where's the fish?

[magster65]

I usually go fishing in Sidney Channel just south east of my home port. Where's your favorite?<br />

 

[Fishbusters]

Re: where's the fish?

In the water. LOL Actually I fish mainly the Santee Cooper lakes because I live like 20min from hook up boat to launch boat unless there is a line at the ramp. However i fish numerous other places from a small pond around the corner from the house to the Atlantic ocean. I like taking trips up to the mountians for trout as much as I do fishing in Floridia for big reds or an ocasional tarpon. In short I fish where I can when I can and as much as I can.

 

[NOSLEEP]

Re: where's the fish?

Thats my old stomping grounds magster.<br />I spent many days enjoying fishing for salmon<br />just out from Sidney in the channel in the<br />seventy's, broke some hearts in Victoria during<br />them beautiful summers you have out there.

 

[magster65]

Re: where's the fish?

NOSLEEP, Your iboats name is how I feel (we have a 5 day old boy). The salmon fishing is still good there and so is the cod but they've closed cod until further notice. Too bad, we were jigging by James Island and caught about a 15 pound ling a month or so ago (oops, a little deep)... damn! Those are tasty! We're trying to get organized for some halibut fishing pretty quick, I've never been... I hear the sandy bottom around there should be good. Any tips on halibut fishing? Anyone?

 

[gss036]

Re: where's the fish?

I have never fished in that area, but used to go to Bowser area on Vancouver Is.,also Campbell River area and fish for silvers until they disappeared(?), I fish regularly at Tumbo Channel(East Pt/Cabbage Patch. Most of my time is spent further south around Orcas Island, Cypress, I do move around a lot, depends on where the salmon are.<br />Summer of 01, made a trip to Prince Rupert BC, very good fishing, both salmon(Kings,had 4@ 32-38#) and Halibut.

 

[Boatist]

Re: where's the fish?

Magster<br />I know nothing about your area but for Halibut fishing I like a slow taper Fiberglass or E-glass pole rated for 15 - 30 lb test, something very limber with lots of flex. We rig with a sliding weight on a 12 to 18 inch drop line. Then hook leader is 4 to 6 feet with live bait hook or circle hook. Here we use a 1/0 hook and 20 lb leader but our halibut only get to about 45 lb. We use live anchovies for bait and try to get a real lively one, we nose hook. When get bite do not set hook right away or you will come up with half of a anchovie but no halibut. When bringing in be gentle and smooth and have net or gaf ready. Most of the time will come up pretty easy and if net before break water your all set. If they break water or some one does not get them in net will go back to the bottom and fight for ever inch of line on way back up this time. Also be careful big halibut can break arms legs and poles when on board or bite thru a tennis shoe. We fish sandy or muddy areas but some times close to rocks. Best time of year is spring and summer down here. Fish River inlets and bays near the ocean or just outside along the beaches. On the ocean side often catch as many Lingcod as Halibut.

 

[magster65]

Re: where's the fish?

Good tips Boatist, thanks. I'll be careful not to let that 100 pounder break the surface before I got a gaff (or two) in him! Yeah, the fishing has been really good for some time now... even Saanich Inlet (nicknamed the Dead Sea) has given up lots of fish recently.

 

[JB]

Re: where's the fish?

I fish Lake Of The Woods, Ontario, out of the Northwest Angle, every Summer. <br /><br />I only go out of habit. It is close, only about 1500 miles.<br /><br />The fish are small and they don't bite well.<br /><br />The skeeters and black flies are awful!<br /><br />The scenery sux and there are too many boats on the lake.<br /><br />Don't go there, go somewhere else.<br /><br />

 

[gss036]

Re: where's the fish?

When fishing Halibut, that gaf will bring them aboard your boat, place the fish WHITESIDE UP. That enables you to handle it since it will not be able to use it's muscles to flop around. I had a friend get one on board and did not do that but jumped on it's back and tried punching and beating it with his fist, a real circus, kinda like bull riding. The charter boats carry a shotgun type gaf that shoots a shell and kills the thing in the water. They have a very small area in the head that has to be hit.<br /> Juat my 2 cents.

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: where's the fish?

lmao at JB! <br /><br />my favorite would be following all you people who catch all the big fish <br /><br />i really don't have a favorite per say, i pretty much like everywhere i go. it the weather & amt of boating traffic that changes my enjoyment from time to time. <br /><br />ok, i'll try to narrow it down:<br /><br />Ray's Mill Pond, GA<br />Sale Creek, TN<br />Withlacoochee River, GA<br />Weiss Lake, AL<br />Lake Lanier, GA

 

[magster65]

Re: where's the fish?

To handle a smaller halibut I could just bring it aboard and smack it on the head but what about the big ones? We're not aloud to carry firearms in Canada.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: where's the fish?

Gaff the fish and send it directly to the near-by, ready and waiting large cooler with the lid open and ready to slam shut (have someone with a bit of weight sit on the cooler lid after you slam it shut)... <br /><br />After the lid is closed and secure, Cut the line or un-hook a snap swivel and retreve your hook/rig later...<br /><br />That's our method for handling Dolphin/Mahi-Mahi/Dorado who have a tendancy to get way out of control should they get loose inside the boats cockpit...

 

[roscoe]

Re: where's the fish?

THe best fishing has always been at the fish farm, about 3 miles north of me. Catch and release with barbless, for free, all day long if you want. Kind of like taking candy from a baby, but a great place to take a couple little kids for the day.<br /><br />Let's see, <br />Eagle Lake ON,<br />Wawang Lake Upsala ON,<br />Chippewa Flowage,WI<br />Lake Winnebago/Wolf river Chain WI<br />Chequamegon Flowage, WI<br /><br />But like JB says, Bugs, Rain, No fish, so stay away. The 2 biggest Sturgeon pulled from Winnebago this week were 139 and 134 pounds, kind of small. So stay away from there.

 

[DaleT]

Re: where's the fish?

I usaully go anywhere I can. However, my favorite place to go has to be Harsens Island, MI. It's a small island, I believe formed from silt, at the mouth of the St. Clair River and Lake St. Clair. There are shallow areas where the Pike and Bass feeding, small creek and canal inlets, can be very good, as well as deep channels for Walleye, Musky, and others. In addition the access to Lake St Clair is a quick trip from the launch. This lake has great fishing for a large number of species. The only drawback is the high use of all areas of the lake for both "pleasure" and fishing. <br /><br /> Harsen Island

 

[catmania]

Re: where's the fish?

magster65<br />Try out off of sooke, they dont call it possesion point for nothing. Its gottne a little crowded lately so try for an evening bite. Lots of big springs have been brought in there lately and everything is open except wild coho and now sockeye.<br />You can fish the rips off of Donaldson island and nail salmon all day long, then go to either beechey head or sooke bluffs and work the reef or sand repsectively with a big herring or some salmon belly for those big hali. Also you dont need to just jig for hali, you can slow troll too. I caught a 45 pound chicken by accident when targeting winter springs off of the bluffs earlier this year. It came to the surface easy, then ran to the bottom and came up again slower the second time, gaffed it then watched as my friend clubbed it for about 5 minutes (I was getting kinda concerned about his mental health) until he said "dont stop the rumble until the rumble stops." makes sense I guess, better than a broken leg.

 

[miloman]

Re: where's the fish?

wow now that is a tough w=question but if i have to say ita a tie between lake erie for waleye or lake st clair for muskie

 

[Snailman]

Re: where's the fish?

I fish the Rappahanock River from Tappahanock to the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia.<br /><br />I also fish Bull Run and Lake Manassas. (Also Virginia) <br /><br />(Chris... ask me how to get into Lake Manassas. )<br /><br /> Some pix<br /><br />I wish I'd known about fishing as a kid. My dad wasn't a fisherman at all so I didn't catch on until 2 years ago. As a kid I lived in such places as Panama (and all of Central America), Nigeria (West Africa), Kenya (East Africa), Cyprus (Mediterranean Sea), West Germany, China, Oklahoma, USA. <br /><br />I can only imagine the fish I might have caught in such exotic locations! AUGH!

 

[Capn Mike]

Re: where's the fish?

The Columbia River between Ilwaco, WA and Bonneville Dam. Salmon, walleye, sturgeon and shad.<br />Magster, we've fished the Inland Passage in Alaska for halibut: just used the depth finder until we found a deep, flat area, then used 1 or 2 lb. jigs just off the bottom.<br />Then we used a .38 pistol to subdue them. Can't you use a shotgun? If not, you might have to reinforce the deck of that nice Tolly!

 

[SoulWinner]

Re: where's the fish?

Blackwater RiverYellow River and Escambia River for bream, bass etc., <br /><br />East Bay for Reds

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: where's the fish?

Wheres the fish?? Well within two hours of my place I can be in the mountains chasing pike, musky, trout. In the farm ponds nailing huge bucketmouths, In the river after smallies or striper's, Or in the atlantic going after whatever runs. My favorite places are Lake Nockamixon, Delaware river, and the Perkiomen creek.If you ever come to southeast Pa.and want to fish give me a shout.