Fishing season is here!!!!!

[Hindsight]

Well the annual Walleye run has started in the Maumee River and it has been elbow to elbow on the river. Thinking of heading there this weekend to get some of that Walleye goodness. I have not gotten the itch like I have in the past few years to get out on the water. Maybe a few Fish stories and some pics from you guys will help. Ever since I landed a few 40+ inch Northern Pike in Canada a few years ago, I find it hard to get excited about fishing. But once I hit the water a few times it all comes rushing back. So help a brother out. LOL

[SpyderPhreak]

I'm headed out to the lake tonight to try for some 20"+ 'eyes! Season is starting early here! Got a new rod to break in too (a St. Croix Avid, 7' MH)! Here's my Dad with some of our booty from a particularly good night last May:



A 21", 23", and a 27" 'eye (the one he's holding). It was a little on the light side for the length at 7 pounds. Wasn't too bad for about 5 hours working Bomber Long A's. We also threw back a bunch in the 15" range, and one that was about 19" (lake has a slot limit; nothing under 18", and only one over 24" per person).

Wish me luck!!!

[Hindsight]

Love the St. Croix rods. Now that is what I call a good night of fishing. I will have to make a few calls and see how Lake Erie eyes are hitting. The Maumee seems to be the hot spot right now. I have already heard of a few 30+ being pulled out of the river this year. Best of luck on the water. Stay safe and dry. Let us know how it goes. That pic makes me wish it was sunday.

[Hindsight]

Well I went down to the river yesturday. Nothing was biting. But that is ok. Got to spend some good time in the water with friends. Maybe next weekend will be better.

[SpyderPhreak]

Same here. I spent about 4 hours Friday night at the lake and an hour or so on the river at the inlet to the lake, and nothing, nada. Took the kids further up the river on Saturday afternoon, and nothing there either, even with bait.

[Hindsight]

I hope things start to pick up soon. Just being out in the water has my casting muscles twitching. LOL

[SpyderPhreak]

Was out in a small club boat (16' Al with 25hp outboard) on Friday evening. Managed to get me one 20 incher. Ate him last night. Yum!

[Hindsight]

Congrats. I am hoping to get on the river thursday for a few hours. hopefully the weather is nice and the water clarity is good.

[SpyderPhreak]

Thanks! 'Tis a double-egded sword though. After fishing Friday, I went and spent several hundred dollars Sunday on some new equipment. I had borrowed some on Friday which helped me catch the fish, so I bought my own. "Gear" (for anything it seems) is getting so danged expensive!!!

[Hindsight]

I know the feeling. I am getting very picky on what gear I am gonna use for certain fish. I also hate swapping rigs all the time. So I am now just buying a set up for each type of fishing that I do. This is gonna get expensive. LOL

[SpyderPhreak]

Yep, but when the kids want to join me, I just consider it an investment! It makes it easier to justify to the wife anyway!

[Hindsight]

I am trying to justify it to myself in a way that doesn't make me sound lazy.

[snwbrdr202]

Fellas...just caught this gorgeous Rainbow on my fly rod!!! About 18'' but a true fatty; first fish this big on super light tackle. Just had to share!

[SpyderPhreak]

Fellas...just caught this gorgeous Rainbow on my fly rod!!! About 18'' but a true fatty; first fish this big on super light tackle. Just had to share!

Nice catch!!! Details on the equipment mang!!! I do a LOT of fly-fishing. (Typically 6x or less tippet in the places I go.)

[M67]

If I'm not fishing with a shotgun, it's just not sporting

[snwbrdr202]

Nice catch!!! Details on the equipment mang!!! I do a LOT of fly-fishing. (Typically 6x or less tippet in the places I go.)

Thanks brother, it was a massive fight! Using an Orvis Helios 7'6'', a standard Orvis tapered leader (4 lb. test), and I had a bead head copper colored nymph on the end of the line; no tippet. I barely even had to cast, but I stripped the line when the nymph got in the fast water...and BOOM! I hate to be pessimistic, but I doubt I will get another like that this year in these small PA streams...

[Hindsight]

Very nice fatty. I am going to have to make it to PA this year. You guys always seem to have good fishing.

[rpn]

Fellas...just caught this gorgeous Rainbow on my fly rod!!! About 18'' but a true fatty; first fish this big on super light tackle. Just had to share!

That's pretty!

Tomorrow is opening day in CT. Will be my 6 yr olds 1st time out early...worms and bobbers baby! ha ha haa! What are you gonna do? I just hope he hooks up...

[gentemanndvm]

on a dry fly, no less (small grey drake for you flyfishermen out there). prob 22-24ish inches. bunches of fun. i'm 6'4" and 255# if that helps scale it properly. i'm not trying to hold it out to make it look bigger, it was plenty big enough, pic just turned out that way.




and as a bonus, that's not even CLOSE to the biggie of the day. also caught a 28 inch Lahontan Cutthroat on a chironomid in my pontoon boat later in the day. the guy with me who took the picture with his iphone fell in the lake as we were getting our 'toons out to come home. which was spectacularly hilarious, except that his iphone is currently in 'dry out and hope' mode, and it doesn't look good. but i'll post the pic if it's salvageable in the next couple days. it was a nice fish.

for those of you who don't know what a lahontan looks like: they get bigger than other subspecies of cutthroat. thrive in alkaline lakes. this pic is from a tiny little creek that drains into the lake we fished. they head up it to spawn in the springtime. creek itself is closed to fishing, but super cool to go in and watch these 25-30inch monsters work their way up this little tiny creek. they look like these guys:

[snwbrdr202]

Gorgeous fish. Makes my cell phone picture look like crap