Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Syd Carr on June 10, 2015 at 14:34

1. We still have a couple of locally owned tackle shops around here, so when I need tackle I go there. One is located right on our harbor, and services commercial as well as recreational fisher persons, but only has marine gear. If I need freshwater gear I go to the other shop which has a little of everything. However, that being said, if I happen to be at a "big box" store or chain store, and they have what I need then I will buy tackle there too, especially if the price is right. As far as poles and reels go, it's wherever the price is the best, so I confess to being very economically motivated when buying bigger ticket items. I also buy fishing gear at yard sales and swap meets.

2. My favorite fishing is stream fishing, therefore trout would be the quarry, but being older and not as mobile as I used to be, I don't do that as often as I used to. Now that I live at a fishing port on the ocean, I go "deep sea" fishing at least a couple times a year. Depending on the "bite", I will go Albacore fishing in the fall if they come close enough to shore to make it affordable, that happens every other year or so. Albies are my favorite ocean fishing, when it's good it's GREAT. Yellow Tail fishing off of Catalina Island is a close second, but I have to travel through that dreaded SoCal area for that, (I HATE driving in LA), so I  don't go down there too often these days. Mostly we go bottom fishing for rock fish around here, and since I have a family member who captains one of the local party boats we do a family trip out with him once or twice a year. I find surf fishing to be as boring as watching paint dry, (same with most lake fishing), so I don't do that very often any more.

3. Live bait on the stream, nothing lures a trout to bite like a big fat juicy cricket, but of course I occasionally go fly fishing.. Ocean fishing is mostly a lure or jig thing, seems like if it's shiny or simply moving it gets hit, especially when "bottom" fishing for rock fish. Yellow Tail is another matter, we chum bait to get them to the surface, then hook an anchovy and swing it out into the "boil" once they rise, it gets REAL exciting after that, especially if several folks hook up at once. Albacore is a little different, but similar. We troll an artificial lure until there is a hit, (usually two lines at a time at the back of the boat), then stop the boat, then chum to get them to the surface, then a repeat of the Yellow Tail technique.

4. Been years since I did that, I do mostly day trips nowadays. I keep saying I want to load the camping gear and go to my favorite high country lake and/or streams up in the Sierra back country, but that's a lot of effort for me nowadays, so haven't done it in a while.

5. All my spouses and/or significant others, (too many to list...sigh), enjoyed fishing. My daughter's mother still thanks me for introducing her to fishing. The "Ugly Stick" carbon fishing pole I got her is one of her most prized possessions.

6. Of course I stop, if for nothing else than to go in and look at their knives.

7. When fly fishing it's usually release because they haven't swallowed the hook, and I usually only fly fish at "catch & release only" locations anyway. I ALWAYS eat what I catch when using bait because they usually swallow the bait and the hook. I have found that there is nothing tastier than a freshly caught fish, and other than canned tuna I seldom eat any fish unless I catch it myself, (I NEVER EVER buy and eat "fresh" grocery store fish, it simply is NOT fresh, what they consider fresh I consider spoiled).

Permalink Reply by John G Cable on June 10, 2015 at 14:58

1.  Most tackle I get from Catfish Connection or Cabela's online and Northwest Outfitters in Pinconning, MI locally.

2. Walleye, Northern, Musky, large and smallmouth bass, crappie, perch, rainbows and, kings.  I also love to catfish for Flatheads and Channels.

3.  Both depending o the day and species.

4.  Maybe once a year.... since we live here just off of Saginaw Bay and have a cottage on a 2000 acre lake less than 35 miles away and have a 16' walleye boat.

5.  Yes my wife and most of the grown kids and 12 grands like to fish and even sometimes fish with the old guy :-) 

6.  Always check out the new places looking for old knives and old time unsold lures and such.  I collect antique reels going back into the 1800's and you never know what you'll find.

7.  Depends on the fish and condition of it on keep or release.  Almost 30 years USN and don't eat fish from super markets only fresh caught

Permalink Reply by Shlomo ben Maved on June 10, 2015 at 18:38

1. We buy from our distributor as we sell some tackle and line at the lodge.  We've also been given tackle by makers to try out and a lot of the guests just leave their lures etc. for the guides. Many of them will never come back to a Northern locale so they won't need the tackle anymore.  Have also started tying my own flies and they actually catch fish!

2. Primarily Grayling and Arctic Char but we also go after Lake Trout, Northern Pike and Walleye but have to fly South for them.  In the home waters we go for Smallmouth Bass (no Largemouth nearby), Perch, Sauger, Bluegills, Crappie, Pumpkinseed, Sunfish, Goldeye, Mooneye, Carp, Whitefish, Sucker, Sturgeon, Channel Cats, Freshwater Drum (Silver Bass), Burbot, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Muskellunge.  

3. Use both.

4. I'm on a prolonged fishing trip every year for six months at a time.

5. Wife and all my daughters fish (as well as hunt) and a couple have even guided at the lodge.

6. Most certainly as well as local makers of any size.

7. The lodge waters are ONLY Catch & Release except for shore lunches; home waters it's catch and eat except for very large versions which we photograph or record and release.  Large, Northern fish usually don't taste as good as smaller version--I'd never eat a Walleye over 10 lbs.

Manitoba Fisheries 

.

Permalink Reply by Syd Carr on June 10, 2015 at 18:45

All this talk about fishing. Just called my daughter and told her I want to go fishing for Father"s Day. I'll report back if that happens.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on June 10, 2015 at 21:04

I see we have a few experts in this group.    As I've said many times, I'm absolutely no expert. I'm the dude the causes the guide to just shakes his head and lets out a quiet sigh.

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on June 10, 2015 at 22:02

1) Local owned tackle store

2) while in Florida it was Mahi Mahi, here it will be trout

3) I prefer live bait unless fly fishing

4) We have not in about 4 years but for a decade we spent the month of August in the Keys

5) Heck yes

6) Sure do

7) Depends on what we catch

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on June 11, 2015 at 11:14

I suppose I should also answer the questions:

1. Where do you buy most of your tackle?

 Whenever possible Bait Shops.  After than I like to shop at Cabelas.  However,   I admit that I mostly buy my big stuff from Walmart because it is affordable and were there buying other stuff. I sometimes go to Bass Pro-Shop but prefer Cabelas.

We fish around Dowagiac, Michigan about once a year and when in the area, I try to drop by Lunkers for both the store and the restaurant anytime I'm near Edwardsburg, Michigan a href="http://www.lunkers.com/" target="_blank">http://www.lunkers.com/ >.    I also hit the flea markets, garage and estate sales.

2. What type of fish do you normally go after?

Pan fish with the blue gill being one of my favorites.  But at the end of the day, if the fish is willing to take my bait I'm willing to try and catch it!

3. Are you more likely to use live or artificial bait?

For the better part of my life it has been live bait. Despite this, I've started the move to artificial.  I've got a lot to learn!

4. How many times a year do you do on a prolonged fishing trip (longer than a week-end)?

Unfortunately just once a year.  This year I'm going to try and double that!

5. Does your spouse or a significant other like to fish and if so do they like to fish with you?

I think my wife likes to fish more than I do.  I know she is more likely to catch a fish than me.  We normally go fishing with her brother and his family.

6. When visiting new places do you seek out bait shops even when you’re not fishing?

I'm the type of person who will stop the car and back up down the street if I see a bait shop, especially in a small town.  Often other people with me will get aggravated with me having to go to every bait shop but then once they go in and start looking around they will also walk out with a bunch of stuff in their hands.  I've said it before, my dream job is to own a bait shop. I'm sure they are bait shops located all around the world but to me the independent bait shop is part of America. I'd rather go to a bait shop than Walmart or Cabelas

7. Catch & Release, Catch & Eat, or both?

I'm mostly a catch and release type of person.  If the fish swallows the hook, then I suppose it is only right to put it out out of its misery.   Of course there are times when it is Catch & Eat time.  It is hard to have a fish fry without fish.  When we going fishing for the week, it is almost always Catch and Eat so long as the fish is within the legal limits.  

I will eat frozen fish, canned fish, and fish in certain restaurants.  I have also had and enjoyed the fresh fish from some grocery stores but I am choosy.

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Charles Sample on June 17, 2015 at 16:04

1)  I buy most of my tackle at Walmart but I also occasionally buy at Bass Pro or Gander Mountain.

2)  I normally fish for bass, crappie, or bream.  But will take anything that bites my lure.

3)  I almost exclusively use artificial bait.  However when I start taking my grandson fishing I will use live bait too.

4)  None.  Can't be away from home for prolonged periods.

5)  My wife would like to fish if she could.  She has in the past.

6)  No

7)  Almost exclusively catch and release.  Trash fish (carp and such) will just throw out on the bank.  Unless someone else wants them.

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on June 17, 2015 at 16:24

1- in my early teens- Western auto or a local shop Woody's Sport shop--As an adult, managed a couple of sporting goods stores, and sourced most of my stuff from Maurice Sporting goods or Cabela's wholesale- Nowadays, most comes from Gander Mountain.

2- Brim,catfish, bass,walleye, and carp for fun-

3- Depends on the time of year and time of day-- Shad guts or cheese ball for cat, dough balls for cat or carp, crawfish, or my favorite for night fishing in a river-Nightcrawlwers !!-- Thrill of sitting in the dark, lantern, lit, and never knowing if I had a 1/2 lb bluegill or a 10lb. carp on the line- Artificial bait for bass and sometimes jigs for brim.

4-once a year when camping

5-Yep, she does

6-Yes

7- Younger years- Catch & eat-- Nowadays, catch & release as a rule

Permalink Reply by Syd Carr on June 17, 2015 at 17:02

Wow, Western Auto, haven't heard that name for years. Man, we really were born in a different era weren't we John? Reminds me of so many things, Woolworth's across the street, Sears & JC Penny on the next block, Thrifty Drugs on the corner next to S & H Greenstamps. In the middle of it all sat the Fox theater. How many downtown's looked, felt, and were the same, or at least very similar? The locally owned sporting goods store was there too, in my case it was Dale's Sporting Goods, (long gone). It was a gathering place, especially on opening day of most any season you care to mention, they always opened at 4am on "opening day" & had donuts and coffee waiting when we got there. Western Auto was kind of a "discount"  variety store during that period, they always had a few basic items of almost everything, so if you just happened to be there and needed something they probably had it.

They just don't make stores like that anymore, I kinda miss 'em.

John McCain said:

1- in my early teens- Western auto or a local shop Woody's Sport shop--As an adult, managed a couple of sporting goods stores, and sourced most of my stuff from Maurice Sporting goods or Cabela's wholesale- Nowadays, most comes from Gander Mountain.

2- Brim,catfish, bass,walleye, and carp for fun-

3- Depends on the time of year and time of day-- Shad guts or cheese ball for cat, dough balls for cat or carp, crawfish, or my favorite for night fishing in a river-Nightcrawlwers !!-- Thrill of sitting in the dark, lantern, lit, and never knowing if I had a 1/2 lb bluegill or a 10lb. carp on the line- Artificial bait for bass and sometimes jigs for brim.

4-once a year when camping

5-Yep, she does

6-Yes

7- Younger years- Catch & eat-- Nowadays, catch & release as a rule

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on June 17, 2015 at 17:34

Syd- Oh, wow did you stir up some memories-- I remember them all, including when drug stores' , including my ol' alma mater, Walgreens, had soda fountains, and sometimes lunch counters-- Another oldie I don't know if was in your neck of the woods- Carson, Pirie, & Scott Dept. Stores.  I definitely remember S&H green stamps  & another competitor called Plaid stamps. My dad was a farmer, and got copious amounts of both for large herbicide, pesticide,and fertilizer purchases. I can still remember as a small boy sitting at the kitchen table gluing endless green stamps into books to redeem- Even though I used a moistened kitchen sponge to wet the stamps, my fingers would be green for a week-- However, those darn stamps bought many a major appliance, including our first ever color TV~~~~ P.S. remember when JC Penney had the 2 rows of chairs at the entrance for all the husbands to sit holding their wive's purses looking sheepish, while their wives shopped for clothes-- At least the red leather chairs were comfortable !!

FeaturedPermalink Reply by Charles Sample on June 17, 2015 at 18:16

Trading stamps brings back memories to me too.  I got my first rod with Top Value trading stamps.  My dad got me a Zebco 202 to put on it.  I used that outfit for several years.  Caught a lot of fish on it.

An unusual but true story concerning trading stamps.  My father was working in a service station.  A man in Rolls Royce pulled in to buy gas.  He got out of the car and went in to the station while Dad was pumping the gas.  The guy paid Dad for the gas and left.  When Dad went back into the station he noticed their trading stamps were gone.  He called the police and they found the car and stopped it.  The guy had the stamps.  

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