𓆝𓆝𓆝 Official Fishing Thread 𓆝𓆝𓆝

[slk018]

 

[slk018]

Hope it worked

 

[Bumpus]

I've really gotta start spending more time on the water.

I'm off for a couple of months starting Thursday though, so ... :)

 

[Danny68]

 

[Danny68]

 

[NBP81]

I used to fish for silvers and kings in Alaska. Caught some reds and pinks too. I thought the silvers were the best eating though. Nothing you can buy in the store tastes like fish you freshly caught. Btw, how do you fish the kings in Lake Ontario? Troll or cast? Can you net them? Are they spawning there or do they go upriver somewhere? Just wondering.

Trolling with a down rigger... Spoons only... We net them all, and they do spawn, and they also go upriver at the end of the summer... Theres actually alot of fisherman fishing from the shore at that river opening... Mostl;y chineese people(not tht there`s anything wrong with that).

 

[GasPed]

What do you guys use for bait ? I've never fished for salmon so i'm curious. What other fish can you catch up there ?

Any good fishing stories ? How about some pictures ?

I wish I could find my salmon pics and my rainbow trout pics, but that was 30 years ago, and I think they're somewhere in my archives (also known as the basement/black hole ). Sorry.

Salmon fishing on the BC coast is basically all trolling now. Downriggers, 9 - 10' rods with relatively slow action, single action "mooching" reels (like a fly reel but bigger), 20 - 30 lb mono. Tie on a 8 - 12" flasher, followed by 3 - 6' leader and then cut herring for bait. The flasher plus the bend of the herring provide the action for the bait. It's not glamorous, but it's effective.

But back in the day, we used to throw sinking lead jigs using light spinning gear. It's not as effective, but there is nothing like a 30 pound king on 10 - 12 pound mono. :) Now where are those pics? :confused:

 

[GasPed]

Hey fishfan (or anyone), do you have some pointers for fishing the Keys in late August? We're doing our semi-annual trip to Florida and this summer decided to try Marathon. Yeah, I know August is not a great time but it is cheaper.

We don't really have the gear to do offshore trolling or wreck jigging, but I think we could manage some inshore fishing or nearshore patch reef fishing (rented a 25' Dusky for the week which I'm sure will be more than adequate). But I'm not sure if that would be ok in August, or what's in season then. I suppose if all else fails we'll just catch some pinfish for bait and then rig up and wait for sharks. But any insights would be much appreciated - thanks!

 

[slk018]

Hey fishfan (or anyone), do you have some pointers for fishing the Keys in late August? We're doing our semi-annual trip to Florida and this summer decided to try Marathon. Yeah, I know August is not a great time but it is cheaper.

We don't really have the gear to do offshore trolling or wreck jigging, but I think we could manage some inshore fishing or nearshore patch reef fishing (rented a 25' Dusky for the week which I'm sure will be more than adequate). But I'm not sure if that would be ok in August, or what's in season then. I suppose if all else fails we'll just catch some pinfish for bait and then rig up and wait for sharks. But any insights would be much appreciated - thanks!

August is not the best month for offshore fishing. You can still catch mahi and tunas though. Find weed patches, debris floating or birds. You can troll or pitch live baits and jigs at signs of fish.
However, August reef fishing for mangrove snappers is very very very good at night. get anchored on the reef edge 9where it drops from around 60-90, mark some good bottom and deploy a chum bag. Bring 6 blocks of chum and keep it flowing. Freeline chunk baits Ballyhoo chunkc, cut piece of cuda, bonita etc back with the chum. Or drop them to the bottom, I like to use a 1/4- 1/2 oz jig head depending on current and a 1-2 inch ballyhoo fillet.
You will get a mix of yellowtails and mangrove snapper. Use very light long leaders during the day (15 pound fluorocarbon).
Don't forget to have a live pinfish, or full ballyhoo minus the head on the bottom on your heaviest set up for a grouper.
I will be down in Big Pine aug 13-16 chasing lobster and a little snapper fishing and possibly a quick offshore trip looking for pelagics.
You can do the same on the patch reefs in 40 foot of water but the fish will be much smaller.

I fotgot to mention. You should have plenty of ballyhoo in your chum line right behind the boat. Get some tiny gold hooks put a tiny piece of bait (the size of the chum pieces flowing out and catch some ballyhoo. But a live ballyhoo out freelined for a kingfish, cuda, mahi, sailfish etc. They make great bottom baits for muttons or grouper too. Hook then in the nose to keep them alive longer

 

[fishfanmiami]

If you rent a boat all you have to do is go to the lighthouse about 1 mile off of Marathon for good bottom fishing like snapper or grouper. Also have a line out with a bait floating on the top (no sinker) just in case a big dolphin (mahi mahi) or king fish decide to come into shallow water to feed. It's about 40 feet of water at the light house but drops to 150 feet just past it. the gulf stream is only a few miles farther off shore so you never know what might swim through.
I fished the bridge in the middle of Marathon at night many times and caught lots of snappers. There is actually some rocks under the bridge which is a good place for your cooler and to put a few lines out. We use to blast rock and roll all night drinking and fishing and had a blast.
Just past Marathon is the seven mile bridge where we fished for big Tarpon. Some good fishing there but you have to time the tide change or the current is pretty strong making fishing difficult.
May or June would have been better but fish still got to feed so you should do ok :up:

Just saw slks post. He just came from there so do what he says if you do get a boat :brewskis:

 

[slk018]

If you rent a boat all you have to do is go to the lighthouse about 1 mile off of Marathon for good bottom fishing like snapper or grouper. Also have a line out with a bait floating on the top (no sinker) just in case a big dolphin (mahi mahi) or king fish decide to come into shallow water to feed. It's about 40 feet of water at the light house but drops to 150 feet just past it. the gulf stream is only a few miles farther off shore so you never know what might swim through.
I fished the bridge in the middle of Marathon at night many times and caught lots of snappers. There is actually some rocks under the bridge which is a good place for your cooler and to put a few lines out. We use to blast rock and roll all night drinking and fishing and had a blast.
Just past Marathon is the seven mile bridge where we fished for big Tarpon. Some good fishing there but you have to time the tide change or the current is pretty strong making fishing difficult.
May or June would have been better but fish still got to feed so you should do ok :up:

Agreed- I am not as familiar with Marathon as Islamorada and Big Pine....But, most of the lighthouses are now in protected areas

 

[fishfanmiami]

Agreed- I am not as familiar with Marathon as Islamorada and Big Pine....But, most of the lighthouses are now in protected areas

We got bait right under that light house for off shore fishing. If it's protected now just get as close as you can to the drop off. You will see the water color change.
It's called Sombrero Key light house if you want to google it. Great for snorkeling as well.
By the way Grassy Key is where the nudist hang out :)

 

[GasPed]

Slk and fishfan, many thanks!! :up: Will definitely give your tips a shot and let you know how it goes. My casting hand is getting twitchy just thinking about it...

 

[fishfanmiami]

Be sure to take lots of pictures for this thread .
i haven't been off shore in a while but slk's pictures gave me a chubby

Good luck brother.

 

[fishfanmiami]

one way to do it


[video=youtube;OdnHGm5VGwM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdnHGm5VGwM[/video]