rig would cost me 2.5x what I paid to have same built today, and it’s been maintained with open checkbook since day 1, I just keep it and continue to dream that someday I’ll get back into the groove.  Career building and competition children’s sports have said FU to me on that lately.  

Been there. The ex tried to talk me into selling my Hell's Bay several times when the kids were small. So glad I didn't let her win that one. 

[Kennythetiger 9375]

4 hours ago, UncleBuck said:

Have always enjoyed the idea of a micro skiff. Probably not crossing the bay on a rough chop, but perfect for stalking the flats and running protected. Granted, I don't fly fish (yet), but I'd roll along with a trolling motor casting as I went. 

 

Something like this, or a bit bigger, even (though they actually do have smaller). 

You’re doing it backwards. Make the little fuckers pole you around. Lunch ain’t free. 

[Pescado_Rojo 19413]

21 minutes ago, Kennythetiger said:

You’re doing it backwards. Make the little fuckers pole you around. Lunch ain’t free. 

meh...it's harder than it looks. 

[fattyflattie 4639]

4 hours ago, Kennythetiger said:

You’re doing it backwards. Make the little fuckers pole you around. Lunch ain’t free. 

Shit I wish.  

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12301]

12 hours ago, Pescado_Rojo said:

meh...it's harder than it looks. 

[UncleBuck 6452]

13 hours ago, Kennythetiger said:

You’re doing it backwards. Make the little fuckers pole you around. Lunch ain’t free. 

Hell no. For me, if they get too crazy, I'll just hop off and set 'em off on a track somewhere. 

[Frank Erwin 203]

Oldest son caught his first trout on a fly.  He hooked two big (18-20") rainbows, but after he landed this guy, all he wanted to do was fly fish the rest of the trip

[Spaulding Smails 1552]

We did a quick day float on the Devils River this weekend.  Fishing was slow, but caught a few smallies and a few largemouth.  We stopped for lunch just above Turkey Bluff, pulled the kayaks up onto a shelf, ate some sammiches and drank a few beers.  My son and his buddies went swimming and exploring.  A few minutes later, I see him walking up with an 18" largemouth in his hands.  No rod / reel.  That dude saw a bass that had somehow meandered its way into a shallow pool that was about 10' in diameter and 18" deep with no way to get out.  He somehow managed to corral it by hand.  We took a quick pic and released it back into the river.  First time I've ever seen someone catch a bass by hand.  

[DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt 12301]

16 hours ago, Frank Erwin said:

Oldest son caught his first trout on a fly.  He hooked two big (18-20") rainbows, but after he landed this guy, all he wanted to do was fly fish the rest of the trip

allsome. what river?

[Frank Erwin 203]

6 hours ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

allsome. what river?

Pine River (los pinos) between Durango and Pagosa.

[fattyflattie 4639]

9 hours ago, Spaulding Smails said:

We did a quick day float on the Devils River this weekend.  Fishing was slow, but caught a few smallies and a few largemouth.  We stopped for lunch just above Turkey Bluff, pulled the kayaks up onto a shelf, ate some sammiches and drank a few beers.  My son and his buddies went swimming and exploring.  A few minutes later, I see him walking up with an 18" largemouth in his hands.  No rod / reel.  That dude saw a bass that had somehow meandered its way into a shallow pool that was about 10' in diameter and 18" deep with no way to get out.  He somehow managed to corral it by hand.  We took a quick pic and released it back into the river.  First time I've ever seen someone catch a bass by hand.  

My little brother did that with about a 24” bonnet head when we were kids. I’d guess he was 5 or 6. My dad about shit his pants when he showed up with it, holding it by the tail. It got hung up between the first bar and shore, apparently. It was green af. 

[Masshole Horn 769]

Bass camp starts tomorrow, but I took the gf out on the Deerfield river with my favorite guide as a pre-camp excursion.

We stopped counting after 50 smallies and ended up with 5 bass in the 17”-19” class. (She caught 4 of them). She was awesome fishing flukes, and the smallies took my poppers all afternoon. I even took a blackmail picture of the guide trying out the spinning rod. He caught a bass on his only cast.

This last big one came when I had hooked the small bass on a popper and saw the big one chasing it. I barked out orders to cast at my fish and she got the big one to take her fluke. It was a really dramatic take, super close to the raft, and it taped out at 19”.



As per usual, saw lots of wildlife, including a bald eagle catching a fish.

Finished the day up with a Charley Crockett concert in Holyoke, MA.

[cknight 184]

I got to fly fish for the second time this year and it really is addicting. The gift of having to really concentrate; be present and learn is amazing. Nothing like standing in a river all day!

This is from the cimmarron river outside of eagle nest, NM. Only caught one small brown and this rainbow but can’t beat river therapy.

[troph 24781]

1 hour ago, cknight said:

I got to fly fish for the second time this year and it really is addicting. The gift of having to really concentrate; be present and learn is amazing. Nothing like standing in a river all day!

This is from the cimmarron river outside of eagle nest, NM. Only caught one small brown and this rainbow but can’t beat river therapy.

The gift of having to really concentrate… yes that’s it. For some of us the only way to clear the mind is to fill it intensely with something else. Tennis and Flyfishing do it for me in a way I can’t explain but I find the zen flow in them both and then immortality for the 2 hours I play the match and for the 8 hours I cast into the stream or on the flats. No yesterday, no tomorrow, no faults, insecurities, hurts, or anxieties, just me and the ball or the fish. It’s heaven. Find the flow.

[tx 3 putt 76869]

On 8/7/2022 at 11:53 AM, UncleBuck said:

The Boy likes the new set-up 

 

is that by bridge city ?

[UncleBuck 6452]

7 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

is that by bridge city ?

Nah, a couple hundred miles further down the coast. 

[mapplewhite132 309]

10 hours ago, cknight said:

I got to fly fish for the second time this year and it really is addicting. The gift of having to really concentrate; be present and learn is amazing. Nothing like standing in a river all day!

This is from the cimmarron river outside of eagle nest, NM. Only caught one small brown and this rainbow but can’t beat river therapy.

Very nice! I fished the cimmarron (probably very close to your picture) about 2 weeks ago. Used a guide from Taos fly shop. Had a great trip. 

[Frank Erwin 203]

On 8/15/2022 at 9:35 PM, cknight said:

I got to fly fish for the second time this year and it really is addicting. The gift of having to really concentrate; be present and learn is amazing. Nothing like standing in a river all day!

This is from the cimmarron river outside of eagle nest, NM. Only caught one small brown and this rainbow but can’t beat river therapy.

I was fishing there about ten years ago.  Relaxing in the River, away from the summer heat, enjoying the serenity of the moment.  I look up and see two bear cubs on the bank.  Then I see mama bear up River (with me in between) I could have tapped her with  a fly cast, and I'm not a great caster. Only time I have ever been scared of a bear in the wild.  Thankfully, mama walked on over to her cubs and paid me no mind.  When I got back to the car my legs were still shaking. 

[justhookit 4191]

Been in CR for 3 weeks now without fishing but headed out tomorrow. Marlin fishing out 100ish miles has been really good - my friend recently went 33-49 or something on blue marlin over 3 days - but this trip wasn’t to do that so we will go out about 25 miles and hope for dorado for dinner and some sailfish mixed in. Tuna have been at about 40 miles lately unfortunately. Might get lucky and find a marlin or 2. Going to be looking for color changes or floating logs.

No matter what it will be great to get back on the water fishing for the first time since April.

[justhookit 4191]

Something to get us fired up about before fishing. . . . I never sleep well before the night we fish. Hopefully see something like this a few times.

 

[tequila 317]

Update for anyone who’s interested.  I ended up buying a 2023 Shallow Sport X3 25.  I managed to find one that someone had ordered and decided he didn’t want.  Dealer was taking possession end of last week.  According to all the dealers I talked to, they’re running about a year out if you were to order one today, so I feel fairly lucky to have been in the right place at the right time.  It even managed to be pretty much the same color scheme I would have ordered anyway.  I should be picking it up next weekend.  So freaking stoked!

[fattyflattie 4639]

3 hours ago, tequila said:

Update for anyone who’s interested.  I ended up buying a 2023 Shallow Sport X3 25.  I managed to find one that someone had ordered and decided he didn’t want.  Dealer was taking possession end of last week.  According to all the dealers I talked to, they’re running about a year out if you were to order one today, so I feel fairly lucky to have been in the right place at the right time.  It even managed to be pretty much the same color scheme I would have ordered anyway.  I should be picking it up next weekend.  So freaking stoked!

Hoping you at least got a chance to water test that simmons?  X3 is a cool boat. Huge. 

[justhookit 4191]

Welp, we got a lot of dorado sandwiches. Found a great debris line with logs but the water color was awful, sort of a murky green. Could have filled the boat with 5 pound dorado but there was nothing else there. I think the biggest one we caught was about 10 pounds. Finally found bluish water at the end of the day and went 2/2 on sails. Fun time with good friends.

[tequila 317]

11 hours ago, fattyflattie said:

Hoping you at least got a chance to water test that simmons?  X3 is a cool boat. Huge. 

No water test, but I've talked to enough people/researched enough that I'm comfortable picking it up.  If it doesn't work out, the used market for them is fairly resilient (almost non-existent) and can probably get out of it for a minimal loss.

[fattyflattie 4639]

9 minutes ago, tequila said:

No water test, but I've talked to enough people/researched enough that I'm comfortable picking it up.  If it doesn't work out, the used market for them is fairly resilient (almost non-existent) and can probably get out of it for a minimal loss.

The X3s are cool rigs. Huge, but when is that a bad thing on the water? What power? 

[tequila 317]

Merc 400R.  It should go pretty good.  

[Pescado_Rojo 19413]

6 hours ago, fattyflattie said:

The X3s are cool rigs. Huge, but when is that a bad thing on the water? What power? 

I always thought it would make a good hybrid bay/ light offshore rig. 

[Sbbruin 21829]

This is cool.  The Catalina Flyer, one of the many Catalina ferries, had some downtime waiting for their next return to the mainland, and with the bluefin tuna fishing going off right now, decided to troll around a bit, and landed one.

for reference, here is the Flyer.  Not your typical fish slayer

 

[fattyflattie 4639]

23 minutes ago, tequila said:

Merc 400R.  It should go pretty good.  

Hell yeah. We’ve been looking at either 400r or 450r for repower.  The 450 is just a bit too heavy, and I’d be replacing an already heavy motor. The price between the 300 and 400 is somewhat negligible so why not. 

[tequila 317]

Here’s a few pics:







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[tequila 317]

Dammit tapa

[tequila 317]

Tapa double

[tequila 317]

Tapa double

[justhookit 4191]

We have differing definitions of the word few.

[Deej 76754]

Out at the pond this morning before sunrise. Too dark to see anything and throwing a lipless crank. Cast out, start to retrieve and the line stops cold. Damn, hung up. Then notice the line pulling of my reel and set the hook and the line really starts flying. I can't see anything but I can hear the fish break the surface multiple times. Finally get it up to me, excited that I might have a nice bass, maybe a catfish. 

Damn it. 

 

[Mac8111 2105]

For us saltwater elitist that don’t know, what is that? A carp?


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