Finding fun in pursuing alternative species..

[Seaworthy81]

2 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

 

I agree when it comes to native species.  The problem comes when non native exotics are introduced into the eco system. As mentioned before, South Florida waters contain all kinds of non native fish.   Some, like Peacock bass where stocked by the State.  Some were dumped from discarded fish tanks and others where intentionally brought in by emigrants from other countries.   Snook are natural emigrant fish from Central America.   The problem is you never know what affect these fish are going to have on the environment.   There are canals off Highway 27 that are literally eaten up with Oscars.  Oscars are a popular fish sold in pet stores. I have been told they are good eating and have seen commercial fishermen target them.   It's nearly impossible to throw a Beetle Spin into those waters with catching one.  There is still a lot of good bass fishing in South Florida despite this.  Bass in those particular canals don't have a chance.  I fear this will happen with snakeheads. What worries me about snakeheads is most other South Florida exotics can't tolerate cold water.  This limits their spread.  This is not the case when it comes to snakeheads.  It's too late for South Florida.  Between iguanas, pythons, snakeheads and "who knows what", their fresh water fishery is irreversibly altered.   I pray this won't happen to the rest of the State.

I’m pretty sure the bullseye snakehead in south Florida are limited by temperature just like the peacocks are. Definitely not the case for the northern snakehead species up in the Chesapeake bay systems though. 

[gim]

We have this thing called a closed season for various species in Minnesota, including bass. So ya there are times when I’m literally only able to target panfish. So I scratch that itch primarily chasing crappies. I don’t get very excited about it, but it’s really the only local option available.

 

When the legal season is open, besides bass, I target muskies both pure strain and tiger. On the rare occasion I will also target walleye but I find them to be very boring and they fight like a wet sock.

 

I don’t target northern pike here but I accidentally catch dozens of them, maybe more, when targeting bass or muskies during certain times of the year.  I don’t care for them. They’re slimy, aggressive, and they wreck lures. 90% of them here are of the small snot rocket variety too. If there were more sizable pike here, I wouldn’t mind it as much. Many of our lakes are over run with small stunted aggressive populations of slime darts.

[Further North]

15 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

That's interesting and a great data point because my state has a program called B.A.I.T. where they calculate total hours fished per 5lb Bass on public lakes in Alabama.   Pickwick, Wheeler, Guntersville are all less than 100hrs fished......Pickwick and Wheeler IIrc are in the 50s.

 

So basically catching a Muskie requires the same amount of commitment, luck, or combo of both as a 5lb Bass in as good of Bass fishery as you can have on a public lake.   

 

That's really cool, I always knew Muskie were hard to catch, and now this finally puts it perfectly into perspective when combined with the B.A.I.T. numbers.

That's why I recommended a guide.  A guide is very likely to put you on musky...after that it's up to you.

...fishing with an experienced local would be a close 2nd.

[Seaworthy81]

On 11/10/2022 at 9:24 AM, Seaworthy81 said:

Living in south Florida bass have become bycatch and the exotic species really shine. Peacocks, Snakehead, Cichlids etc are such a blast. 

That’s just my current other species fascination, in a not so long ago passed life I used to pretty much only fish for large saltwater fish in Southern California with some surf fishing in between. I just like fishing, from the first 2” green sunfish when I was as young as I can remember to the peacock bass I caught on Saturday morning this week. I’m sure my tastes and tackle will change but my passion will always remain. 

[scaleface]

I have always been a fisherman first bass angler second . I had a travel trailer on the banks of a shallow bay protected by a levee from the Mississippi river . I developed a successful system to fish for carp  that no one else camped there could touch . I didnt keep it a secret either  , I showed people exactly how it was done . For some reason no none else bothered to try it .

[Bluebasser86]

If I had closer access to muskie or striper, I'd fish for bass a lot less. 

 

I grew up as a food fisherman, and through that developed an appreciation for all fish. Some fish it's their size, some their power, other their strikes or acrobatics, some their catchability. Not many fish that occur in any real numbers near me that I haven't fished for on purpose at one point or another. 

[Woody B]

I prefer bass fishing.  I enjoy accidently catching other species while bass fishing.  Decades ago I used to target Catfish some with some friends.  The catfishing was as much about drinking as it was fishing.   I've also trout fished a little.  I enjoy the mountain streams but never got thrilled about the trout.   

[DitchPanda]

13 minutes ago, Woody B said:

I prefer bass fishing.  I enjoy accidently catching other species while bass fishing.  Decades ago I used to target Catfish some with some friends.  The catfishing was as much about drinking as it was fishing.   I've also trout fished a little.  I enjoy the mountain streams but never got thrilled about the trout.   

That is not the style of cat fishing I do. I actually move alot and actively target aggressive catfish.

[813basstard]

I try..Lord knows I do. I’ll go buy minnows and night crawlers and try to catch brim and crappie with the kids. 
 

Then, the first bass snaps at a Shad and it’s ??..then the second one and it’s power pole up, let’s go boys

[gim]

2 hours ago, Woody B said:

The catfishing was as much about drinking as it was fishing.

That’s what ice fishing is here in the winter.

[DitchPanda]

29 minutes ago, gimruis said:

That’s what ice fishing is here in the winter.

I also do not ice fish that way. I stay mobile and hunt down fish.

[Bankbeater]

I don't for catfish too much anymore, but I still go out after panfish, walleye, sauger, and with a little luck I may catch a muskie.  The difference is that when I don't catch a bass I am bummed for a little while.  I don't feel that way when I get skunked fishing for other species.

[Captain Phil]

On 11/14/2022 at 6:40 PM, Woody B said:

I enjoy accidently catching other species while bass fishing.  Decades ago I used to target Catfish some with some friends.  

 

It surprises me that more fisherman don't fish for catfish.  Florida has great cat fishing, but they seem to be ignored by fishermen. I've caught catfish up to 15 pounds flipping for bass. Believe me, that will put a bow in your rod!  For years the State record catfish was caught on the Harris Chain in Haines Creek.  Big catfish prefer live bait.  Little catfish will eat anything they can get in their mouths. 

[Deleted account]

On 11/10/2022 at 8:48 PM, Mr. Aquarium said:

I have a 110 different fish species. I will chase anything from sunfish to tuna. I’m a fishermen  not a bass angler. 
 

Nice, hey, when you are done kissing tuna and holding little stripas into the camera say "park the car" for me...  

[Woody B]

15 minutes ago, Captain Phil said:

 

It surprises me that more fisherman don't fish for catfish.  Florida has great cat fishing, but they seem to be ignored by fishermen. I've caught catfish up to 15 pounds flipping for bass. Believe me, that will put a bow in your rod!  For years the State record catfish was caught on the Harris Chain in Haines Creek.  Big catfish prefer live bait.  Little catfish will eat anything they can get in their mouths. 

 

There's a bunch of people fishing for catfish on Lake Wylie (NC/SC).  The most successful ones catch bluegill and white perch to use for bait.  I caught a 53* pound Flathead on a bandit 200 back in April.  

Some of my purist bass fishing friends say they would have cut the line.   

 

I enjoyed it.  It's the biggest fish I've ever caught.  It fought like a submarine.  It took almost 30 minutes to land it.  The first 2 times I got it close it saw the boat and freaked out.   (12 pound test) 

 

* I had a 50 pound electronic scale that read "err".   45" length, 34" girth is 53 pounds per chart I found.   

[bulldog1935]

they're also fun on a fly rod, especially on the end of a 6'6" Phillipson. 

Strange day fishing endemic bass - caught a June rainbow in the last place I'd expect to find one.  In a headwaters fork, likely holdover from a private winter stocking. 

[Deleted account]

I think a lot of cat guys are all about the fishing, and not so much about the hype, though you can find plenty on the social media videos and brainless fish InterWeb. We are developing quite a network with the blues becoming more abundant and bigger here in and around DC. It's a goof, and you can chase fried nuggets or giants.

[TnRiver46]

20 minutes ago, Deleted account said:

I think a lot of cat guys are all about the fishing, and not so much about the hype, though you can find plenty on the social media videos and brainless fish InterWeb. We are developing quite a network with the blues becoming more abundant and bigger here in and around DC. It's a goof, and you can chase fried nuggets or giants.

I’m all about that fried nugget 

2 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

 

It surprises me that more fisherman don't fish for catfish.  Florida has great cat fishing, but they seem to be ignored by fishermen. I've caught catfish up to 15 pounds flipping for bass. Believe me, that will put a bow in your rod!  For years the State record catfish was caught on the Harris Chain in Haines Creek.  Big catfish prefer live bait.  Little catfish will eat anything they can get in their mouths. 

Everyone fishes for catfish on TN river, at least two guys make their living fishing for catfish on YouTube, there are well over a dozen catfish guides, and then you have commercial fishermen 

[gim]

2 hours ago, Captain Phil said:

It surprises me that more fisherman don't fish for catfish.

I have never caught one in my life here in 25 years of fishing.  Not a single species of trout, carp, or bullhead either.  I've been walleye, panfish, bass, and muskie fishing here in MN since the late 1990's and I find it quite odd that I haven't caught a single one of the fish mentioned above by accident.

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

I have never caught one in my life here in 25 years of fishing.  Not a single species of trout, carp, or bullhead either.  I've been walleye, panfish, bass, and muskie fishing here in MN since the late 1990's and I find it quite odd that I haven't caught a single one of the fish mentioned above by accident.

I use to fish the Straight River near Park Rapids...brook and rainbow trout were fairly common.

 

I have pulled a few bullhead out of Harrison's Bay on Minnetonka, but it's rare.

[gim]

24 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I use to fish the Straight River near Park Rapids...brook and rainbow trout were fairly common.

 

I have pulled a few bullhead out of Harrison's Bay on Minnetonka, but it's rare.

In a trout stream/river, catching one would probably occur at some point.  I guess its not that rare that I haven't caught a trout since they generally just inhabit deeper, cold lakes or designated trout streams.

 

The catfish/bullhead and carp thing is a mystery though.  I've also never caught a white bass.

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I've also never caught a white bass.

Join the club....

[bulldog1935]

why I bought my first fly rod

[J Francho]

We can catch these guys all winter long, so long the stream doesn't freeze over.  Since I started using a centrepin, I haven't touched a fly rod.  It's so much more efficient.

 

[Further North]

I've never fished a center pin.  Never even really looked at the process or what fishing one looks like.