Ratherbfishing

I grew up on a farm (which is a culture in and of itself) and my mom thinks I'm crazy that I release most of my fish too. I will keep a stringer of sunnies every once in a while so that elevates my "status" a little. But mostly she just thinks I'm nuts.

To everyone who has replied, I thank you. There are a lot of good ideas and suggestions here. I have considered expanding to new waters (and probably will) however unlike some who seem to be better at (or blessed with) acquiring or maintaining friendships, it's not that easy to find folks who will "give up" a day or even, sometimes, an afternoon to go fishing. While I have before, I prefer not to go on long drives and camp or fish by myself. Fishing is much more pleasurable when it is shared. I may hire a guide but half the fun for me is trying to figure out where the fish are and what they will respond to. This will probably blow over and because winter is setting in, I might as well find other things to do. My computer recently crashed so that's going to need to be fixed. Rats! Fishing has always been (well, at least since my very early teens) what I "do" and probably what I will continue to do. But ^%$#* it's been difficult lately! Unlike some hobbies where the outcome can be predicted or is reliable, fishing is definitely not one of them. And the weather hasn't helped. Thanks again!

For some readers here this is, and will remain, a non-issue. And for you, I am happy. For me, however, it has become a "life-crisis" of sorts. Let me begin by saying this is NOTHING compared to life's really important issues (and I ought to be grateful I haven't more to complain or worry about). However, because my other basic needs are being met, this is now weighing heavily on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. I have always found fishing to be a great hobby (read "passion"), and a great outlet for lifes various angsts. However these past few years have been difficult. The droughts we expereinced the past two summers and the warm weather we've had each winter (which has ruled out ice fishing) have made it difficult for me to maintain a high level of enthusiasm. Some ponds which were convenient "go to" lakes have been reduced to weedy mud puddles and my favorite lake (one where I could usually rely on 24 to 45 fish days) has become extremely tough (one or two fish days are now much more common). It hasn't helped that the lake manager at one of my better neighborhood ponds insists on killing off all the weeds every year. Also, In years past I have given the bait monkey its due to help sustain my higher level of enthusiam (or because I HAD a high level of enthusiam). How many lures or rod/reel combo's does a person NEED anyway (sorry bait monkey)? And I have a close friend who struggles financially whom I have been helping out (It's difficult to justify buying MORE fishing junk when my friend is in a position to lose her home). Okay, enough background information. My question is this: For those of you who have experienced a major "fishing depression" where you were, perhaps, tempted to "throw in the towel," what did you do to pull yourself out of it?

Babes! I fish to get the babes. it's not working out so well though.

We live in different times. Way back when, people fished almost excusively to eat-sometimes to the detriment of the fishery. It became (or was) as much a cultural thing as a necessity to keep and eat the fish you caught. Having said this, it STILL bothers me when I witness someone going back again and again and again, keeping nearly everything-even if it's within legal size and daily/possession limits. Nevertheless, if he is legal, there's not much you can (or should) do about it. If, on the other hand, you believe he is violating the law, it should be addressed. While I like to believe communities ought to police themselves as much as possible, let the police handle it.

That's a big sucker...er, I mean White Bass!!!!!!

How do you field dress a drone?

About 3 years ago I bought a Humminbird ICE 35 (flasher) for ice fishing. Because the last two winters have been so warm, I've really only gotten about one season's use out of it. So, in an effort to get my money's worth out of it, I adapted a mount so I could put the transducer on my small boat. Now I find I rely on it more than i do my regular fish finder. It's no better in weeds, really but perhaps because of the visual representation (easier, perhaps, for my pea brain to decipher) and because it displays everything in "real time", I feel like I can "trust" it more and have found lots of schools of crappie, and some bass (as well as telling me basic information such as depth, bottom hardness, thermocline, etc). Does anyone else use a flasher regularly and feel the same way about them?

Looks like it is already well on it's way to biodegradation. Lives up to its name I guess.

I dunno but some bodies of water have more "vigorous" fish than others. In one lake I go to the bigmouths fight almost as hard as smallies. And when they hit a spinnerbait, they practically yank the rod out of your hand.

I much prefer the closed loops-especially if I'm up North where I might need a steel leader.

Apart for some metal spinners and some wooden baits, just about everything is plastic these days. Do you mean "soft plastics"? Generally speaking, baitcasters can cast more accurately and have smoother, sometimes stronger drags. They also tend to accomodate thicker line better. Spinning outfits, on the other hand, can usually cast farther and can cast lighter baits easier. Spinning reels also allow line to peel off easier- allowing baits to fall vertically easily (without pendulum swinging toward the fisherman)-something that can, at times, be a real advantage. Both have their applications and I have and use both.

Is it too late to put in my two cents? When I first read your question and learned you are the ripe old age of 24, well, my immediate reaction was to roll my eyes. Unless you have some terminal disease where you definitely know your "expiration date", you have (perhaps) a lot of years left in which to determine some portion of your fate. But as I said, that was just my first reaction. Then I remembered (in my very hazy past) being 24 and thinking, too, that my life was going in an entirely different direction than I'd expected. So, I'll take my back my eye rolling, humbly apologize, and proceed. There's an old adage that says, "Be careful what you ask for, you just might receive it." I can testify that I'd be pretty miserable doing what I set out to do at 18. Yes, once I figured out that "It" wasn't for me, it set me back some but at least I am not miserable in my new pursuits. With the benefit of some time and experience on your side, are the things you dreamt of (prior to the various circumstances stepping in) the same things you now want for yourself? If so, you are still young (relatively speaking) and you can, perhaps, still pursue at least some of those goals. If not, than more power to you. You can now regroup and formulate a new plan. I'll leave you with these thoughts: If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. If life gives you melons, you are probably dyslexic.

I have always wanted to do this. The problem is (or has always been) that it's tough enough to find one free person to accompany me let alone finding another person willing to take their boat out too.

In the spring, especially, when the bluegill or sunnies are bedding, I'll break out my fly rod and popper assortment and chase them. A big bull bluegill tugging on a 7.5 foot flyrod is AT LEAST as fun as most of the bass I catch. I look forward to it each year.

Um...well, if there is no safe ice, I guess my break goes from November to sometime in March. That's long enough.

Agreed. Rat-L-Traps are excellent search baits. Don't be afraid to go LARGE either. If the fish are cooperative, you may not even need to slow down.

I bought a whole rack of expensive rods. So many that I couldn't pay my other bills and the creditors are now constantly on my back! I'm so jumpy and nervous that the slightest twitch or bump sets me off. Don't know if the rods are that much more sensitive but I sure am! My point, I guess, is that you want to buy expensive rods, by all means do so. Just have the money to pay for them. I catch plenty of fish with my mid-range rods (some would even say they are "cheapies") without breaking the bank. But if you have the money, more power to you.

I played football with my buddies for years without any major (or minor) injuries. However none of us weighed over 175 lbs (at the time) and we weren't out for blood. Football (like all sports it seems) has gotten way out of control with no sense of proportion or limitations. Heck, even marching band has gotten out of control. I think my nieces spent just about every waking hour (when they weren't in class) on the stupid grass field. No, it's probably good I don't have children as I'd hate to be forced into making these kinds of decisions-and probably being hated for some of them.

I can almost always tell when it is getting cloudy and the barometric pressure begins to dip without even going near a window. I get lethargic and...well, depressed. It isn't reduced sunlight per se as, like I mentioned, I can be in a building shielded from outside windows and I can still detect a change in my mood. Anybody else get SAD or anything akin to it?

Maybe she was scouting for a new deer stand. Glad she was found safe!!!

I think a lot of the bass were biting "short" or tentatively from behind (it was a tough year). It makes sense that with the heavier bait, they might shake, wear a hole, and throw them easier. I don't know if I'll go up a size on the front hook or just on the back. Guess I'll experiment and see. Thanks everyone!

It seems that too often I will lose fish on a rat-l-trap. I My theory is that they come off the very small back treble hook. I will sometimes bend out the hook so they grab better but before I actually upscale to larger hooks, will this ruin the action on this bait?

Yes and no. I was once fishing a small river with a Rebel crawdad. Casting into a fallen tree, I hooked into something that HAD to be a record smallmouth. Turned out to be a 30 inch Musky instead. (I was simultaneously elated and disappointed). Another time on a flowage in Wisconsin I hooked something big using a Rat-l-trap. Thought I had a big old musky on the line and I was disgusted when it magically turned into a tail-hooked Carp. Was dropping a Texas-rigged Chiggercraw down into a flooded tree. Felt a tap and set the hook on what was surely a nice bass. Turned into a 14.5 inch black crappie instead . That was awesome!

Maybe you have repressed emotions. -wink-