Most Memorable Fish

[A9]

Let's hear some stories of your most memorable fish caught or outing or trip, anything fishing related. It can be anything. Could be your biggest fish ever, first fish ever, most fish in a day, or something like a long day of getting skunked only then to be rewarded at the end of the day with a trophy fish...

Whatever it is, let's hear it, cause these are the stories that we remember long after they occur, and since they are so special, we might as well pass some good stories around...

Pictures are encouraged as well, if possible post those up, they are always fun to look at.

I can't decide which one I should talk about, so I'll have to sit and think about it for a while...

[iPodrodder]

I fished Beaver Lake with some friends after it was stocked in the spring. It was nonstop action. And on his first cast, one of my friends caught this huge spawning trout by accident. It was a great day. We were all laughing and counting to ten, trying to predict the next bite.

[Joe Heater]

I was 12 with my dad and a friend of his. We were trolling at Spirit Lake in Iowa. We were using CD-7 Rapalas. We were catching small walleyes and norherns. I hooked and landed a 5.8 lb smallmouth bass. At the time it was the 2nd largest ever reported in the fine state of Iowa. The largest was 5.10. We brought it to a ranger station and it was officially weighed. My name was in Fins and Feathers magazine as catching the 2nd largest smallmouth bass ever in Iowa. That was cool. The story kind of gets better.

I started studying Smallmouth. I read a article in Field and Stream magazine about Smallmouth Bass. The article said that smallmouth usually go up into small creeks from rivers. So I was telling my dad and his fishing buddies that perhaps Dolliver Creek (Small creek that feeds off the Des Moines River) could have Smallmouth up in there. They laughed at me. Seriously, they laughed at me. Dolliver Creek is very shallow but has a few deep holes in it. So during the summer I rode my bike 12 miles to Dolliver State Park. I brought my rod and some rooster tails, mepps spinners and mister twisters. I caught and relieased over 20 Smallmouth. I told my dad and he thought i was lying. So I went back the next day and kept one. It was worthless by the time I got back 12 miles on a bike in extreme humidity. But it weighed about 2 lbs. 3 nights later my dad and all his buddies drove up there after work and were talking about how they found a nice little hole for Smallmouth. They didn't even invite me. Everytime I go back home they bring that up how they stole my glory. it makes for a nice argument when I go back.

I got plenty of these stories. Biggest fish that ever got away was a Northern Pike on the Missouri River. I had it up to the boat several times and my dad could not get it in the boat. I know it was over 4 feet long. Big one always gets away though.

Good fishing

Joe

[cavdad45]

Thanks Sam, good thread idea! I'll tell about my first fishing trip (that I actually got something)

Back in 1975 after my Dad died, we were in Reedsport visiting my Gramps. I was 11 and my brother was 9. Gramps took us up to Ten Mile Lake to go bluegill fishing. We were fishing off the dock at his friends boathouse. We fished for an hour and a half and between my brother and I we caught 96 bluegill on worms and at times bare hooks. My Mom and Gramps were busy deckhands removing our fish and running around with the coffee can full of worms.

I think she still has the picture of all those bluegill layed out on the dock. When we got back to town my Gramps and Mom filleted all those little bluegill for supper. It is still one of my favorite memories of fishing.

[iPodrodder]

Thanks Sam, good thread idea! I'll tell about my first fishing trip (that I actually got something)

Back in 1975 after my Dad died, we were in Reedsport visiting my Gramps. I was 11 and my brother was 9. Gramps took us up to Ten Mile Lake to go bluegill fishing. We were fishing off the dock at his friends boathouse. We fished for an hour and a half and between my brother and I we caught 96 bluegill on worms and at times bare hooks. My Mom and Gramps were busy deckhands removing our fish and running around with the coffee can full of worms.

I think she still has the picture of all those bluegill layed out on the dock. When we got back to town my Gramps and Mom filleted all those little bluegill for supper. It is still one of my favorite memories of fishing.

That reminds me of what happened to me in Westport. We went crabbing and broke out the rods while we waited. Alone, I caught 45 little things (saltwater sculpin?, bullhead? had no idea) in a couple hours. Didn't keep those though.

[A9]

Bullhead. Those suckers can be a blast to just throw out a piece of clam neck or hotdog on a hook and relax on the beach and wait for a few mins for them to hit...

[iPodrodder]

It wasn't even that long. My brother was getting hits even faster than me with a bare hook. They would be a great way to introduce kids to fishing....

[cavdad45]

That's why I take my kids panfishing. My 5-year-old loves to catch bluegill, perch, trout, whatever, but she really wants a bass. She loves casting and reeling in her "lunkers." Fall is turning rough onher because it's too cold for her, but she continues to beg Daddy to take her fishing. I'll probably take her up to Kress before it gets too bad and let her get a bunch of bluegill and trout. She has already grasped catch-and-release, well atleast selective harvest.

[A9]

Oh no doubt bullhead will take a hit at anything, I was saying that still fishing for them takes a few seconds/minutes..Dragging it off the bottom really slowly (covering ground) will produce a fish every cast if you are in a spot with a dense population of them.. Most of the time you can just put a corky above the hook, just to make it stand out more, and throw it out and let that corky sit a few inches up off the bottom and if you slowly drag it in you can catch so many of those things in an hour it's ridiculous...

[iPodrodder]

I think a bobber and worm is the best combo ever invented. Fish it around some lily pads, it'll get your daughter some bass. The biggest bass I have ever seen caught was on Pine Lake with a worm and bobber.

[travislikesfishing]

the first time i caught a pike was the best fishing trip i had gone fishing tlike 5 times for pike then the 6th time i went theres goes my line a wait a min then set the hook and it put up a heck of a fight 40 inch im not sure how much it weight but alot

[cavdad45]

I think a bobber and worm is the best combo ever invented. Fish it around some lily pads, it'll get your daughter some bass. The biggest bass I have ever seen caught was on Pine Lake with a worm and bobber.

Her biggest fish to date was caught on a worm and a bobber last summer at Siltcoos. Here I go...

She just got her new Zebco pushbutton and spent all week learning to cast in the backyard to get ready for a family campout at Siltcoos. After we arrived and set up camp, I put my jonboat in the water and she and I cruised to a favorite spot near some lily pads and stumps.

I baited her hook with a nightcrawler about 18" below the bobber and tossed it between the main pads and a small patch of pads. I set it down and told her to watch her bobber, but instead she started playing with the nightcrawlers. I saw her bobber go down and not come back, as the slack in her line was disappearing, I told her to grab the pole. "huh?" She was looking at the pole with two handfuls of nightcrawlers sticking out between her fingers.

Then the pole started its way toward the bow of the boat. I dove for it and missed as it went out the front end. Looking at her face, a mixture of shock and sorrow, just about killed me. I saw the fish splash deep in the lily pads. She was looking over the bow yelling for her new fish pole and I was giving chase with the MinnKota. When I drifted the nose into the pads I asked her if she could still see the pole. "Yes" was her heartaching response, "it's sinking!"

I clambered to the front and saw the pole dropping fast. I reached down, getting soaked up to my armpit, but I got the pole. She was so relieved, as was I (her greatest hero affirmed.) Amazingly the fish was still on because it had tangled itself deep in the pads. I pulled and the rod creaked as it bowed. Better not do that, I just retrieved the pole and didn't want to break it.

For the next 20 minutes, I maneuvered the boat and we took turns giving pressure until the fish started coming back. Finally she had her fish next to the boat and I grabbed it. A 19" rainbow. She was so stoked. She made sure everyone at camp got to see her victory lap with her trophy.

It's great to fish with kids.

[iPodrodder]

I think a bobber and worm is the best combo ever invented. Fish it around some lily pads, it'll get your daughter some bass. The biggest bass I have ever seen caught was on Pine Lake with a worm and bobber.

Her biggest fish to date was caught on a worm and a bobber last summer at Siltcoos. Here I go...

She just got her new Zebco pushbutton and spent all week learning to cast in the backyard to get ready for a family campout at Siltcoos. After we arrived and set up camp, I put my jonboat in the water and she and I cruised to a favorite spot near some lily pads and stumps.

I baited her hook with a nightcrawler about 18" below the bobber and tossed it between the main pads and a small patch of pads. I set it down and told her to watch her bobber, but instead she started playing with the nightcrawlers. I saw her bobber go down and not come back, as the slack in her line was disappearing, I told her to grab the pole. "huh?" She was looking at the pole with two handfuls of nightcrawlers sticking out between her fingers.

Then the pole started its way toward the bow of the boat. I dove for it and missed as it went out the front end. Looking at her face, a mixture of shock and sorrow, just about killed me. I saw the fish splash deep in the lily pads. She was looking over the bow yelling for her new fish pole and I was giving chase with the MinnKota. When I drifted the nose into the pads I asked her if she could still see the pole. "Yes" was her heartaching response, "it's sinking!"

I clambered to the front and saw the pole dropping fast. I reached down, getting soaked up to my armpit, but I got the pole. She was so relieved, as was I (her greatest hero affirmed.) Amazingly the fish was still on because it had tangled itself deep in the pads. I pulled and the rod creaked as it bowed. Better not do that, I just retrieved the pole and didn't want to break it.

For the next 20 minutes, I maneuvered the boat and we took turns giving pressure until the fish started coming back. Finally she had her fish next to the boat and I grabbed it. A 19" rainbow. She was so stoked. She made sure everyone at camp got to see her victory lap with her trophy.

It's great to fish with kids.

Well, at least you got twenty minutes of fight time! My brother hooked a trout on power bait and never knew it. He thought that the fish had left and set his pole down. Ten minutes later, my dad told him to reel his line up because it was making some funny circles in the water. Well, my brother reels in a very played out 13" trout. So he got 10 minutes of fight time, but never knew he was missing out on them.

[Anonymous]

Kafelafish, you had to do it didn’t you. Great post!
My most memorable fish? There are so many. Where to begin.
One that comes to mind right now that had all my boys going crazy over was this one.
I caught this 2lb 10oz. crappie midnight fishing for monster bass. I caught it dragging a t-rigged 5" brushhog. That night was crazy for the bass bite but I set the hook on this fish and said “oh ya, I got a 3 or 4lb bass here on crack.” I got her up on shore and the fish went nutts. One of my buddies goes “what the *#@% is that?” He couldn’t see it clearly because it was pitch dark. I said “I think it’s a monster crappie” All the gang came running to the spot and turned the headlamps on. All of us were in ahh, “no way, that is huge”. My biggest crappie to date. My buddy caught a 2lber a couple of minutes later out of the same spot. You can see the pics in my photobucket. He’s the Pilipino smoking the fat cigar with the other phat crappie.
I have more memorable catches but I’ll let others post up some good ones before I throw another out there.


fishnislife

[Joe Heater]

Fish memory was listed above. However, my favorite fishing moment I think was April 18th of this year. Go to Freshwater reports at Lake Roesigner. My 6 year old daughter, who was 5 at the time hooked into a triploid with a little ultralight outfit. The picture alone tells the story. She was so proud of herself. She hooked it, she reeled it in. All I did was net it and try to keep our lab from jumping on the fish while it was in the water.

[leahcim_dahc]

My most memorable...my fat catfish. Drug it up on shore and was so excited it took me a couple minutes to collect my thoughts as to exactly what I was going to do with the thing. It was a hoot!

[Lou]

Wow, I love these stories. The only story I can remember (alcohol may have been a factor) was fishing for salmon out in Area 10. We tried all sorts of trolling, but couldn't get a bite. Finally we tried jigging, and caught a few dogfish, but finally had a good bite. My buddy fought for a while yelling how big it must be, and I realized we didnt have a net on the boat. So when the fish finally surfaced (a lingcod), I grabbed a bucket that was half the size of the fish and he guided him into it. As we got the fish into the boat, we were laughing that we bucketed it, and it decided it didnt want to be in a bucket, so he flopped hard and knocked the bucket over. So now we have a lingcod bouncing around the boat with his teeth showing, and 2 grown men hiding up on chairs trying to figure out how to capture the fish. We finally pounced on him and snapped a pic of his fierce war face. Many tears were shed reliving this experience, so hopefully it will bring a smile to some faces.

-Lou

[A9]

Those pic's are amazing guys. Keep up the great responses. That catfish is a monster. Any guess on poundage?

I'm still trying to figure out my best story...I'll have it soon guys...

[Gringo Pescador]

Great thread, but so many stories! 2 come to mind right off.

Age - 9 Carp fishing in Nebraska with extended family - thunder cell comes through along with rain and hail - My uncle, mom, and 4 kids sitting in the cab of the pickup watching our poles and waiting out the rain - zip/splash... zip/splash two poles disappear into the lake. The cell passes and we go out to see these two poles cruising around the shallows. I will always remember my uncle, stripped down to his tighty whiteys, running in 3' of water chasing our fishing poles. He caught em and we actually pulled in the fish. Then the debate was whose fish was it. They were our poles and we "reeled" in the fish, so they should be ours right???

Age 16 - Took a "city" friend to Nebraska and we camped out on a little (10 acre) lake on my uncles property. This property was on the Platte River, about 5 years earlier the river had flooded and channel cats had gotten into the lake. I had fished it the year before and caught a nice one, so I knew there were big fish in there. My buddy however had never fished in his life. We threw our lines out at dark and I secured my pole to the front bumper of my car. My buddy jammed his through one of those aluminum and mesh lawn chairs. We were sittin by the camp fire and all of a sudden clank clank clank here goes the lawn chair down the beach. Never seen this guy run so fast! Ended up pulling in a 10# cat, I got one about 5# and we spent the rest of the night playing with a couple snapping turtles we caught seeing who's could break the biggest stick. The pic is from the year before..(yes, once upon a time I had hair)

[cavdad45]

Ozzy Osborne???? OMG things do change other than quantity and color of hair. LOL