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A Pack of Kobolds posted:Why are they scheduling drills during a clam tide? That's poor planning on their part imo. I’ll bring it up to my CO. He lives in Colorado though.
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Dec 5, 2018 23:43
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LingcodKilla posted:I’ll bring it up to my CO. He lives in Colorado though. Ah yes, the proud Rocky Mountain naval tradition. Hit me up when you have an opportunity to get out to the coast, though. My schedule is more flexible than yours is. *Also applies for Monday night squidding. I can catch a ferry straight from work.
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Dec 5, 2018 23:57
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A Pack of Kobolds posted:Ah yes, the proud Rocky Mountain naval tradition. Hit me up when you have an opportunity to get out to the coast, though. My schedule is more flexible than yours is. Gah I need to swing by and check the bite.
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Dec 6, 2018 02:47
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Hi thread! I haven't posted in a while, mostly because I haven't been fishing that much. But I've liked seeing everyone's catches (and Sockington your boat is coming along nicely!). I've made a handful of trips in the past few months, and I've had a modest bit of success. Here's what I've pulled out of Tampa Bay in the past few months: A lizardfish and a puffer I caught with my dad when we went to the Skyway pier in October. We didn't catch much else that day, pinfish kept demolishing our shrimp. Annoyingly, they've put grates over the drainage holes that I used as rod holders so I can't have multiple lines out at once. I'll have to bring some pvc pipe and rope next time.   Kayak trip near the Howard Frankland last week of October yielded a jack and a small redfish (my second one ever!). I think it was around 16 inches but I don't bring a ruler when I'm doing catch & release.   I did the same thing (jack & red, both smaller though) the next week when I went near the power plant by Gandy. Looking down and it's like an aquarium: schools of snapper, sheepshead, jacks, mullet, snook, needlefish, redfish, and some manatees. I had a snook break me off by swimming under a manatee, I was both pissed and impressed. The manatee was unharmed. It seems like a great spot but you can't go over there November-May since it's a sanctuary. And then this past Wednesday I drifted a flat near the north pier of the Skyway and caught a lizardfish, a jack, about 8 way undersized trout (who kept swallowing my jigheads the bastards), most of whom I could barely tell were on the hook, and then this absolute unit:    My first ever grouper! I was so hyped when I finally got him to the surface and could see what it was. I'm sure the people on the bridge could hear me laughing and cheering, it was such a great feeling. It pulled hard, I was afraid I'd lose it due to a knot failing or my line breaking but everything held together perfectly. I think it was about 25 inches (and heavy!) which would be legal size but I didn't have a ruler, string, fish bag, or even a cooler waiting in the car so I let it go. Letting your first of a species or your personal best swim away is good luck, right? Gorgeous fish, and I could probably fit my large fist inside its mouth (I didn't because of all the teeth). They're territorial so I remembered roughly where I found him; I can try again before season closes on the 31st. I'm still riding the high from landing this thing.
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Dec 8, 2018 16:31
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Nice grouper! If letting go the first species you catch is good luck, then I'm due for some. Despite many catches of each, I've yet to get a slot snook, legal grouper (always too small or out of season), and legal mutton (always 1" too short).
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Dec 9, 2018 01:48
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That's a bunch of nice fish right there! That grouper looks like it was so fun to bring in. The species diversity y'all have down there kills me. I got back from the coast yesterday and it was loving rad.  The weather at the coast on Saturday couldn't have been any better. Light winds from the east (read: at our backs, not coming off the water), warm, and somehow dry. We fished the outgoing tide until it was low enough for clams.  I caught a personal best redtail! I don't trust my buddy's scale that said it was a pound and a half; felt like two to me, easy. We caught a bunch of them, but this was the most notable. It's the first one that I feel is a legit slab.  Everyone got their limit of razor clams. Here's what they look like if you've never seen one before. One of the byproducts of cleaning them is the "neck," the top of the siphon. There is no better redtail bait in the world than razor clam necks. Gulp sandworms work, but razor clam necks are better and free. Consequently, the best time to fish for redtails is the next high tide after a clam dig. So I'm told.  Not too shabby. The clams are the real prize and the perch meat is a nice bonus. I'm definitely in the market for a bright-rear end headlamp though. Clamming at night is hard, but at the end of it you get to come home and drink Rainiers and eat fried seafood close to midnight after you finish cleaning everything. 10/10 would fry again.
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Dec 11, 2018 00:37
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I’ve used this one at work a lot; http://www.energizer.com/flashlights-lighting/energizer-sup-sup-intrinsically-safe-sup-sup-3aa-headlight?ref=driverlayer.com/web Batteries last up to 15hrs, which is a nice change from most lasting 3-5hrs at most. The adjustment angle STAYS IN PLACE. Holy poo poo - I’ve used a bunch over the years, and this one doesn’t get flaccid and point down at your feet like most. It may have followed me home once I was done a job in the CN tunnel that goes under the St. Clair River.
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Dec 11, 2018 02:29
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Sockington posted:I’ve used this one at work a lot; Just ordered one. Much obliged! 
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Dec 11, 2018 20:01
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Welp, I was going to go back to the coast for more razor clams and redtails this weekend, but this week there have been a series of windstorms, a loving tornado elsewhere on the peninsula, and a king tide. Looks like I'm staying closer to home. Anybody doing any holiday fishing? Given any presents to yourself?
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Dec 20, 2018 17:49
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A Pack of Kobolds posted:Welp, I was going to go back to the coast for more razor clams and redtails this weekend, but this week there have been a series of windstorms, a loving tornado elsewhere on the peninsula, and a king tide. Looks like I'm staying closer to home. I’m hoping to get out some, but we’ve got 1.5” of rain predicted in the next 36 hours, so I’m figuring everything’s gonna be blown out all weekend. I did order myself a bunch of new fly tying materials, and my wife bought me a Zerosum 450 7:3 for christmas, so I may go cast at high water for a while when it dries up. Otherwise, it’s family stuff and tying flies for me all weekend.
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Dec 20, 2018 18:11
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A Pack of Kobolds posted:Welp, I was going to go back to the coast for more razor clams and redtails this weekend, but this week there have been a series of windstorms, a loving tornado elsewhere on the peninsula, and a king tide. Looks like I'm staying closer to home. I’ve got a month off from work so I’ll be out on the kayak as often as possible. I guess my present to myself will be about 400l of petrol for all the road trips. The kingfish have arrived, the water is still a touch cold to have them really fired up though so I’m hoping for a couple of stinking hot days to nudge the water temp up a degree or two.
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Dec 20, 2018 21:36
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gay picnic defence posted:I’ve got a month off from work so I’ll be out on the kayak as often as possible. I guess my present to myself will be about 400l of petrol for all the road trips. gently caress, I can't wait to see what you come up with. Australian kingfish look pretty. Big 5 had a waterproof GoPro style camera on sale, so I picked one up to put under the boat. I can't wait to see what's going on down there.
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Dec 21, 2018 18:03
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 Caught this guy on the pier yesterday
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Dec 23, 2018 23:47
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Small cabezon or Irish lord? It’s no stag
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Dec 24, 2018 02:25
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LingcodKilla posted:Small cabezon or Irish lord? It’s no stag I'm not 100% sure. I was fishing on the pier with Hooplah, and I was just surprised to have caught something other than the usual perch and flatfish. The head seemed surprisingly proportionate to the body to immediately suspect cabezon so we were thinking staghorn at the time. There weren't any red markings at all so I don't think it was an Irish lord. If we're ruling out staghorn I think it's probably a small cabezon. Fun catch, too! It gave my drag some work. e: What makes you rule out staghorn? A Pack of Kobolds fucked around with this message at 17:35 on Dec 24, 2018 |
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Dec 24, 2018 17:08
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It had a pair of really long spikes coming off the gill plate, which I don't think cabezon have? That's why I had guessed staghorn personally.
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Dec 24, 2018 17:41
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Stags are usually not so mottled and the fins are much smaller. It’s a (Brown) Red Irish lord.
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Dec 24, 2018 18:10
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New best! 13.5" Pier fishing is very addicting, especially when I can go from my front door to line in the water in 10 minutes
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Dec 24, 2018 22:08
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That’s a really nice flaty for eating!
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Dec 24, 2018 22:33
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Fly pewps. What do you do with your leftover materials that are still useful enough to tie some flies? I have about a dozen biots, 6” of lead-free wire, 8” of brassie wire, some thin-skin, and a coupla hen feathers sitting here. Tied a handful of copper john’s tonight. Much less complicated than I thought they’d be. With the exception of the goose biots, which are super annoying to handle and tie in on smaller sizes. Here's a #16. 
waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 02:12 on Dec 29, 2018 |
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Dec 29, 2018 02:08
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Dangerllama posted:Fly pewps. What do you do with your leftover materials that are still useful enough to tie some flies? I have about a dozen biots, 6” of lead-free wire, 8” of brassie wire, some thin-skin, and a coupla hen feathers sitting here. I throw 'em in a little bowl I keep by my tying stuff to eventually get to later. Anybody still interested in doing a fly tying thread/traveling fly box? I kinda got busy with work the past couple months and it slipped my mind.
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Dec 29, 2018 14:03
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Dr Ozziemandius posted:I throw 'em in a little bowl I keep by my tying stuff to eventually get to later. I’d be down but out here all I really need are Adams/PMDs, p-tails and zebra midges - although hippie stompers are a good dry/indicator fly. 
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Dec 29, 2018 18:02
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You just saw the results of my efforts so if that’s good enough, I’m down for a traveling fly/material box. Funny, I’m thinking about switching from hippie stompers to high-vis beetles. I love the look of/name of the hippie stompers. Super buggy, and fun to fish. I’m told beetles are just quicker to tie, float well, and put just as many fish in the net in the high country.  If we do a box, I’ll have to tie and throw a bunch in for science. My arsenal these days is mostly zebra midges, top secret midges, miscellaneous midges, even more midges, rainbow warriors, PT’s, frenchies, hare’s ears, copper john’s, buckskin’s, two-bit hookers, griffith’s gnats, Adams, PMD’s, elk-hair caddis, and mole flies. So expect a bunch of those. waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 19:24 on Dec 29, 2018 |
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Dec 29, 2018 19:20
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Well I finally got my first kingfish for the summer, it took about 100km of paddling over 6 days and in the end I caught it less than a kilometer from where I parked the car. At 64cm it wasn't very big as far as kingies go but I can't complain too much. This is a school of fish feeding on tiny whitebait on the surface, the dark patch of water is the school. I tried to catch one but they fled as soon as the lure splashed down.  I also saw a ship loaded with wind turbine blades. You get an appreciation for how big those things are when you realise a single blade alone is almost half the length of a pretty large ship. There was a dude fishing off the back of this ship, I don't think he would have caught anything because there was a seal chilling out under the stern next to the rudder and I reckon it would have grabbed anything they hooked. 
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Dec 30, 2018 09:37
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gamera009 posted:I’d be down but out here all I really need are Adams/PMDs, p-tails and zebra midges - although hippie stompers are a good dry/indicator fly. Half the fun of fly swaps is getting stuff you don’t usually fish. I have some time off this week, I’ll get a post up on Tuesday sometime and get this started. Dangerllama posted:You just saw the results of my efforts so if that’s good enough, I’m down for a traveling fly/material box. Your fly looks great to me. I fish small beadhead nymphs and wetflies, mostly. Hell, most of the patterns I use are just poo poo I threw together that works lol. Modified versions of PT’s, GRHEs, sowbugs and Killer Bug/Bugger variants. For dries, I tend to go with Griffiths Gnats, CDC/elk’s, and CDC Humpies. If it ends up just being a few of us involved, then I’ll set it up as a fly swap to start with, then if we get enough response, I’ll start a traveling box. Difference being for the swap, everybody sends flies to me, then I’ll divvy them up and mail them back out, vs the traveling box, where I’ll start a box of flies, send them to the next person on the list, who takes some and leaves some, then sends it on to the next person on the list. Swapmaster (me), will keep the addresses and forward them to the person with the box so everybody’s mailing address isn’t just floating around online.
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Dec 30, 2018 15:15
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Annnnnnnnd then I broke my Recon again. Ironically in the same spot on the river as last time. This’ll probably be my last Orvis rod.
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Dec 31, 2018 00:52
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I was fishing a 1/2 oz one of these the other day and got a new PB spotted bay bass, no pics but it was fat as F. I'm a fan! I got a couple big bites and the tail tore but I super glued it so it's all good. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Megabass_Dark_Sleeper_Swimbaits/descpage-MBDSLP.html
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Dec 31, 2018 03:24
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I went trout fishing this morning and got skunked. Went squid fishing this evening and caught one squid and six herring. Future bait at least.
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Dec 31, 2018 04:37
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Trout fishing has not been kind to me this year, 3 sessions no bites. One trip was the day they planted. There were 100 trout schooled up in front of me, 15 people casting at them, nobody catching.
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Dec 31, 2018 06:18
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joem83 posted:Trout fishing has not been kind to me this year, 3 sessions no bites. One trip was the day they planted. There were 100 trout schooled up in front of me, 15 people casting at them, nobody catching. Half the time trout don't even know what the gently caress they want. I have never had much luck casting for them, but that is probably mostly due to my own deficiencies. I mentioned this in the A/T fishing thread, but I wanted to remind y'all that I'm making jigs and sinkers these days and would be happy to send some to anybody who needs them. I make jigs with Mustad hooks and have a bunch of different molds. I need practice, so you'd be doing me a favor by giving me a reason to melt some lead. Speaking of this, I am hella down to contribute to the fly-tying / tacklecraft thread once it gets going. I've had a lot of fun learning how to do this stuff. Fly tiers: are there ever any tiny weighted hooks that you use, or do tungsten beads accomplish that for the most part? EDIT: Going out for redtails and a clam dig this Saturday. 
A Pack of Kobolds fucked around with this message at 20:16 on Jan 3, 2019 |
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Jan 3, 2019 19:32
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A Pack of Kobolds posted:Half the time trout don't even know what the gently caress they want. I have never had much luck casting for them, but that is probably mostly due to my own deficiencies. I have no idea what trout are like where you're at, but pretty much every time I have fished for trout in Colorado, they are dumb and ravenous. They only slow down in winter, and that's just because their metabolism is so low. I still have luck in the winter though - you just have to cast it in front of them so they open their mouths and inhale. No biggie.
gamera009 fucked around with this message at 00:29 on Jan 4, 2019 |
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Jan 3, 2019 23:54
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gamera009 posted:I have no idea what trout are like where you're at, but pretty much every I have fished for trout in Colorado, they are dumb and ravenous. They only slow down in winter, and that's just because their metabolism is so low. I still have luck in the winter though - you just have to cast it in front of them so they open their mouths and inhale. No biggie. Most of my opportunities for trout have been bank and pier fishing in lakes these days, usually in highly populated areas that don't get anywhere near as cold as Colorado. Most of the dumb trout I encounter are small, recent plants that will be eaten by cormorants before they grow to any decent size. Maybe I should fish rivers more often.
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Jan 4, 2019 00:26
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A Pack of Kobolds posted:Most of my opportunities for trout have been bank and pier fishing in lakes these days, usually in highly populated areas that don't get anywhere near as cold as Colorado. Most of the dumb trout I encounter are small, recent plants that will be eaten by cormorants before they grow to any decent size. Maybe I should fish rivers more often.  This is the solution.
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Jan 4, 2019 00:31
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gamera009 posted:I have no idea what trout are like where you're at, but pretty much every time I have fished for trout in Colorado, they are dumb and ravenous. They only slow down in winter, and that's just because their metabolism is so low. I still have luck in the winter though - you just have to cast it in front of them so they open their mouths and inhale. No biggie. Sounds like it’s time to move onto carp.
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Jan 4, 2019 03:05
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Dangerllama posted:Sounds like it’s time to move onto carp. I really want one of those burly as gently caress carp keiryu rods. Looks fun as gently caress. Large trout on the keiryu is fun as hell already.
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Jan 4, 2019 04:22
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A Pack of Kobolds posted:
I got called in for some extra hospital shifts this weekend, but I’ll try and get a post up soon. As for weighted hooks, there’s a couple options. They do make just heavier hooks than usual, either 2X or 3x heavy, but there’s also pre-weighted jig-type hooks. Anything listed as a Czech nymphing hook is going to be heavier than typical. I usually go for either small tungsten beads or use some wraps of tungsten wire for weight. I also grabbed a packet of tungsten putty, which is nice to add a small, heavy weight to my tippet if flows are way higher than usual or I’m needing to get deep fast. The extra putty weight can play havoc with casting on fixed-line fly rods, but it’s not a problem with the right rod.
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Jan 4, 2019 14:54
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Same here. I usually just go with a heavy lead fly, maybe a #12-16 GRHE/PT (with lead-free wire) and trail a midge/baetis/whatever they’re clearly not eating that day. My biggest issues are when I’m trying to fish a shelf in faster moving water. Sometimes you need the flies to sink crazy fast to get in the zone. I’ve been trying to fish contact teqniques in faster water where I can get closer to the fish, so in those instances I’ll usually add a split shot about 18” above the lead fly to get things down. So…basically something rigged like an indicator, but with about 2-3’ of RIO indicator tippet instead of a bobber. If I have to switch to a bobber, I usually just throw it on. Colorado pewps: The Denver Fly Show is today through Sunday!
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Jan 4, 2019 16:37
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Pat Dorsey told the audience in his fly tying presentation where we can find Glamour Madeira so today was worth the price of admission.
waffle enthusiast fucked around with this message at 04:32 on Jan 6, 2019 |
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Jan 6, 2019 01:23
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Super awesome clip I saw while watching BBC docus on Netflix today. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNEplaYZtpI
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Jan 7, 2019 02:34
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joem83 posted:Super awesome clip I saw while watching BBC docus on Netflix today. TRIP REPORT On Saturday, Hooplah and I met some of my friends on the coast for surf fishing and razor clamming. The forecast was very similar to the successful trip last month, so anticipation and expectations were running high. The forecast gave a pretty high chance of rain, but in the past the rain showers have moved pretty quickly and we have fished through them. That ... was not the case on Saturday.  It looked like this when we got to the beach a little before noon, at the peak of high tide. This was as nice as the weather would be all goddamn day. It wasn't icy cold outside, but there was a near-constant drizzle. Winds were at our backs, so at least we didn't have to cast into headwind, but that was cold comfort. The surf was as rough as I've ever seen it and currents were tossing our terminal tackle all over the loving place. Last month I used a steelhead rod and a 2oz coin sinker and caught a bunch, but this time I stepped up to my 10' surf rod and a 4oz pyramid sinker. That didn't seem to matter much, as that poo poo was getting tossed around and buried too. I've never even needed 4oz, let alone had that be insufficient! Fishing was so loving slow. My buddy caught three redtails to my one, which is the pretty standard ratio with him and me. Poor Hooplah, though! It's like the coast decided to haze him that day. A couple of large waves emptied right into his boots early in the day, and his feet never got the chance to recover. His tackle that has worked so well on the pier proved to be woefully inadequate for the beach. Surf fishing is such a departure from most other types of fishing that I think it would have been a learning experience either way, but the weather and surf conditions made it cruel. Right around dusk we switched gear for razor clams, and the past couple of times I've been razor clamming everyone has been able to dig their limit in under and hour. So, of course, this was the hardest dig I've ever experienced and I only got a third of my limit before we called it quits. My new headlamp worked a treat though (thanks again for the tip, Sockington!), but erratic waves and steady rain made finding the clam shows nearly impossible. It's hard enough to find them at night with a gentle tide and clear weather, but we pounded the sand with our clam guns up and down the beach and did so poorly. Hooplah spotted and dug two razor clams himself without help, which is extremely commendable given the conditions. Anyway, that's a lot of words before some pics. I wound up with the entire catch because nobody else wanted to clean it. I was borderline insistent that Hooplah take it, as it didn't seem right that the first timer who had a miserable experience should go home empty-handed, but I can also understand being exhausted and frustrated and not wanting to cut up a bunch of fish after that.  It was nice to have a few redtails to fillet, though, and I remembered to save the good scraps for stock and the bad scraps for crab bait this time.  These clams are still very much alive and do not like it at all when you cut them from their shells.  Here's what one cleaned razor clam looks like, for the curious.  And for posterity, here's what it looked like on December 31, 2017 before we started clamming. Sorry, Hooplah. 
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Jan 7, 2019 21:07
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