Erik's fishing rants

Talked to my dad today, he is going to be up here for like 2 months, my brother for 2 weeks... So, since I only have 2 kayaks, I ordered another one tonight. I got the same kayak as I already have, but I got it in tan instead of blue like my current one is.

Ill have to wait a little longer to get the little bass raider 10 foot jon boat, but it will be nice to have all 3 of us out fishing.

Now I need to figure out how to dump 3 kayaks into my truck.... Guess I can put the new one in flat, then put my blue one on top of the new one, then put the old sit in one on its edge next to the other 2. I wish I could put all 3 of them on edge, but the battery and fishing stuff thats in mine would fall all over the place if I put it on its side.


Ill have to design a rack system for my truck for the 2 fishing kayaks so they can both sit flat. My normal fishing buddy will be able to use the new one this fall when we go out to some of the bigger lakes.

Im going to sell/give away my old sit in kayak since no one will be using it. My wife isnt comfortable with a sit in, and I cant get out of a sit in, so its just going to sit in the backyard.

 

Can’t think of a better day than out on the lake with father and sons!

 

For sure! My dad loves kayaking, my brother loves fishing. My brother lives in AZ, so he doesnt get to fish much anymore as the nearest place to fish is about a hour drive. My dad doesnt get to kayak (even though he lives in FL) because he doesnt want to go out in the ocean alone.

So this will be a great time for us all to go out. Ive got all my rods ready for everyone, I got enough rods for all the kids to fish, enough for all the adults to fish, and enough tackle for everyone to catch something.

 

Well I picked up another rod and reel today. took several stores to find all the parts I wanted. Fleetfarm had the rod, but they didnt have the reel so I was going to order it online. Then while picking up cat litter at walmart I found they had the reel! Didnt know walmart sold these reels and it was $10 cheaper too. So I grabbed the reel and then drove all the way back to fleetfarm to grab the rod. It was the last medium heavy st croix premier rod they had.

I just finished spooling the rod with 12lb mono. Was going to put on a 30lb flouro leader but I cant get my knots right so I just put a short steel leader on it for now till I can get my knots right. So for now this rod will be used for pike fishing and heavy weeded areas for bass.

 

I've bought a few reels off eBay if you know exactly what your looking for. Good prices, and free shipping.

 

I was actually going to order the whole thing from cabelas, but when I saw walmart had the reel I decided I didnt want to wait. The reel was pflueger president size 35. All the stores near me had tons of 20s and 25s, and even some 30s, but no 35s.

I did perfect my line to leader knots, so now I have about 24 inches of 30lb leader on it.

 

What didn't you like about the pflueger president 30? I've had a a pair of trion 30's for a few years. They appear as good as any of my shimano reels.

 

I needed a slightly bigger reel for the line capacity and the increased drag strength. Its going on a medium heavy rod that will mostly be used for pike and heavy weeded areas.

Also, I have a 30 already on my medium rod, its balanced perfectly. So with a slightly longer and heavier rod the 35 ended up being the perfect balance for the new rod.

 

I can see your point if you expect pike over 10 lbs. Back in the day fishing in northern quebec, we were using mitchell 300 spinning reels with solid 7 ft fiberglass rods while casting for big pike in quebec. Those 20 lb.+ pike would be a battle with that combo when they got near the boat....they make a few charge's like a submarine straight away from us before they'd finally get tired out. I think my trion 30's would hold up fine for those smaller 6 lb. guys.

 

Most of the fish I catch would be under 10lbs, but there are monsters in the lakes I fish. The lake I am going to at the end of the month just had a guy haul a 54 inch muskie from it. But also most of the lakes I fish are infested with milfoil, and that shit gets so thick is actually bends my hooks (I kept getting bent hooks and couldnt figure out why, then after casting a rapala out a few times getting no bites, I noticed the hooks were all straightened out... the only thing that has touched those baits were the weeds)

 

Weather was nice on the lake this early this morning with temps being in the low 60's. I was out there in my whaler trolling for kokanee. Finally caught a couple nice ones at 10 inches plus a few brown trout from 13-17''. No slimy pickerel this year yet, first time i can remember that since living here. I caught a couple last year one being 5lbs at 25''. It was nice to be out there with no boat traffic. Be even better when i grill up those kokanee for lunch....best tasting fish in the lake.

 

My buddy lives in Maine, during ice season he keeps sending me pictures of pickerel, So I keep sending him pictures of pike. Im hoping he and his wife finally move back here now that their 2nd kid was born.

 

When i fished for pike and walleye in quebec those lakes never had a weed or milfoil problem so 10 lb monofilament line was fine. I still think about that huge walleye i lost up there while trying to net this huge fish...had to be over 10 lbs easy. Never lost a pike though, they would hit our largest daredevil spoons, and swallow them. If you saw the size of those hooks on the spoons that we used for pike you'd think you were fishing for barracuda. No way would you straighten them.

 

There have been pike caught over 10 lbs in two area lakes not far from me, but i don't fish for them. Maybe one day i will. I'm on a trout and kokanee management lake, plus there are many other species of sun fish, yellow perch, crappie, bullhead, bass, rock, large, and smallmouth to be had if you wish.

 

New lake plans for when my dad comes into town. There is a lake about 30 minutes from me that looks perfect. Its stocked with 82000 walleye every year, is managed for crappie and pike, plus its right on the river next to a lock and dam.

Im going to try to hit it up next week to see whats in there. From the things I have read online, people are pulling musky out of there too. Ill spend a few hours fishing there, if I get nothing then I will just cross the street to the dam and go for some carp or catfish.

 

Don't know if your lake has any size, or number of walleye you can take, but their the best eating freshwater fish you'll ever catch.

 

Limit here is 6, and only one can be over 20 inches. But I dont eat fish so I just send them all back to catch again.

 

We have a 2 fish limit, and at least 18'' for walleye here in connecticut. I don't fish often for them if i don't have a better chance to catch a keeper. Nothing better than marinated/brimed smoke kokanee, or just thrown on the grill. Even the trout are delicious. As far as catching trout, i release most of the trout i catch.

 

I release all the trout I catch, other fish I will give to the hispanic or hmong people that fish the same lakes I do because I know they are feeding their family with it. Trout you need a stamp to keep, and since I dont keep them, I dont get the stamp, and im not sure if the people I am giving fish to have a stamp.. so I just release them.

 

Same here for the trout, and salmon stamp. I'll keep a few rainbows, and brookie's, and release everything else i catch. Use to be a real good yellow perch lake until the asian population found out, then all that changed....your lucky to see a 4'' yellow perch now. Was hard to beat eating grilled yellow perch fillets. I'm not a huge trout fan, but i'll take the kokanee anytime.