flg2010

For sure Pike will kill a ton more bass then bass will Pike. However I would be more worried if you see otters. Otters will decimate bass... they have on the river I fish in.

So I was out fishing again on the Walkill, I have one rod setup for smallmouth bass fishing, using fake worms and jigs.. worked well last year this time. Nothing this year. I have a second setup for Catfish, which has usually never done too well, and bam.. I get the biggest catfish I have ever caught in my life. What the hell is wrong with the Walkill... no bass.. well except for a tiny Rock Bass... The catfish was released unharmed.. although the otters might have gotten him since they went into the river when I released him. I wonder if the otters dined on all the bass? Anyways this year's fishing subpar.. I need a new river or lake.

I prefer alone.. simply because as I get older I find that finding people with the same interests is impossible. At some point I hope to get my wife to go out with me.. maybe if I am around in 10 years and contemplating retirement I can get her to join me on a small boat in a lake somewhere. Right now I Fish the Walkill River system and have given myself the project of catching a state record Rock Bass. That is a solitary pursuit.

I am checked routinely. However, that said, I fish a polluted river system along with small connected to river system ponds which you really cannot harvest anything out of without putting yourself at risk for all sorts of problems if you eat the fish. I can understand being concerned about over harvesting on a healthy river, stream, or lake... but.. not on my river.

I setup two rods usually, caught this Carp on my setup for catfish. Anyone know what kind of Carp it is? Was around 26 inches. I thought it was a log at first and then maybe a big catfish.. no such luck.. and it took a long time to get landed. I did safely release it and it swam off. I have been fishing my usually kytech fake worms and grub plastics this year to no luck with Bass. Its just been a too cold type of start...

Great advice. What we will be doing once fall is done and before first snow is making a clear trail through woods and marsh to a shoreline on the river I can fish. I will clear the path and keep it clear. i will simply continue to carry bear mace. Park is too close for me to safely carry a long arm.

Look for a brand of custom fake worm you have not used before. That got me out of my funk

Food for the otters they won't go to waste

Smallmouth are biting, I am having the best luck on Keitech custom worms. I caught a bunch of fish but the two best for this weekend (two different trips) were a 14 inch and 16 inch Fish. Both were released with no issues, the 14 was on live bait and the 16 (today's biggest) was on the fake worm. I am having no issues with gut or gill hooking due to adjusting line and keeping a better watch on bites. The fishing is above average compared to last year which was horrible in September. I did see people taking fish.. not sure what they expect to do with them, Smallmouth are horrible eating and the Wallkill is not a safe to eat fish from place. Someone today had 5 or 6 (various sized) Smallmouth on a stringer. Sad...

Well this has given me some things to think about. Not sure what I am going to do. One option is to simply go to the fishing parks like I have been. There are ticks back in thew woods so maybe thats a sign.. just stay the hell away. Thanks for the perspectives. While I am sure my bolt action Winchester .270 cal can do the trick it also has a range that would make me worried about using it near my house or other homes. Now I understand why the previous owner fenced in the deck with 7 foot high chain link, it at least would delay a bear.

wow... well time to break out the metal leaders at least. I'm going back on Friday.

Just curious, I have several rifles which I have only used at the range. They stay in a locked cabinet. We recently moved to a wooded area with some riverfront. I would love to start fishing in my woods however I ran into coyotes and black bears twice over the last year and quietly ran away, I stick to fishing parks because of this. Getting a handgun carry permit will be impossible in the county I am in (Orange County NY), and I am not in any way advocating or intending to hurt/kill a bear or Coyote. That said am I correct in thinking it would be illegal to use either of my long guns as protection while I fish. I am only on 1.26 acres, on one side of me is a wildlands preserve, heavily wooded and the other a neighbor who is also heavily wooded. I am also considering bear mace. I suspect the answer is stay away from the woods... lol... but I thought I would see what people think.

carp are seed/nut and vegetation eaters though?

Fished in partly rainy conditions.. caught a ton of bluegill, even one around 8 inches. Then on a rig that I had a YUM plastic (white and green colors) I seemed to have caught a branch or something (fishing the Wallkill), it was not a branch.. as I reeled it in slowly, over maybe 10 minutes.. I thought "has to be a turtle". Well around 5 feet from shore it starts fighting I keep pressure on and try hard to land whatever it is. I see white, I see scales, splashing,.. then the line breaks. What the hell was this? I'm thinking catfish and something 12 pound mono won't land. Do I go back tomorrow? or Do I just go to my next spot on rotation and forget this. I doubt I could ever land it anyway and its not a bass... right?

I did this.. wow.. the 3500 BG is so d**n smooth.. I caught my recent 16 inch Smallmouth on it.. paired this reel with my 6 foot 8 inch ugly stik gx2 and 12 lb cajun mono. Worked so well.. and the reel was around 80 bucks online.. local fishing place has it for over 100. Its the best reel I have ever used... Thanks!!!!!