Who loves fishing ?

I started feeding fish in our pond a few days ago. This morning,
while standing on the end of the dock and throwing the pellets with a plastic measuring cup, I had some jumbo perch coming up to feed on them right at end of the dock where I got a good look at them. Many of them were over 12". A few looked like 15 inches which is a monster perch.



Last week, I drove an hour to the hatchery to get minnows for the perch, another 100 2-4 inch hybrid bluegills, and some Zieglers
floating fish food for the hybrid gills. Unfortunately they will not have the minnows or the bluegills until the end of the month, so I’ll have to make another trip. My wife volunteered. She’s a keeper.


Normally the perch do not come up to the surface to feed on the pellets that the bluegills eat, unless they are low on bait fish. I buy two gallons of fathead minnows each spring. $72 per gallon this year, up from $50 last year. I’ll buy another 2 gallons of them late fall to get them through the winter.


The 2-4 inch bluegills are now $1.20 each this year, up from .35 cents last year. Insane price increases.


At least the fish food cost remained the same from last year to this. These 15 bags should get me through the end of October which is when their metabolism slows going into winter.

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My largest fish caught in Michigan:

42lb King Salmon - Released… into my smoker.

40lb Buffalo Carp - Released

32lb Flathead Catfish - Released

31lb Channel Catfish - Released
 
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Saw coyote, lynx, deer, moose and raccoon tracks

Still thinking about this, even days later.
There are too many 'found in Alberta' animals that I have never seen.

Stone Cat is prolly the rarest I have seen. Found in select pockets of the milk.
I once saw a Cougar, but never Lynx or Bobcat. They are occasionally seen in Calgary, but I have only met one person to have claimed to see one down here.
Plenty of Coyote and Red Fox, in fact I know where there is a 'black' red fox hanging out, these days.

Another rare one was a Toad I found out on the prairies, about 30 years ago. I never could confirm a picture of it, in a book. I still remember what it looked like, I should check online, now that that's a thing.

Any wolves up your way , @Amarok ?
I have never seen one. My brother offered to take me on a hunt; with a bow - I could do, although I wouldn't have the heart to use a rifle.

Top of my wish list would be wolverine, SwiftFox and Spiny Lizard.
 
Any wolves up your way , @Amarok ?
They are around, but I've never had an encounter. I'd love to though. Wolves and cougars are yet to be checked off.

Personally, I would only ever shoot a wolf in self defense, I would never kill one for sport.

The other day was cool, because there were coyote and lynx tracks close together on the trail so it was easy to compare and contrast them. The size is quite similar, but the overall shape as well as the shape of the toe pads are distinct. I'm slowly learning tracks and it's very rewarding. :)
 
They are around, but I've never had an encounter. I'd love to though. Wolves and cougars are yet to be checked off.
Same :(

Cougars are a little easer if you leave a box of cheap wine near an 18 year old.
Personally, I would only ever shoot a wolf in self defense, I would never kill one for sport.
Yeah, it'd have to be pretty damn serious for me to consider that... I'm more likely to try and pet it. I bet that shocks no one though.
The other day was cool, because there were coyote and lynx tracks close together on the trail so it was easy to compare and contrast them. The size is quite similar, but the overall shape as well as the shape of the toe pads are distinct. I'm slowly learning tracks and it's very rewarding. :)

Coyotes and Wolves both do a "double tap" print; The back paw goes into the track the front paw makes, and the only way I can tell a Coyote or Wolf print apart, is the size honestly.

Cats are usually pretty easy for me, because the way they walk is so distinct.

I started out knowing Deer and Bunnies, but now I can tell if it's a dog, or a Coyote, and though we've had a few times where something weird happened in the woods, I haven't actually SEEN any wild Cats as of yet. Only heard one once. Though I admit I've seen some pretty damn big prints out in the snow.... No idea what they were though; I know we have two species at least of wild Cats here, but I'm not that good.
 
"True hunting is over
No herd to follow
Without game, men prey on each other
The family weakens by the bite we swallow

True leaders gone
Of land and people
We choose no kin but adopted strangers
The family weakens by the length we travel"


I would never kill one for sport

Because you are well rounded, and just.
Kindness comes from self esteem. You have no motive to exercise your advantage.

To me, a rifle is for harvesting, a bow is for hunting.
If I manipulate a water course, and install a net after a dyke, I can capture every fish that comes down that creek.
Alternatively, if I dove into a pool, how many fish could I catch with my bare hands?

The last wolf killed in this watershed was pre 1900's. She was perused for hours, concurrently, and consecutively, by multiple riders. She was eventually taken, by a doctor, who had refreshed mounts mid ordeal.
I find that shameful.
If they had been on foot, armed with bows, we would still be pursuing that wolf today.

I ended up declining the hunt, and I missed the opportunity to commune with my younger brother. The invitation came almost 10 years ago, and I am still thinking about it.
 
Alternatively, if I dove into a pool, how many fish could I catch with my bare hands?

Noodling is the one type of fishing I personally have no intention of trying. Though I do find it funny that the French Canadian dude from Monster Fish? Anyway, one of those shows... He brought in people from the American South to Spain, to Noodle a Wels Catfish. He was smart enough to do it when the water was freezing cold, as most people don't take it lightly when a 7 foot Catfish grabs the first idiot trying to "get it to bite them" and swims off with the body. I couldn't believe he was even trying it to be honest, but then, as soon as they hopped in the water, and everyone said how cold the water was, it made sense; the Wels was likely lethargic and not hungry in water that cold, so, they survived the encounter. The one they caught in the Po River that is the current world record that was on camera (I say on camera, because 16 footers were caught in Germany 500 years ago that would be capable of eating grown men, which they have done) was also large enough to take on a human. Scary fish but SUPER cute when they're babies. I'd love to have one, but I don't have an Olympic pool to house one. So far. They're illegal too sadly. They eat Sturgeon in Italy....Imagine a fish with a mouth big enough, to take on a Sturgeon.
 
2 gallons of fathead minnows keeps the perch happy.
I get 2 gallons every spring and another 2 gallons late fall
to get them through the winter. Pure O2 infused into the bags
allows longer trips to get them home from the hatchery which is
about an hours drive without having them die.

I planted these a few days ago, and I don't know how the Kingfishers know,
but they do. For a week or two after putting minnows in the pond they take advantage
and pick off the stragglers by watching from their perch in trees next to the pond.




IMG_8178


Perch up to 16 1/2", Hybrid Bluegills to 13", LM bass to 7 lbs,
and Red-Eared Sunfish. The Red-Eared Sunfish were added two
years ago to help curb the snail problem. I’ve only caught a couple since planting them. When they were planted, they were
2-4 inches from the hatchery. The two I caught last time I fished it a couple weeks ago were both around 6". Love the pond.




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Three man limit of Steelhead and Browns - Caught on 2 lb test leaders - Freshly tied spawn bags with a marshmellow.
Time to fire up the smoker.
Lake Michigan Steelhead-Three Man Limit.jpg


Sunset bite. Walking a Steelie away from the other lines. Lake Michigan
Surf Fishing Lake Michigan At Sunset.jpg



Waiting for a rod to bend surf fishing Lake Michigan

 
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Also, I've not met many people who know to use a Marshmallow

The Kraft mini marshmellow has a dual purpose. Buoyancy and aroma. I normally use larger pre cut squares of netting for tying up
spawn bags. We do our best with Brown trout singles, but I usually save them for the rivers and streams where there are other anglers
fishing. The Brown trout eggs are so deadly that one can almost hook a fish on every cast. Notice I said hook instead of catch. Brown trout eggs are so deadly when angling for trout and salmon that they should be illegal.


Fish can smell in parts per billion with a b and that sense of smell is what drives them to bite.

The next on my list of favorite spawn for catching these is a toss up between King salmon singles or Steelhead singles. Coho and Lake
trout singles would be last on my list. Not that I can't catch fish on all of them. It's just that trout and salmon have such an incredible sense of smell that I go with what I've found to be their favorites. Of course eggs in the skein (connective membrane), that have not turned to being single eggs also works in the same order I've already mentioned. Single eggs are preferred as some will burst when tying off the bag with thread more so than eggs that are still skein.

When tying up the bag which is done just before casting out, which I will explain further, is done right before putting one on the hook
which is a small Eagle Claw style 42 egg hook in a size 14. These are small hooks that hide easily in a spawn bag. The purpose for tying these bags up just before baiting up with one is the aroma. As the four corners of the pre cut square of fluorescent pink netting material are gathered together for tying up, I will do a few half hitches with some orange thread for the purpose of tying off the bag. As the thread in tightened, some of the eggs will burst and the egg juice will start to slowly dissolve the marsh mellow and the aroma that the marsh mellow imparts to the surrounding water really appeals to a trout or salmon's sweet tooth.

The buoyancy part of the equation is the other reason for the marsh mellow. On the 6' leaders of two pound test, we will place a very
small split shot about 6" from the hook. ( size 7 water gremlin pinch on style). This split shot size is barely enough to overcome the buoyancy of the floating bag.

The marsh mellow bag freshly tied has a buoyancy that will allow the presentation to slowly tumble in with a wave, and then slowly tumble back out with the waves and then the undertow action. With the small split shot roughly 6" from the hook, this allows the floating bag to be about 6" off the bottom. This height off the bottom is perfect for a trout or salmon swimming along the bottom to see.

The buoyancy allows the bag to tumble in and then tumble back out again with the wave and undertow. Using 6' leaders from the 2-way swivel where the main line is tied to the leader, a pyramid sinker is then attached to another snap swivel on the main line. (Usually 6 lb main line but sometimes larger if the surf is rough) This snap swivel allows the fish to pick up the bag and start to swim off with it without feeling the weight of the pyramid sinker and the weight is on a 2 way snap swivel with the sinker clipped on the swivel and the other end of the swivel is where the main line is threaded through the other end of the swivel.
This allows the sinker to slide on the main line. Depending on wave height, 1 to 4 ounce pyramid sinkers are used.

This presentation took a few years to fine tune, but it works anywhere on the Great Lakes for trout and salmon. It's all in the presentation.

To sum up:

1. Freshly tied bags with a mini marsh mellow for buoyancy and aroma.

2. A small spit shot with just enough weight to barely sink the marsh mellow/spawn bag. Allows for searching action with the waves.

3. Light line leaders and small hooks.

4. Long noodle rods that can absorb the screaming 35 mph runs a steelhead can make. As they scream some line off the spool,
the rod will bend completely over absorbing the shock on the leader. With shorter and stiffer rods, the sudden impact on the
leader from a screaming run will break the leader. The long noodle rods that are designed for 2 lb test and are a crucial part of
the presentation.

5. Another important part is changing the 2 lb test leader after every fish. A 6' leader of two lb test will often get stretched out,
and what was a 6' foot leader at the beginning of the battle can easily be 7' long by the time the fish is beached. To fish with the same leader for a second fish is just too much risk as the leader will sometimes break after being stretched out. It's just better to replace the leader.

6. Lastly is changing the bag after about a half hour of fishing with it, as the water will soak into the marsh mellow negating it's
buoyancy.


I cannot tell you how satisfying it is to actually smoke the competition with this presentation. One case in point that comes to mind is
one time fishing at the mouth of a small creek, where by mid morning there were 72 anglers spread out over almost a half mile of shoreline. ( A quarter mile to the north of the creek, and a quarter mile to the south of the creek. We showed up at midnight to be able
to have first dibs on the prime spot where the creek flows into Lake Michigan. While 3 of us caught our limit, we released well over 30 fish, much to the chagrin of the other anglers. Between all of the those other anglers, they caught 3 fish combined for for 72 anglers.
With our limit and the ones we released, we were near 50 for the three of us.

After releasing a few by mid morning and with almost but not quite, a limit on our stringers, a gent fishing right beside of us on the south side of where we had our rod holders out in the surf. He approached us and said, "You guys are probably pretty nice guys and all, but you're really starting to piss me off. lol. I explained the presentation, and then tied a light line leader/small hook to his rod and hooked him up with a freshly tied spawn bag with marsh mellow. It took him about 5 minutes to hook up with a fish. He was one of 3 anglers other than us that caught one. How do I know that everyone else had only 3 fish amongst all of them. We arrived at midnight,
stayed up all night and caught a couple before the sun came up. (One was a very nice brown), and then we stayed all day until after dark releasing fish all day and being careful not to put that last fish we each needed to complete our limit. We watched the anglers coming back to their vehicles to leave and talked with a few of them. That's when we learned that only 3 fish were caught amongst all of them.

That's what some would call a die hard fisherman. Up all night and fished all day. We could have left with our 3 man limit by 9 am, but we were have too much fun. More so because of all of the other anglers watching us put on a clinic.

Here is my personal best on a two lb test presentation. My largest steelhead was caught trolling with 10 lb test and a Bagley floating minnow similar to a Rapala. It was a Skamania strain that weighed 22 lbs.

Here is a PB steelie for light line that was fooled with the light line/small hook presentation. 17 lbs 6 oz
b4bf33c8368bc0f324d29896d7452a021e2cf9e0_2_458x500.jpeg


 
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The Kraft mini marshmellow has a dual purpose. Buoyancy and aroma. I normally use larger pre cut squares of netting for tying up
spawn bags. We do our best with Brown trout singles, but I usually save them for the rivers and streams where there are other anglers
fishing. The Brown trout eggs are so deadly that one can almost hook a fish on every cast. Notice I said hook instead of catch. Brown trout eggs are so deadly when angling for trout and salmon that they should be illegal.


Fish can smell in parts per billion with a b and that sense of smell is what drives them to bite.

The next on my list of favorite spawn for catching these is a toss up between King salmon singles or Steelhead singles. Coho and Lake
trout singles would be last on my list. Not that I can't catch fish on all of them. It's just that trout and salmon have such an incredible sense of smell that I go with what I've found to be their favorites. Of course eggs in the skein (connective membrane), that have not turned to being single eggs also works in the same order I've already mentioned. Single eggs are preferred as some will burst when tying off the bag with thread more so than eggs that are still skein.

When tying up the bag which is done just before casting out, which I will explain further, is done right before putting one on the hook
which is a small Eagle Claw style 42 egg hook in a size 14. These are small hooks that hide easily in a spawn bag. The purpose for tying these bags up just before baiting up with one is the aroma. As the four corners of the pre cut square of fluorescent pink netting material are gathered together for tying up, I will do a few half hitches with some orange thread for the purpose of tying off the bag. As the thread in tightened, some of the eggs will burst and the egg juice will start to slowly dissolve the marsh mellow and the aroma that the marsh mellow imparts to the surrounding water really appeals to a trout or salmon's sweet tooth.

The buoyancy part of the equation is the other reason for the marsh mellow. On the 6' leaders of two pound test, we will place a very
small split shot about 6" from the hook. ( size 7 water gremlin pinch on style). This split shot size is barely enough to overcome the buoyancy of the floating bag.

The marsh mellow bag freshly tied has a buoyancy that will allow the presentation to slowly tumble in with a wave, and then slowly tumble back out with the waves and then the undertow action. With the small split shot roughly 6" from the hook, this allows the floating bag to be about 6" off the bottom. This height off the bottom is perfect for a trout or salmon swimming along the bottom to see.

The buoyancy allows the bag to tumble in and then tumble back out again with the wave and undertow. Using 6' leaders from the 2-way swivel where the main line is tied to the leader, a pyramid sinker is then attached to another snap swivel on the main line. (Usually 6 lb main line but sometimes larger if the surf is rough) This snap swivel allows the fish to pick up the bag and start to swim off with it without feeling the weight of the pyramid sinker and the weight is on a 2 way snap swivel with the sinker clipped on the swivel and the other end of the swivel is where the main line is threaded through the other end of the swivel.
This allows the sinker to slide on the main line. Depending on wave height, 1 to 4 ounce pyramid sinkers are used.

This presentation took a few years to fine tune, but it works anywhere on the Great Lakes for trout and salmon. It's all in the presentation.

To sum up:

1. Freshly tied bags with a mini marsh mellow for buoyancy and aroma.

2. A small spit shot with just enough weight to barely sink the marsh mellow/spawn bag. Allows for searching action with the waves.

3. Light line leaders and small hooks.

4. Long noodle rods that can absorb the screaming 35 mph runs a steelhead can make. As they scream some line off the spool,
the rod will bend completely over absorbing the shock on the leader. With shorter and stiffer rods, the sudden impact on the
leader from a screaming run will break the leader. The long noodle rods that are designed for 2 lb test and are a crucial part of
the presentation.

5. Another important part is changing the 2 lb test leader after every fish. A 6' leader of two lb test will often get stretched out,
and what was a 6' foot leader at the beginning of the battle can easily be 7' long by the time the fish is beached. To fish with the same leader for a second fish is just too much risk as the leader will sometimes break after being stretched out. It's just better to replace the leader.

6. Lastly is changing the bag after about a half hour of fishing with it, as the water will soak into the marsh mellow negating it's
buoyancy.


I cannot tell you how satisfying it is to actually smoke the competition with this presentation. One case in point that comes to mind is
one time fishing at the mouth of a small creek, where by mid morning there were 72 anglers spread out over almost a half mile of shoreline. ( A quarter mile to the north of the creek, and a quarter mile to the south of the creek. We showed up at midnight to be able
to have first dibs on the prime spot where the creek flows into Lake Michigan. While 3 of us caught our limit, we released well over 30 fish, much to the chagrin of the other anglers. Between all of the those other anglers, they caught 3 fish combined for for 72 anglers.
With our limit and the ones we released, we were near 50 for the three of us.

After releasing a few by mid morning and with almost but not quite, a limit on our stringers, a gent fishing right beside of us on the south side of where we had our rod holders out in the surf. He approached us and said, "You guys are probably pretty nice guys and all, but you're really starting to piss me off. lol. I explained the presentation, and then tied a light line leader/small hook to his rod and hooked him up with a freshly tied spawn bag with marsh mellow. It took him about 5 minutes to hook up with a fish. He was one of 3 anglers other than us that caught one. How do I know that everyone else had only 3 fish amongst all of them. We arrived at midnight,
stayed up all night and caught a couple before the sun came up. (One was a very nice brown), and then we stayed all day until after dark releasing fish all day and being careful not to put that last fish we each needed to complete our limit. We watched the anglers coming back to their vehicles to leave and talked with a few of them. That's when we learned that only 3 fish were caught amongst all of them.

That's what some would call a die hard fisherman. Up all night and fished all day. We could have left with our 3 man limit by 9 am, but we were have too much fun. More so because of all of the other anglers watching us put on a clinic.

Here is my personal best on a two lb test presentation. My largest steelhead was caught trolling with 10 lb test and a Bagley floating minnow similar to a Rapala. It was a Skamania strain that weighed 22 lbs.

Here is a PB steelie for light line that was fooled with the light line/small hook presentation. 17 lbs 6 oz
View attachment 228410




Man I love that you know exactly how well each of those works in your area! I like playing with different things for bait, as it's kind of funny sometimes. I caught a big Snapping Turtle one time on Strawberry Dough balls meant for Carp, which was odd to say the least. I also caught a 12 pound Channel Cat on a Nacho Cheese Slim Jim though, and I've caught Pumpkinseed on Sour Gummys haha.
 

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