Topic: Who knows anything about fishing?

[paulages]

 

After the response to my boat thread, I have a feeling this one is going to get some attention...

I hadn't fished in 20 years or so, but recently bought a boat and some fishing gear and have been giving it a go. To date, I have hooked one fish, but my poor knot-tying abilities allow it to escape. I'm vegetarian anyway, but the poor bugger is going to have a hell of a time explaining its new piercing to the family...

Anyway, I don't know what the hell I'm doing and would like some advice. I fished for bluegill, carp, and a bit of bass as a kid, but things are a little different out here in the pacific NW with salmon, sturgeon, and steelhead. That said, I'm looking for tips on catching walleye, bass, trout...whatever. i have a boat, and would love to troll with it.

A few days ago I was casting into the banks of the Willamette off of Sauvie Island, just before the Willamette joins the Columbia, around some old pylons that appeared to have been a dock at some point. It looked really "fishy." I was using a drop shot rig with a 3" tube ("outlaw" brand). I was getting nibbles, but besides the "one that got away," we never caught anything.

Anyway, hopefully this can be a place where people can share fishing tips, as they seem to be closely guarded wherever I look on the net. There is an Oregon fishing forum, but I haven't really found much help there with the basics. This place seems to have an expert or a dozen in every field, so let the fishermen flourish... 

[kvallelunga]

Hang out at bait shops. They all love to talk fishing and will be more than willing to help a newby. Also get a marine radio. The charter boats all talk about what they are catching and what they are using to catch it. As for knots look up fishermans knot and  surgeons knot online. Both simple to learn for starters.

[markb]

For safety it's a good idea to get the marine radio but you probably won't get much fish talk from the charters anymore.  Around here they all talk on their cells.

[flybox1]

great "other" hobby. 
Improved clinch not. look it up. its all i use at the business end of my gear  good break strength.
search fu for fishing knots will bring up pages of tutorials on the web.

best way to learn how to fish your area, and about those fish, is by talking to, watching and fishing with those already doing it. 
Hire a guide.  tell him what you want to fish for, in the area you have access to.
he'll show ya a few good spots, AND you learn tackle and tactics.  worth the $!
In western WA, i fish(w/ gear, fly fish and spey) year-round for steelhead, all the salmons, and occasionally trout.  20+ years of watching and talking to those out doing what i love doing.  you can learn a lot in a short time.  its like hanging out here 
I joined a fishing club.  pretty cool.  sit around, eat food, drink beers, talk fishing. 
Once a month.  young guys and old guys.  i was a sponge for knowledge back then.  now, i share quite often. 
I started building my own tackle 10+ years ago, rods, flies, jigs, spoons.  did it for a hobby at first. i now build custom rods and do repairs for local shops and friends. 

[sangyo soichiro]

Here is a site that has some knots and animations on how they're tied.
http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php

Also, when shopping for baits, ask yourself, "Is this bait meant to catch fish, or fishermen?"  


I was a fishin' fool a few years ago.  I'd go out and fish all day, come in and sleep 4 hours, and go right back out.  I was a student then so I sort of could get away with it as long as I didn't get behind.  I was also going through a divorce, so that kind of explains why I was so hardcore about it - I needed to get my mind off things.  


I really love fishing for catfish on the riverside at night with a Coleman lantern, a chair, a radio set to the Coast to Coast AM radio show, and the stars in the sky.  Very serene.  

[MrGrey]

Here is a site that has some knots and animations on how they're tied.
http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishing.php

Also, when shopping for baits, ask yourself, "Is this bait meant to catch fish, or fishermen?"   


I was a fishin' fool a few years ago.  I'd go out and fish all day, come in and sleep 4 hours, and go right back out.  I was a student then so I sort of could get away with it as long as I didn't get behind.  I was also going through a divorce, so that kind of explains why I was so hardcore about it - I needed to get my mind off things.   


I really love fishing for catfish on the riverside at night with a Coleman lantern, a chair, a radio set to Coast to the Coast AM radio show, and the stars in the sky.  Very serene.   

George Noory for the win

[knowsnothing]

Anyone have any tips on strippers (baits, lures, setups etc)?  They have made me look silly all summer.  I am fishing from the shore/pier and am 0 for 15  on successful trips...

[paulages]

great "other" hobby. 
Improved clinch not. look it up. its all i use at the business end of my gear  good break strength.
search fu for fishing knots will bring up pages of tutorials on the web.

best way to learn how to fish your area, and about those fish, is by talking to, watching and fishing with those already doing it. 
Hire a guide.  tell him what you want to fish for, in the area you have access to.
he'll show ya a few good spots, AND you learn tackle and tactics.  worth the $!
In western WA, i fish(w/ gear, fly fish and spey) year-round for steelhead, all the salmons, and occasionally trout.  20+ years of watching and talking to those out doing what i love doing.  you can learn a lot in a short time.  its like hanging out here 
I joined a fishing club.  pretty cool.  sit around, eat food, drink beers, talk fishing. 
Once a month.  young guys and old guys.  i was a sponge for knowledge back then.  now, i share quite often. 
I started building my own tackle 10+ years ago, rods, flies, jigs, spoons.  did it for a hobby at first. i now build custom rods and do repairs for local shops and friends. 

I've thought about doing the guide thing, but can't really afford it at the moment. The guy who showed me how to tie a line for a drop shot told me about a bass fishing club across the river in Vancouver. I may drop by there for some advice. Warm water fish I think I can figure out, as they'll bite a nightcrawler beaneath a bobber if you put it in the right place. I'm interested in learning more about trolling for salmon and steelhead (walleye too, I guess).

I learned some knots last night that seem like they'll cover my bases.. a perfection knot for loops, and the palamar and uni for tying line straight to hooks or swivels. i've been using a clinch knot, which seems fine. I'm not sure what I had tied on the line that got away, but it must not have been right. by the way, i found lots of great knots here: http:/videofishingknots.com. Of all the videos I found on youtube, theirs were the clearest and easiest to follow.

[flybox1]

Wet your line with saliva just before cinching knots down.
REALLY important if using flourocarbon.  it burns/pinches easily.
havent had a improved clinch knot fail in years.  line break on a fattie, yeah.   happens to the best of us. 
on my gear-chucking-bank-maggot setups    i've been running braided mainline for the past few years, with mono or flouro leaders.
more line per spool because of the smaller dia per lb test, greater abrasion resistance, less coiling or backlash.  and it lasts years longer than mono.

[flybox1]

time of the year for you paulages...to hit the Deschutes or Sandy for some steelhead!  
i was fishing for trout out near Welches a few years back, think it was the Salmon Riv, saw a lot of coho redds.  beautiful area.

[Retro Rocket]

Wet your line with saliva just before cinching knots down.
REALLY important if using flourocarbon.  it burns/pinches easily.
havent had a improved clinch knot fail in years.  line break on a fattie, yeah.   happens to the best of us. 
on my gear-chucking-bank-maggot setups    i've been running braided mainline for the past few years, with mono or flouro leaders.
more line per spool because of the smaller dia per lb test, greater abrasion resistance, less coiling or backlash.  and it lasts years longer than mono.

I also love braid but watch out for knots or what we call over here a "birdsnest", thats when the line comes off the spool too fast and ends up in a pile in your lap, you can get knots out a lot easier in mono filament line than braid. Your best bet as already mentioned , is to talk to experienced guys, it will save you loosing some good fish. And if you plan on doing a bit of fishing into the future buy good gear, i have seen many good fish lost to cheap gear and have had it happen to me as well....

Mick

[TwoTired]

My favorite fishing shirt.

[Stev-o]

Only advice I will give is fish with someone in the know.
Here is the catch of my most recent fishing trip in Cozumel, Mexico.
This was my nephew's

first fish, a dolphin [1st mate on right].
They filleted 'em right on the dock and we had fresh fish for dinner that night!

[Retro Rocket]

Dolphin fish or Mahi Mahi are great eating fish, they have nice firm flesh and are the fastest growing fish in the ocean.......little bit of trivia for you....

Mick