Bycatch

[GRiver]

As a by-catch, it mostly crappies and gar, I avoid the gar.. they can trash a lure, and unhooking them can get sketchy.

My buddy fishes for them, eats the back strap, uses the rest for his crab traps.  He calls it country boy lobster. 

[Woody B]

I'll occasionally catch a White Perch, Bluegill, or Crappie.   They're usually small.  I put the White Perch and Bluegill in my live well and give them to people fishing for Catfish.  

 

I catch Catfish pretty often.  They're a double edged sword.  I enjoy catching "trophy" sized Cats.....over 30 pounds or so.  I usually try to shake the smaller ones off beside my boat so I don't get slime everywhere.   My biggest is a 53 pound, 47 inch long Flathead.  I caught it on a Bandit 200 using 12 pound test mono.  It took a while to get it in the boat.  For a while I wasn't sure who was going to tire out first.  

 

[Alex from GA]

Bowfin especially on a spinnerbait.  

[gim]

11 hours ago, IcatchDinks said:

Pike. I love catching pike. And it's always been accidental. 

First a rock bass, then a 22 inch PB largie, now this blasphemy.

[roadwarrior]

12 hours ago, softwateronly said:

Drum

 

[IcatchDinks]

25 minutes ago, gimruis said:

First a rock bass, then a 22 inch PB largie, now this blasphemy.

 

What can I say? I'm a bit of a Renaissance man. 

[casts_by_fly]

I like catching most anything that that will hit but I am coming to hate pickerel. They just trash lures.  Nip the tails off plastics.  Bend out wirebaits. They are slimy and make a mess. If I see one chasing my lure I try to pull it away. 

[throttleplate]

I enjoy catching anything that puts up a fight, buffalo head are great fighters in the river i catch them in, they are as solid as a plate of steel. Of all the fish i dislike most is northern pike unless its big and makes for a fun catch, also rock bass get annoying and bullheads.

 

5 hours ago, Alex from GA said:

Bowfin especially on a spinnerbait.  

 

Is this a bowfin you are referring to?

[A-Jay]

What's the limit on drag squealing by catch action ?

A-Jay

[TnRiver46]

8 hours ago, throttleplate said:

I enjoy catching anything that puts up a fight, buffalo head are great fighters in the river i catch them in, they are as solid as a plate of steel. Of all the fish i dislike most is northern pike unless its big and makes for a fun catch, also rock bass get annoying and bullheads.

 

 

Is this a bowfin you are referring to?

Nice buffalo! 
 

yep that’s a bowfin in your bottom pic, bite ya soon as look at ya 

[Further North]

On 6/23/2024 at 9:08 AM, gimruis said:

First a rock bass, then a 22 inch PB largie, now this blasphemy.

I'm right there with him - I love catching pike...but in my case it's on purpose.

On 6/23/2024 at 10:22 AM, casts_by_fly said:

I like catching most anything that that will hit but I am coming to hate pickerel. They just trash lures.  Nip the tails off plastics.  Bend out wirebaits. They are slimy and make a mess. If I see one chasing my lure I try to pull it away. 

...that'll almost certainly trigger a strike...

[casts_by_fly]

11 minutes ago, Further North said:

I'm right there with him - I love catching pike...but in my case it's on purpose.

...that'll almost certainly trigger a strike...

I know, but not if I’m quicker. 

[Bazoo]

I think Crappie are my favorite as a species, they are beautiful!

 

But I think this Gar was my favorite bycatch so far.

[Bankbeater]

My favorite are catfish and muskie.  They hit hard and put up a good fight.

My least favorite is getting to be warmouth.  They bite hard, and then you set the hook and they come flying out of the water. 

[Choporoz]

Two notable by-catches yesterday.   First, only a by-catch because until yesterday, I'd have told you that there aren't any smallmouth in that lake..  Caught maybe two up one of the feeder rivers years ago.  But in 14 years, never in the main lake.

Other one I wouldn't have believed it wasnt staged if I hadn't hooked it and seen for myself.  Hooked cleanly in the mouth...that was one hungry bluegill