Spring Summer Fall 2021 Fishing Thread

Holliday Unchained

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Today I collected my first 2 trout of the year. Couple of Rainbows.
Could have caught many but 2 is good for a couple of meals.

I generally render mine unconscious immediately, head them and gut them on the spot so the fish is not left suffering.
Here is a nice educational vid on how that is best done.

Caught mine on a Thomas Rough Rider x700 1/5 oz spoon, and a 1/8 oz Roostertail.

 

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I'm think of getting into surf fishing, looks fun. I've seen some decent sized rockfish pulled out of the surf
93a0b019696ed4bba5cb2b72dc4aae5f--bikini-fishing-surf-fishing.jpg


And you meet interesting people too.
 

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hmm, wonder if that 17 yr old knew u took that picture of her? or is she juss another object to u that u can exploit for entertainment? do u respect her? no. Do u admire her fishing stance? no. U r a creepy old man.
 
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Holliday Unchained

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Whell, pigrims - finally got on the board with the Smallies today.
3 Smallies, one Pickerel and a darn big Walleye - all on a YoZuri SP 70 minnow
that there is a suspending minnow bait which I hadn't used at this time of year previously, but it closely resembles Alewife which is a common forage fish in these parts.

Alewife was also the name given to Europe's ol Tymey master beer brewers

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!
 
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Holliday Unchained

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Nice morning of the local reses - 9 nice Smallies in 2 1/2 hrs.
. Them suspending baits (which I mentioned above) are irresistible apparently.

Forgot the camera again.
Got plans for some fishing up northwest of here
a few days up in the cabin with my fishing pard lass.

. I'll be sure to bring it then.....probably.
 

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Today I collected my first 2 trout of the year. Couple of Rainbows.
Could have caught many but 2 is good for a couple of meals.

I generally render mine unconscious immediately, head them and gut them on the spot so the fish is not left suffering.
Here is a nice educational vid on how that is best done.

Caught mine on a Thomas Rough Rider x700 1/5 oz spoon, and a 1/8 oz Roostertail.



That is not you, is it?
 
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Holliday Unchained

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All days are not created equal, pilgrims.
.Against my better judgement I took to the reservoirs again this morning.
Nada.
Cold front - awful day with wind to 10 mph.
But I had seen a duck yesterday I couldn't get a positive ID on so today I brought the bins
and it was a Bufflehead. Hadn't ever got a positive ID on one before so the day wasn't a total loss
and it was a good lesson to listen to my better judgement.

The Bufflehead duck:

images
302053701-480px.jpg
 
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Holliday Unchained

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Well, today was another decent day at the local res'.
Warmer, calmer - 4 nice Smallies to a bit over two lbs, and my first Largemouth of the year down by the spillway - they like it there - a 3 lber.
The Bufflehead is still at the inlet end - very happy. It's a pretty, happy duck.

Went yesterday with the fishing pard in a small boat - it never works and some people just don't want to learn anything beyond what they think they know. Can't explain anything to the lady.
.To me you want to enjoy fishing then you study it like any other subject - you become a student,
you invest in the tools, take time and experiment.
. I don't know, I just can't see there being any other way to become good at something.
I mean - I'm having dinner, I'm reading, and researching gear and techniques, learning what makes my quarry tick. Maybe watch a youtube etc.
 
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Holliday Unchained

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.Well, pilgrims - interesting day.
I know I mentioned on the hiking thread that the beavers had rebuilt
. and the mountain pond was full to the brim - Swans with eggs 4.
Mentioned I think, that I have wanted to fish that pond knowing there are Largemouth Bass in there.
. So today I went equipped with Johnson Silver Minnows and Nikko trailors.
I've fished this type of place before so knew what to do and the payoff - 19 Bass in 2 hrs.
All fairly small, but I know there are some better ones in there. Got none over a pound and a half,
but they were plenty fun, and very healthy.
If I return, I will do so after the weeds have emerged and lay in mats on the water's surface.
I will bring only lures which can be worked directly over the weeds and large surface baits, like frogs and Bity Rats, which will attract only the biguns in the open water. I won't catch as many but if there are larger ones I will get them.

So - the Swans. All seems to be well.
Now - those of you who do not know of Swan ways may not be aware that Swans, the males, can be very aggressive defending their lady and eggs and the cygnets once hatched.
. I missed the beginning of the confrontation - what may have precipitated the pursuit,
. but I came to witness at the point when the Swam was paddling after the goose, chasing it around, see.
Now what I hadn't noticed was that the goose's mate had taken up residence on the beaver's hut around which the swan was giving chase.
Now - a swan is a biiiiig fuckin bird, so is a goose but there is no comparison in size
though as one finds, there is no comparison either to a male goose defending his turf
and I tell you
..that goose turned on that swan and gave him a good stern warning not to mess with his legacy (if that's the right word, though I don't care if it is because that's the one I'm using here).
Honestly - it was shocking - that goose more than held it's own in the pitched battle that ensued and ultimately drove off the swan. Very impressive.

.Now, you're probably all like
but where's the pics? We want pics, because werdz are haaard doncheknow.
.Well, believe it or not I remembered the camera, but sadly
. I forgot to check the battery which was stone dead. Sorry on that
I know how much you wanted pics and your disappointment can not match mine for having let you down.

I will do better next time - promise.
 
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Holliday Unchained

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Against my better judgement I went to the res to fish the Smallies but got luck with the Trout, one of which will be tonight's dinner.

Took a really bad pic of it when I got home, but the imgbb link isn't working.

looked something like this:

XHItFGToplfVywH-800x450-noPad.jpg


and will be deeeelicious with mushrooms and onions.

...also the reservoir has never been so drawn down and I should have had my camera to snap some pics of the exposed structure. Got to remember to bring the camera.
 
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Holliday Unchained

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Quick Fish Story:
Woke up this morning (with a raging boner - though that's another story)

. and while engaged in enjoying morning espresso coffee a though dawned:
I've wanted to go to this little state forest pond which has some big sunfish, and see if it holds any
. Bass. I thought it must have some.
Time being easy these-a-days

.I grabbed my stout rod
rigged a Silver Minnow and Nikko trailer and headed off.

.Hadn't been there in some years - first thing I notice is that a recently introduced invasive had taken over the place but I bravely walked on to the pond and threw my first cast - slightly errant
Cranked 'er in along the weedy edge, my 35 year old SG21 drawing the line silently in when

.....WHAMO

. Hook up - 3 lb Largemouth on
Fought well and landed. (released lovingly and unharmed)

1 more hour and no Bass - just them darn Pickerels.

That's how it is in some small ponds.
. If there are Pickerel, which are voracious feeders
populations of other fish are low but those that there are are larger - because they're survivors.

..and that's todays entry.
 
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Holliday Unchained

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Okay - so I promised @Breakfall , aka old couch-a-tater out of shape derelict retard guy (who I THOUGHT was my good buddy but then he talked harsh to me this morning), that I would make a report on trip to the ridge pond, and here is:

Nice hike in on the beautifully delicious spring day - just about a half hour.
The thing was - I know this pond gets chokes with a very slimy variety of aquatic vegitation
and an algae (?) of some sort that lays in mats on the surface. I wanted to determine if it would be possible to fish across the surface of that stuff in search of some larger Bass since all I mostly caught was dinks and smallish ones. Got to be bigger ones in there.
Caught 13 in 1 1/2 hr - all small Largemouth.
But interesting, my primary over the weeds lure was not good over this vegetation so now I know I'll need another style surface lure for the work. And - I did have strikes through the whatever it is but no hookups using a Fluke rigged weedless. I would not have expected that for another couple of weeks, but
you know - it's a shallow body of water and warmer that those I usually fish so everything may be advanced. They may spawn early etc so I'll check it out again within two weeks with a new lure selection.

Took pics but unfortunately the image host I was using is being difficult. So sorry, pilgrims.
 
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Holliday Unchained

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First topwater catch today. 2 lb Largemouth on vintage Spit n Image - Northern NJ lake.

Got some steep temps today - always happens in May. Spawn is here - I always count on May 20.

. River will be hot soon.
Running low on posts.

Have a great summer, pilgrims.
 

Holliday1881

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Today was a beautiful early summer day in the wilds of northern New Jersey.
. Started out with me successfully completing my Bow Hunter Ed course and collecting my certificate.
. Then I made a nice mushroom omelette for myself which was deeeeelicious.
.Then took the new bow - 65" Algonquin style to which I applied a buckskin handle wrap.
. Took it to the range and shot a while - sweet.

Then I made my way back up to the ridge pond I have writ of before.
.wanted to try a small frog lure across the green stuff on the surface of the water.
.I was pleased as punch with the result. Plenty strikes and hook ups.
. 12 Bass - largemouth - in 1 and a quarter hour. Nice hike in and out.
God - just a picture perfect day - mid 70s sun and clouds.
. All the living things were happy and grateful for it.

Exiled posts below:

As elsewhere noted - I am prepping for a day of fishing by boat on a locallish lake and due to the size of the boat, which will be shared with my fishing pard, I have to limit myself to two rigs. On my own I would take 5 to cover expected situations, so two is tough. I've decided to take a spinnerbait rod and devote it to that bait exclusively and bring also a 6' 6" medium heavy rod with 12 lb line on the reel. I think I can use that for both jigs and topwater baits, and even do some trolling with it.

We will also be picnicking

and...

Okay, everybody - please.
. Stop with the calls, cards, and emails

I told you I'd give you a report on our day fishing the wilderness lake and I will.
. Just not now...

Naw - just kidding - now for sure. Yep

We got to haul the boat in on a cart and it took an hour, mutch up hill
which was hard for me on account of the lung issues.
.Kids - I know I've writ it before and may again:
. If you smoke - quit
if you don't, don't start.
. You will regret it.

. This really is a beautiful lake lined with Pines and ferns and just a short bushwakin walk from the water's edge the biggest field of wild Blueberry I have ever seen.

. We brought picnic lunches and plenty water since it was 90 degrees and largely sunny out.
What a beautiful place where Eagles fly on a mountain high
.and never a harsh werd is spoken
really, just lovely.
...and no people there not too many Bass either as we later found.

It was my opinion to head from the point of puttin in
To the furthest extreme - that being the shallower end where I thought the targets would be in easier reach. I think this proved true, as the fishin pard nailed a nice Largemouth just before lunch break
and we both had one get away right there after before I got a very game Smallie on a spinnerbait
just at the shore in shaller wauder.
And then we just enjoyed being there as my carelessness lost me two spinnerbaits in circumstance I care not to relate lest I anger myself.
..and my lady friend, who I brought along in spite of my being a woman hating fayget an all,
fouled both of her reels.
Then - just as we got back to the put out point
I nailed a nice LMB off the top.
After thet
We took the short way home and were all like
Ya mean we didn't have to take an hour up hill to put in after all?

Now - you must be thinking about now
Well shit Hollerdey
you must really stink about now, but you'd be wrong
because I use Thai Crystal Deodorant Stones

It's the best deodorant and it lasts forever.

..and it's 100% natural
 

Holliday1881

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WoW - just came across this.
Doug Hannon - hadn't heard the name in ages.
Read one of his books (Bass Fishing) about 35 years ago.

He was famous at the time for having caught over 400 Bass of 10 lbs or more.
He was the big Bass guru. Doug passed away at 66 YoA in 2013.

PS: had a nice days on the river - the lovely Lenapehanna - yesterday.
6 nice Smallies - no 10 lbers.
Bear and coyote coming to feast on the Shad carcasses.
Loads of American Toad polys in the water.

 

Holliday1881

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Tomorrow I'll be getting back to the lovely Lenapehanna for some wet wading for the Smallies.
. Going to hit the same area as last week, where I had a bit-o-success.
. Got a few extra choices in my lure case, subtracted a few others as the season is transiting to summer.
.Just had remembered reading of the technique of using ned jigs on senko worms so I'll be giving that a go particularly in the afternoon hours.

. This afternoon I'm Permethrining a couple pairs of pants and t-shirts. It's what the hunters use for bug control and now that I have my Hunter Ed and Bow Hunter Ed certificates I'm official, and I too will Permethrin.
. Ticks/Lyme - patooey - WHY GOD WHY !

Had a lovely drive last w/e with the fishin pard up to Bethel Woods area - it's where her horses are.
They are doing so much better now than last I saw them.
enyway - we stopped briefly a Bethel Wood - site of Woodstock festival. I had never been there as not far as I live from it. I will have to go see a show some time soon.
.Just a really peaceful and beautiful region.
3 days and half a million people - an not a harsh word was spoken.
 
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Holliday1881

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Fished a new section of the lovely Lenapehanna today.
. Went out exploring the Old Mine Road accesses in the wilds of northern NJ
. having checked out google satellite on the previous day
. that being yesterday.
Found a spot I wanted to investigate and gathered the gear carward
. en set off.
..... Unrelated music vid


.. Uh.. okay so
.I pass the turnoff and end up going down this long, steep dirt road thing to the river which turns out has no serviceable turnaround
.so being the awesome Fast and Furious kind of driver I am
I back my way up the trail and flip a high speed 180 over a mammoth pot hole thing in the mud..
...but I digress

I get to the proper pulloff, ya see
.and find a vague trail down to the river
get down there and beauty.

Too shallow but I see a down-river section lookin good.

Fish on !

jumps off

.A few more casts with the Baby Torpedo and I hook up a big cruiser.
Without doubt the second largest Smallie I have caught on the river.
. 2 and a half plus.

A beautiful section of river though and the animals there seem unconcerned about human activity.
There was a family of Common Merganser who let me within 50 ft and never started.
Normally they start to run 100 yards off.
A Grackle - 15 ft in front of my trek - no concern.

That, I assume, is how infrequently they have human company.
.No fear.

Related vid:



. So aside from the fishing and exploring
. my other mission was to even out my sunburn.
I wear bandana often, but a cupla days ago at a cool party
.I got a little more sun than expected given the forecast
.and had a resulting band of sunburn vs protected area across my brow
which I aimed to even off by use of sunscreen and hatlessness.

I'm an evenly broiled lobster now.

 
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Holliday1881

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The cards, calls, and emails have been coming:

"Holliday, the suspense is killing us - what have you been doing on the fishing front?
please....please write of your exploits, or we shant be able to go on."

. Okay - I got a moment in-between exploits.

Well, let's see - where was I?......
.. Oh - It took about a week and a half to recover from the sun poisoning.
..but I had decided earlier in the year to explore the localish ponds for Largemouth Bass.
I mentioned the Ridge Pond
.but there were a couple on the AT I have passed many a time hiking that I wanted to check out.

It's easy to overlook these tiny ponds but they can hold good sized Bass and as I say - they often go little disturbed.
I had ordered a medium action 2 piece casting rod on ebay
action was a little light considering the 8-20 Lb spec

but I mounted a vintage Calcutta 101 XT on it and it has worked out well as a pack rod.

2.jpg



My first trip was to a tiny farm pond.
Weedy, I displaced a Great Blue who then waited in the adjacent field.
Little pond but many of birds including Green Heron, and also Otter visit.

Caught a shorty LMB on a Silver Minnow (gold one)

rs.php


with a Nikko trailer. (this is a very productive weedless lure)
then a 2 1/2 lber and a 2, plus another 5 dinks in 30 minutes.

Got results at 2 other ponds.
These can be hard to fish at this time of year due to the undergrowth - many thorns
.but I had a 2.5/3 lber in front of me on a tiny roadside pond - Which wouldn't be enticed.
Caught a couple of his grandfish though.

All in all - on my 3 hike-in trips - 4 ponds 18 Largemouth in abooooout 3 hrs fish time - and that is in the early afternoon, which is the worst time to fish.

Got one for this week - I see a vague trail in on the satellite map, to an off-trail pond me and a buddy got sliced up trying to reach a cupla years ago.
Gonna bring the trusty 2 piece Shimano rod/Calcutta, Pad Crasher frog, 4" Senko worms, and Silver Minnow + Nikko.

It's Catamount country - so if I do not post again..
nice knowing some of you.
 

Holliday1881

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Fished a lake I pass while hiking - never been certain if it was open to public but met a fellow hiker/fisherman who said it is - he's about to embark on the VanLife experience he says. I told him Travels with Charlie in Search of America is a must read then. Nice fellow - great info.

So I fished the one side and a feeder pond two days ago. The pond seems to have mostly or only pickerel - the dreaded, slippery slim, razor toothed monsters. The lake turns out to have both Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. Caught 2 Largemouth in an hour that first day. It's about 40-45 minute hike in to that side.
Today I went in by another route to the opposite end and side of the lake, where it was possible to do some wet wading - 4 Smallies and one Largemouth there, and the best hookup, a largemouth escaped a few feet in front of me when I misplayed it. But they are in there - nothing too big so far.
Very nice hike in - lots of wild flowers etc, and the lake itself is ringed all around with Highbush Blueberry which are just coming ripe - a nice treat. Did some cool bushwacking to more remote fishing spots also which was a nice workout.

Very enjoyable all around.
..and I did make it into that little pond I'd mentioned. Hard to access any shoreline - very wild, but did land one Largemouth. This year I have now caught Bass in maybe 9 waters (mostly ponds) where I'd never fished before. These waters rescued the summer for me since the river has been very high due to the incessant rains.
One little side story - the second Smallie I caught today had a jighead and plastic trailer lodged in it's throat. It was trying to feed nonetheless, but could never have swallowed its prey. I think the fisherman who'd caught it couldn't extract the hook so cut the line and released the fish, but the fish smartly allowed itself to be caught again in the hopes that, that fisherman (being me) might fetch that hook out and set him free - which I did. I like to think that fish will survive in spite of the trials it's been through.

Today is my 365th day posting on this message board (Tomorrow the 1 year anniversary). My compadres and I have classed it up - raised the poster avg IQ like 40 or 50 points, however I find it an exhausting effort so this may be the last instalment for a while.

Till then:

 

Holliday1881

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Well, made the promise in a recent main board post to tell the tale of my recent fishing day and catch, and I will.
.First, however, I will tell about today, and though I am loath to post on such an obscure sub-board as this rather on the main board (Politics), this here is an already existing thread on the very subject upon which I will write
...so.....

Beautiful cool northeastern late summer's day. Overcast light wind - just perfect to hike and fish, so I resolve to take an AT hike out to a little pond I have previously writ of where the Shagbark Hickory trees are producing monster nuts this year. The pond has never disappointed me in the 5 or so time I've been there all but once I've caught at least one 2 Lb Largemouth. So I start out throwing a Silver Minnow and getting lots of hits but no hookups which is unusual even for the dinks. Maybe they aren't catching up to it, I think, and switch to a Super Fluke Jr and pick up 3 small ones in another location, then just before reaching an hr of fishing time elapsed returned to my original spot (near the biggest Hickory nuts) then got a good strike. Didn't feel all that large at first, but then a tail flip gave away it's size and its swimming power followed. When the Bass got into the grasses it was a challenge but I landed the 3+ pounder after a good tussle.
...and these big ass Hickory nuts are deeeeelicious.

. now - back to the 13th which I'd like to say was a day like any other, but it wasn't. Woke up feeling like shit, but decided to follow through on my plan to go do some bow-work at the archery range then hit a local pond near High Point NJ since I'd had some recent indication there might be a few Bass in there to have a little fun with.
. My Archerying was so bad and I felt so crappy that I cut my usual session in half and left.
On the way back I though, well since it's a nice day for fishing weatherwise and I will be passing close by, why not follow through on the second half of my plan an take a little time at the pond.

...great decision.
I had taken the Calcutta and traded the short rod (5' 6") in for a 6' 6" medium heavy vintage Fenwick
just to give me a little more casting distance I know I needed to reach the deep water edge of the water-shield which surrounds the pond. Nice Bass cover. I picked up one a bit over a pound just a week or so earlier and had a few other hits on a Pad Crasher Frog. Got quickly to a spot which had seemed promising
and got that old frog out to the edge of the pads and drew it in - WHAMO!
I knew I had a decent fish - it put plenty pressure on the pole. Fishing a weedy lake with pads like this I always make sure to set the drag carefully so it slips well before the break strength of the line (14 lb XT Green). This fish pulled hard and I gained a little ground, then could not budge it so I let her have a little line in the hope she'd move straight back into the cleared space and I could then get her head up and move her in across the tops of the pads.
.That worked 2 or 3 times but only had brought the fish to about half the distance from the point it was hooked, and...
.I could move it no more.
By now I know I got a good one and the only way I'm getting it is to go get it. Can't horse it in.

.You know, pads, weeds, they grow in mucky bottoms so I had no idea how deep either the muck or the water was. I was in about 3 or 4 inches of muck right away and had to move through about 40 ft to reach my catch. Slooooowly I moved,
inch by inch
step by step.
Jewels deep I reach out and cleared the pads away revealing the giant Bass mouff.
Lipping her I pluck the 6 Lber from the water - shocked.

Years earlier an ol' timer had told me there were large Bass in there but you had to work the weeds.
It's my style of fishing but I hadn't given it a go till this year.

Anyone Know where CaseyK is? She okay?

d2bd8066-16af-4f30-89bc-90a23d456371.754d4665edba6b7ef9bd85ffb0ff4019.jpeg
 
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