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#696635 - 03/05/07 07:47 PM Fishing Stories
TheManofSteel Offline
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Being in the northeast, the sizes of our freshwater species may be considerably different from the same species in other areas. I'll give some of what I have caught over the years, and include some funny stories to go with them.

1985 or 1986 - I caught a 6 1/2 lb largemouth on the most rinky dink worm. It was during a drought, so the reservoir was very low. Since I was a young punk, it was larger than my arm.

1995 I was at Teakettle Lake in Mahopac, NY. I was peering over the edge of about a 5 foot deep area, dunking donut balls into the lake. A largemouth bass slammed one of my donut balls, stopped dead for about 1 second and looked me right in the eye, then swam off. I think I caught him in some following weekend, but I threw him back. About 5 lbs.

Same spot 1996. I had 2 week old clump of chicken out on the line and a bell to warn me. Got a bite and after a huge fight, I pulled in a long slimy eel as thick as a bicycle tire tube. Because I had the new spider wire at the time, I could not break the line wthout cutting it against the rocks. When I first reeled him in, my pal was on the edge screaming in a deep doofy voice "Dude I think its a Pike." Then, as if he had a string tied to his back from the woods, he just glided back about 15 feet going "Duuuuuuuuuuude, its a friggin eel." After I cut him loose, it slithered back into the lake.

I have plenty more. Let's hear some others' stories though.
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#696739 - 03/05/07 09:03 PM Re: Fishing Stories TheManofSteel
Bones Offline
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This is really my brother's fish story, but I will tell it anyway:

When we were young, my parents would take us camping and fishing every chance they got. On one of these trips, it was probably about 12am or so and everyone was asleep except for my brother, who was still fishing. All of sudden we hear my brother yelling for my dad to come and help him and we all flew out of bed and ran to the lake and by the time I got there my brother was waist deep in the lake grabbing at something. Well, apparently, he got a pretty big bite and was fighting to reel in his catch when the line snapped. That's when he ran into the water chasing the line. He came out of the lake with a 16 pound catfish. It was pretty exciting. It so happened that there was a big fish contest in the town a few miles from the lake and my brother won.
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#696752 - 03/05/07 09:09 PM Re: Fishing Stories Bones
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We camped a lot when my sister and I were growing up and if we weren't in the boat fishing with our parents, we could be found on the dock with our cane poles. So at this one campground we were fishing for sunfish off the dock with our cane poles and within minutes each of us had nice size northerns on our lines. With no way to "real" them in we had to run off the dock and up onto shore to land the fish. The were nice size pikes so had the campground in a stir with our cane pole catches!!
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#696777 - 03/05/07 09:26 PM Re: Fishing Stories RR Sarah
TheManofSteel Offline
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Those are excellent catfish and pike tales. My pal and I were fishing in a boat midlake, and he had a largemouth ont he line. Fought like a son of a b^&ch, but then the line snapped. The dufus jumped in the lake after the bass hahaha.
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#696781 - 03/05/07 09:28 PM Re: Fishing Stories TheManofSteel
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I don't get to do much fishing, but you should see the huge bass that the bald eagles pull out of the lake in my back yard every day. It's quite amazing to watch a bald eagle catch a fish.
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#696791 - 03/05/07 09:33 PM Re: Fishing Stories Bimmer
TheManofSteel Offline
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Originally Posted By: Bimmer
I don't get to do much fishing, but you should see the huge bass that the bald eagles pull out of the lake in my back yard every day. It's quite amazing to watch a bald eagle catch a fish.


Dude, you need to get a photo of that and post it somewhere. That is probably quite a site, because Bass are pretty big for a bald eagle to scoop up.
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#696808 - 03/05/07 09:38 PM Re: Fishing Stories TheManofSteel
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I was fishing off the spit in Homer, AK. Had a piece of Herring on my hook. Casted out, and just as my hook hit the water a seagull swooped down to grab the bait. Instead of catching a fish, I caught a gull! Had to reel him in and hold him steady (and tried not to get pecked to death) as my buddy worked the hook out of his bill. Felt sorry for the guy.

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#696816 - 03/05/07 09:42 PM Re: Fishing Stories GLKS
TheManofSteel Offline
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Originally Posted By: harty
I was fishing off the spit in Homer, AK. Had a piece of Herring on my hook. Casted out, and just as my hook hit the water a seagull swooped down to grab the bait. Instead of catching a fish, I caught a gull! Had to reel him in and hold him steady (and tried not to get pecked to death) as my buddy worked the hook out of his bill. Felt sorry for the guy.


Hope you got a photo of that. I know, I hate when a non-fish, like a turtle or duck, gets hooked to. That's why I try to use weedless hooks, the ones without the barbs. You catch less but...
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#696835 - 03/05/07 09:50 PM Re: Fishing Stories TheManofSteel
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My husband took our 4 year old son ice fishing last weekend, and my husband let him reel in all the fish. My son came home telling me how he caught ALL the fish and his dad "choked at fishing".
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#696846 - 03/05/07 09:57 PM Re: Fishing Stories Bones
TheManofSteel Offline
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Originally Posted By: Bones
My husband took our 4 year old son ice fishing last weekend, and my husband let him reel in all the fish. My son came home telling me how he caught ALL the fish and his dad "choked at fishing".

Hubby is prepping the lad. So when he's older and goes fishing with the pals, there will no doubt be alot of ball-busting, which is half the fun of fishing.
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#696946 - 03/05/07 11:56 PM Re: Fishing Stories TheManofSteel
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My family has a huge cabin in Up State NY right next to a good sized lake. We used to go up there every year when I was growing up. When I was about 5 or 6, I decided I wanted to go fishing with my dad, my mom wouldn't let me because she was afraid I would get pulled in the water so my dad just gave me a branch with a string, no hook, I don't know how he got the worm on there, or if he just pretended to put one on there. He told my mom, "Don't worry, she's not going to catch anything with that." Well I caught a huge snapping turtle (I was 5 or 6 so huge is probably pretty small) But I thought I was pretty hot stuff for the rest of the day. That's probably my best memory of that place.
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#697160 - 03/06/07 04:20 PM Re: Fishing Stories ~MunQue~
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Originally Posted By: Memo Queen
My family has a huge cabin in Up State NY right next to a good sized lake. We used to go up there every year when I was growing up. When I was about 5 or 6, I decided I wanted to go fishing with my dad, my mom wouldn't let me because she was afraid I would get pulled in the water so my dad just gave me a branch with a string, no hook, I don't know how he got the worm on there, or if he just pretended to put one on there. He told my mom, "Don't worry, she's not going to catch anything with that." Well I caught a huge snapping turtle (I was 5 or 6 so huge is probably pretty small) But I thought I was pretty hot stuff for the rest of the day. That's probably my best memory of that place.


But Memo, without a hook, how did the turtle get pulled in? Was it biting down on the string?
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#697175 - 03/06/07 04:31 PM Re: Fishing Stories TheManofSteel
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When I was 9 I was fishing with my older brother and younger sister. FYI - I was also quite small for my age. I hooked something up close to the bank and it felt very large to me. I remember my brother asking me if I needed any help and I gave him a hesitant 'no'. It probably didn't take that long to reel it in but it felt like forever. I caught a 5 1/2 pound, 23 inch channel cat all by myself. I was so proud and still have the pictures. I also caught a small perch that day and neither my sister or brother caught anything.

Oh - what wonderful memories. Thanks AMLFella for starting this thread.
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#697184 - 03/06/07 04:39 PM Re: Fishing Stories Skittles
TheManofSteel Offline
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Is it not amazing that even years later, you still remember it as being a "huge" catch, because you are reflecting back through the eyes of the "child you?" {Although, even today I'd be proud of a 5lb channel cat}

Some of my most peaceful and spiritual experiences have been fishing, whether alone or with pals. Also, at least from a man's perspective, soem of the most hilarious, ball-breaking experiences too.

When I finally have kids, I am going to thoroughly enjoy teaching them and tking them fishing. Until then, I'll have to enjoy taking my pals' kids fishing.

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#697194 - 03/06/07 04:47 PM Re: Fishing Stories TheManofSteel
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I have to agree . . I have a lot of great memories fishing and camping. We also had a boat and would water ski. My dad would always put a trout line on the other side of the lake and he would wake me up early in the morning while every one else was sleeping and we would go check the trout line. I would water ski over and he would water ski back. My dad passed away when I was 13, but I have such great memories of that time with him. Now it is my son's turn to learn about fishing and it is great to watch him enjoy it as much as I did.
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#697292 - 03/06/07 06:15 PM Re: Fishing Stories TheManofSteel
~MunQue~ Offline
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Honestly I haven't got a clue how I caught him, I'll have to ask my dad about it tonight, though I doubt that he would remember. I think about the how things look to my kids all the time, when we moved into the house we're in now, they were so amazed, by the time they're 13 they'll be asking for bigger rooms.
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#697318 - 03/06/07 06:40 PM Re: Fishing Stories ~MunQue~
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TRUE STORY -

(did I get your attention?? hang on - it's funny)
Several years back we lived on a lake (TVA dam - but goes by "lake" in that area). My husband, dog and I went fishing one afternoon off the dock - can't remember what type of bait, line, etc. (mainly because I don't pay attention). I was so in tune with my line that I felt the slightest of tugs and SWUNG with all my might! The tip of my pole curved fully over my head pulling the fish in a beautiful arc high up in the air - over my head - still hanging in the air - and finally slamming in a stunned thud, where my dog went into action barking at the dock invader, as if to do it in with her dog breath... The poor little sunfish wasn't any bigger than my hand. My husband swished it back and forth in the lake, giving it fish CPR. It miraculously came to and was able to swim off.

Best fishing day of my life! (unless you count the day I was standing behind my dad when he cast and sunk his worm-laden hook deep in my hair)

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#697324 - 03/06/07 06:43 PM Re: Fishing Stories ~MunQue~
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I don't have any memories of catching a specific fish, but I remember when my brother and I were kids my dad would take us to participate in the fishing derby at the local sportsmans club--just trout fishing in a small lake, but a fun community event.

I also remember ocean fishing once with my family from the rocks at a favorite beach on the Pacific coast. My dad's family is very close to the water: he grew up fishing as a boy on the American River, and still enjoys lake fishing; and my uncle was a commercial urchin diver. When we visited during summer vacations, he would always bring fresh seafood for dinner; and my grandma's garden is lined with abalone shells from his dives.
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#697534 - 03/06/07 09:28 PM Re: Fishing Stories Becka Marr
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Originally Posted By: Becka Marr
I don't have any memories of catching a specific fish, but I remember when my brother and I were kids my dad would take us to participate in the fishing derby at the local sportsmans club--just trout fishing in a small lake, but a fun community event.

I also remember ocean fishing once with my family from the rocks at a favorite beach on the Pacific coast. My dad's family is very close to the water: he grew up fishing as a boy on the American River, and still enjoys lake fishing; and my uncle was a commercial urchin diver. When we visited during summer vacations, he would always bring fresh seafood for dinner; and my grandma's garden is lined with abalone shells from his dives.


A fishing family one might say.
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#697694 - 03/06/07 11:10 PM Re: Fishing Stories TheManofSteel
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My youngest daughter (3) went fishing with her dad last summer. She was so excited when she came home soaking wet from falling in the water off the boat (thank God for life jackets). Her dad had taken a picture of her with "the catch of the day" it was all of 5 inches, just a little silver fish (I don't know the names of them). Since that last day at the lake she goes "fishing" off of the front porch catching imaginary fish in an imaginary lake with imaginary line hooked to an imaginary pole every time it's warm outside.
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#697702 - 03/06/07 11:18 PM Re: Fishing Stories ~MunQue~
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This is a round about fishing story, one where I get caught. My parents own a 21ft jet boat, and we were on our way back from the reservoir. I was driving behind them and I noticed that the zipper on the starboard side of the boat was broken and the cover was flapping all over the place on that side. I got them to pull over, and we're out in the country where it's very windy and there are nothing but barbed wire fences and cows around us. My dad was on the port side and I was on the other. I was working on the ropes on the bottom of the cover and he got his side off of the boat. The wind filled the cover up with air, like a hot air balloon and I got tangled up in the ropes and it lifted me up in the air and drug me through the dirt and the grass. I finally stopped about 2 ft from the fence. I swear the cows were all laughing at me, along with my family. I had an awesome bruise from it.
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#697705 - 03/06/07 11:23 PM Re: Fishing Stories AngelinaLM
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When it's cold I like to go up to Northern Idaho and catch Steelhead. I think the last one that we caught on the boat was 23"
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#697710 - 03/06/07 11:33 PM Re: Fishing Stories AngelinaLM
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My fish story cost me $550. On my first trip to Mexico I went sail fishing and caught one 9 1/2 135 pounds. Well proud as I was I had it mounted and shipped home. It arrived in a big crate about two months later. After uncrating it I pick it up carried it into the house to figure out where I would hang it. Sadly, I had no wall in the house big enough. It went under the bed for ten years and I gave it away. All I have left are the pictures catching it and it hanging on the dock in Acapulco.

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#697717 - 03/06/07 11:50 PM Re: Fishing Stories Fraudman CFCI
Becka Marr Offline
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Not a fish tale, but Fraudman's story reminded me of my friend that has a model hammerhead shark hanging on his wall. One of his buddies found it at a garage sale (I think), and thought it would be a perfect mascot for their underwater hockey team.

Sorry to hijack...
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#697745 - 03/07/07 02:30 AM Re: Fishing Stories AngelinaLM
TheManofSteel Offline
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Originally Posted By: AngelinaLM
When it's cold I like to go up to Northern Idaho and catch Steelhead. I think the last one that we caught on the boat was 23"


Is that near the Sawtooth Mountains?
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