2017 Fishing/Ice Fishing Thread

Big ole socialist pike caught near Bernie Sanders' house in North Hero on Lake Champlain.

attachment.php



And an unexpected walleye. Did I mention that we were fishing for bass?

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • DSCN0017.jpg
    DSCN0017.jpg
    207.1 KB · Views: 159
  • DSCN0020.jpg
    DSCN0020.jpg
    235 KB · Views: 155
Big ole socialist pike caught near Bernie Sanders' house in North Hero on Lake Champlain.

attachment.php



And an unexpected walleye. Did I mention that we were fishing for bass?

attachment.php

Beautiful fish, always wanted to ice fish there for pike. I've heard of some monsters coming through the ice there.
 
There's one lake I go to near my house that I only use frogs, so many pads you can't even use anything else. I miss so many fish like that though, I think when the fish comes up to hit it a lot of pads get between him and the hook. Any tips to get more good hook sets?
 
There's one lake I go to near my house that I only use frogs, so many pads you can't even use anything else. I miss so many fish like that though, I think when the fish comes up to hit it a lot of pads get between him and the hook. Any tips to get more good hook sets?

Baitcasting reel, frog rod (7 foot 6 inches, xx heavy but with a nice tip) 50 pound braid, wait 3 seconds before you set the hook. Also on the spro frogs, trim the legs to about just under 2 inches, take pliers and open the hooks so they just barely do not touch the back of the frog.
 
Frog fishing is not for the faint of heart, you can loose almost as many as you catch. I hit them hard as soon as they start to go down before they realize it's not real and spit it. You can get hugh blow ups and usually pretty good fish. I use at least 40 to 60lb braid and I use lots of different kinds of frogs. There are some really nice frogs coming out now in different price ranges so buy a few and be patient, this is the time year to be using frogs.
 
Last edited:
Holy carp! That's some serious gear youre suggesting. The legs on my frogs are pretty long. I'll try trimming them. To be honest I usually set the hook to early I think. I try and wait but it's almost instinctual to set the hook right when you see that splash.

Last time I was at that pond I think I got about 5-6 hits and misses all of them.
 
My friend from Tennessee come north for a visit last week and we managed to get in some good fishing at a few different ponds on the south shore. We went fishing early and late in the day and shooting in the middle. We had a great week and spent a few days in Maine and a day on the cape.Resized952017082595192237.jpgIMG_1758.jpg
 
Hit my local pond today with my wife in Yaks. Caught a pickerel so large I couldn't boat it because I was worried my ultralight rod would break. Enjoy my derpy "I can't believe I didn't get skunked AGAIN" face!

IMG_20170829_131537.jpg
 
That is the biggest slime dart I've ever seen. [wink]
I thought it was a big large mouth bass at first. It fought me for a good couple minutes before I brought it up and saw the chains.

Against my better judgement, I let it go. I'd have considered having it mounted if I had somewhere in the Yak to keep it (and somewhere to take it).

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
.............
Against my better judgement, I let it go. I'd have considered having it mounted if I had somewhere in the Yak to keep it................

You have bungies.

I almost exclusively use an Ultralight setup. I've never caught a fish on it I couldn't bring in with 4lb line.

I also don't fish in heavy cover with it.
 
Been a while since I posted, had a real busy year since I quit my job and started my own business (marine electronics) so I really haven't been to active in the forums lately.

Last Sunday I had the day of my life...

Below is the story copied from my Facebook page..


What an unbelievable afternoon the Fishbone had on Sunday.

After fishing all week hard for bluefin tuna, missing bites and breaking fish off I decided to take Sunday morning off and spend some time with the family.

After our Sunday morning get together I figured there's still 10 hours left before the tuna season closes until October. At 1PM I arrived at the launch ramp, launched the boat and took on some fuel. This was, in all regards a "Hail Mary" solo tuna trip.

I had a little struggle finding suitable sized Baits and thanks to a fellow tuna fisherman who was already out he remedied my bait situation and gave me 4 mackerel to get started... seeing that it was now close to 3 that's all the bait I needed! (Thanks Elijah! KARMA will find you I'm sure of it!)

So I make my way to the area I've been seeing, marking, hooking and loosing fish and by the time I got set up it's now 4:30... not much fishing time left.

I begin marking fish immediately, anxiously waiting for one to take the bait..

I give myself a limit, I'll fish till 6 if I don't get the bite by them I'll head home and try again in October... besides the season closes at 1130, meaning my fish has to be in the truck by then.

So the balloon staring contest begins

445 mark fish, no bites
500 mark fish no bites
530 mark fish no bites

545 mark fish, no bites so I adjust my Baits and add another 15 minutes too my timer and hop in the bean bag for a little spell

559 the down bait goes off! Reel starts screaming, I'm on! And I'm all alone!

I scramble the clear the other 2 rods, start the engines and move the right rod to the forward fighting station, the boat swings around and my "Cape cod sleigh ride" has begun

The fish had taken the 200 yard mono topshot in less than a minute, we are now down to the braided mainline, the reel slows, I get a bunch of line back quick, he's turned for the boat, smart fish!

I put the boat in reverse and pin the throttle, the line comes tight again and he did not like that! The fish turned away from the boat and begins another blazing run. Long enough for me to clear the deck, get the harpoons ready and get my gloves on, time to battle!

The next hour is nothing short of an amazing game of "tug o war" with a setting sun and fog rolling in.... it was truly an amazing sight but I didn't have time to take it all in, it was do or die, I knew the fish I hooked was big by its behavior... we were gonna be a while.

After an hour and a half of fighting the fish solo my good buddy Warren Burrell who had been fishing a few miles north of me was on his way in and saw I was tight. His wife dropped him off on Fishbone to help me tame this fish, and I needed it!

(Warren had hopped on to help me before, we killed a 500 lb fish together last fall) after another 1/2 hour of battle the fish was getting tired, I could tell he had no more blazing runs in him, his will was breaking, I pushed the drag up to the pin and started cranking him in... slowly but surely... I'd take 6 ft, he'd take 3 ft back.... it was a tedious game of give and take. It was also getting dark, this adds to the challenge!

He tried to make a few runs at the boat but his speed was gone, we could easily pace him now, and keep the pressure on him.

At 8pm we finally got a glimpse of the fish on top, a minute later it presented us with a full broadside shot, Warren stuck the fish with precision, sinking the dart into it so well it needed to be cut out. We quickly got the tail rope on it and it was game over, we had won, the fish was tied off...

It wasn't until I pulled his head up to put a line through his jaw that I realized, this fish was a true beast. There was no way we were going to get it in my 24 ft boat. I tied it to the side head first and began the 7kt ride in, 10 miles 1:45 min. This put me at the dock at 1030, remember the season closes at 1130.

Warren hopped back on his boat with his wife and headed in, it was just me and the fish again.... my old friend.

I arrived at the harbor and my buyer Sergio was there with bells on!

The fish weighed in at 780 lbs 106" and dressed out at 627 lbs.

A true giant bluefin tuna landed with an hour to spare!

I can't thank Warren, Elijah and Sergio enough. Without them this would not be possible!

I've caught plenty of tuna in my day, but this fish is by far the biggest I've landed on my own boat. I am truly blessed to have to opportunity to target such a magnificent animal.

I'm reminded of a passage from the old man and the sea

"I love you and respect you very much fish... but I will kill you dead before this day ends"

October can't come soon enough!

Let us know if you want your chance to hook one and take a "cape cod sleigh ride" !

Capt. John Crobar
Fishbone charters
774-216-9207


7b5cbeb1d3d2e31e652456a5438e7dc0.jpg
8f30a2e74e04b5fba16446356bb461fc.jpg

76fa821ada99329ecb71fdab41c886e8.jpg
083dbece2721489faceefe94d16ba7c8.jpg
 
Been a while since I posted, had a real busy year since I quit my job and started my own business (marine electronics) so I really haven't been to active in the forums lately.

Last Sunday I had the day of my life...

Below is the story copied from my Facebook page..


What an unbelievable afternoon the Fishbone had on Sunday.

After fishing all week hard for bluefin tuna, missing bites and breaking fish off I decided to take Sunday morning off and spend some time with the family.

After our Sunday morning get together I figured there's still 10 hours left before the tuna season closes until October. At 1PM I arrived at the launch ramp, launched the boat and took on some fuel. This was, in all regards a "Hail Mary" solo tuna trip.

I had a little struggle finding suitable sized Baits and thanks to a fellow tuna fisherman who was already out he remedied my bait situation and gave me 4 mackerel to get started... seeing that it was now close to 3 that's all the bait I needed! (Thanks Elijah! KARMA will find you I'm sure of it!)

So I make my way to the area I've been seeing, marking, hooking and loosing fish and by the time I got set up it's now 4:30... not much fishing time left.

I begin marking fish immediately, anxiously waiting for one to take the bait..

I give myself a limit, I'll fish till 6 if I don't get the bite by them I'll head home and try again in October... besides the season closes at 1130, meaning my fish has to be in the truck by then.

So the balloon staring contest begins

445 mark fish, no bites
500 mark fish no bites
530 mark fish no bites

545 mark fish, no bites so I adjust my Baits and add another 15 minutes too my timer and hop in the bean bag for a little spell

559 the down bait goes off! Reel starts screaming, I'm on! And I'm all alone!

I scramble the clear the other 2 rods, start the engines and move the right rod to the forward fighting station, the boat swings around and my "Cape cod sleigh ride" has begun

The fish had taken the 200 yard mono topshot in less than a minute, we are now down to the braided mainline, the reel slows, I get a bunch of line back quick, he's turned for the boat, smart fish!

I put the boat in reverse and pin the throttle, the line comes tight again and he did not like that! The fish turned away from the boat and begins another blazing run. Long enough for me to clear the deck, get the harpoons ready and get my gloves on, time to battle!

The next hour is nothing short of an amazing game of "tug o war" with a setting sun and fog rolling in.... it was truly an amazing sight but I didn't have time to take it all in, it was do or die, I knew the fish I hooked was big by its behavior... we were gonna be a while.

After an hour and a half of fighting the fish solo my good buddy Warren Burrell who had been fishing a few miles north of me was on his way in and saw I was tight. His wife dropped him off on Fishbone to help me tame this fish, and I needed it!

(Warren had hopped on to help me before, we killed a 500 lb fish together last fall) after another 1/2 hour of battle the fish was getting tired, I could tell he had no more blazing runs in him, his will was breaking, I pushed the drag up to the pin and started cranking him in... slowly but surely... I'd take 6 ft, he'd take 3 ft back.... it was a tedious game of give and take. It was also getting dark, this adds to the challenge!

He tried to make a few runs at the boat but his speed was gone, we could easily pace him now, and keep the pressure on him.

At 8pm we finally got a glimpse of the fish on top, a minute later it presented us with a full broadside shot, Warren stuck the fish with precision, sinking the dart into it so well it needed to be cut out. We quickly got the tail rope on it and it was game over, we had won, the fish was tied off...

It wasn't until I pulled his head up to put a line through his jaw that I realized, this fish was a true beast. There was no way we were going to get it in my 24 ft boat. I tied it to the side head first and began the 7kt ride in, 10 miles 1:45 min. This put me at the dock at 1030, remember the season closes at 1130.

Warren hopped back on his boat with his wife and headed in, it was just me and the fish again.... my old friend.

I arrived at the harbor and my buyer Sergio was there with bells on!

The fish weighed in at 780 lbs 106" and dressed out at 627 lbs.

A true giant bluefin tuna landed with an hour to spare!

I can't thank Warren, Elijah and Sergio enough. Without them this would not be possible!

I've caught plenty of tuna in my day, but this fish is by far the biggest I've landed on my own boat. I am truly blessed to have to opportunity to target such a magnificent animal.

I'm reminded of a passage from the old man and the sea

"I love you and respect you very much fish... but I will kill you dead before this day ends"

October can't come soon enough!

Let us know if you want your chance to hook one and take a "cape cod sleigh ride" !

Capt. John Crobar
Fishbone charters
774-216-9207


7b5cbeb1d3d2e31e652456a5438e7dc0.jpg
8f30a2e74e04b5fba16446356bb461fc.jpg

76fa821ada99329ecb71fdab41c886e8.jpg
083dbece2721489faceefe94d16ba7c8.jpg

What. A. Beast. That's awesome dude. The tuna have been hot and heavy lately. My dad got a 325# tuna last week. Problem is that the price has dropped dramatically since everyone is catching tuna. Market is flooded I guess.
 
What. A. Beast. That's awesome dude. The tuna have been hot and heavy lately. My dad got a 325# tuna last week. Problem is that the price has dropped dramatically since everyone is catching tuna. Market is flooded I guess.

There is no market, the Japanese are happy to buy farm raised 73.5"butter balls from the med... and here in the states there's a misnomer that they are overfished... coupled with wicked tuna making false claims on price per pound there's quite a few "Johnny come latelys" in the fishery.

It's all about proper care. Unfortunately I had to tow this fish home, so I couldn't gut it or ice it....

Price also has to do with a working relationship with a buyer... if you sell 1 fish a year the mongers won't be so eager to help you, but if you're bringing them fish all the time (I sell most of my other species to the same buyer) they will work harder to get a better price.
 
Back
Top Bottom