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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Hey guys,
we all know that rookies make a bunch of mistakes, but I have seen seasoned muskie hunters make a lot of blunders also,... Heck I still blow it , way to often.
So what bugs you about other "pros" that you have fished with ?.....What are some of their "Sins in the boat" so to speak,..... and what big mistake do you seasoned veterans seem to make ?
Oh I also think that you could still be a rookie, even if you have muskie fished for years,..... It's a matter of Time on the water, and experience, doing the right things.
Jerome |
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Posts: 692
Location: Pelican Rapids, MN | Drag is an issue for most fisherman of all levels - Forgetting to re-adjust after a fight or after a client has used my rod has caused me a few fish. - I keep my drag on lock, and use my thumb. But many times when a drag gets loosened, I forget and set the hook with a great big slip.
Also, many guides and pro's alike - myself included - quite often handle fish poorly. We put our hands on so many, we often forget just how fragile they can be - Or we take that placid fish in the net for granted and a quick head shake can often lead to somewhat severe personal injury.
And of course the almighty figure 8 - We all think we have it down pat, but all it takes is one blown 8 to send us back to school. |
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| It is fishing, you are dealing with an animal that has a tiny brain. It makes it hard to figure it out because outside of instincts of the fish there is no rhyme or reason...couple that with trying to reel a fish in with a hook it is not easy. That is the beauty of the chase. Catching is overrated, I have caught some serious fish...but the ones I still recall are the ones that got away even if they were actually smaller than fish I landed. I have switched more to jigs and fly fishing because it adds to the chase and is creating more memories or stories for me. Is it really a mistake, if you remember it more than some of the "non-mistakes"? BR |
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Posts: 315
| I could not agree more with Jerry's reply... I have lost several fish do to drag being loose and not checking it! But I feel really strongly about fish handling... take your picture and put her back. Never underestimate the fish either! Keep your lights on at night I dont care who you are! This one is for everyone pro or not... were all out there for the same reason so when someone is working a spot please do not cut them off!!! A lot of the time I know where the big fish is holding but I choose to fish such a big stretch and here I see someone come rolling up to work their way in... that doesn't sit well with me. BE RESPECTFUL! |
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Posts: 285
Location: NE Wisconsin | The anglers may not be classified as Pro and this might not be called a "mistake", but I have seen seasoned anglers who have many, many muskies under their belts, insist on taking countless pics of every 31" muskie they catch. How many pics of low 30 inch fish does one need? If you haven't caught many is one thing, but when you have boated so many, what is the point? New Season Resolution #13 When unhooking a fish in the net, I will say to myself, "Do I really need 4 pics of this fish?". |
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Posts: 215
Location: Twin Cities | Something I heard on Bass Pros the other day, Clunn talked about how you should start each day as if you never fished the lake before. Pre-concieved notions about what is going to work for that day might end up getting you nothing. Yes, the past days pattern may still be on, but if not, its the anglers that adapt and change the game plan the quickest are the most successful. I'm not saying that anyone in particular makes this mistake, but its what seperates the pros form the rest.
Edited by The Dogger 3/31/2010 6:59 AM
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Posts: 1220
| Like a lot of mistakes that have their roots in something that is not wrong, the best pros seem to have the best records kept meticulously about how fish were caught, temps, times, moon phase, clarity, bait used etc. While there is likely to be nothing that correctly predicts the future more than the past.....this is not always the best way to choose tactics. While the newbie seems to want to change baits every three or four casts, I think some of the better guys will get a bit too stuck on past performance and perhaps, a bit stubbornly, cling too long to a particular presentation that produced in the past, but ain't making it today. The better guys will wise up pretty quickly....but not always! Marty Forman |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | I'll let you know when I make one  |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Pointer, your such a Gentalman....
I also have lost a few fish because of loose drag,.. But my biggest sin has been....... "Crappy Boat Control".... Thats right CBC !! I've been getting better at controling where I place the boat, and am now starting to see better results.
I think we all can learn to handle the fish a little bit better,.... no need to take pics of low to mid 30" fish .
Be respectfull of the resource and other fishermen and boaters in general.
Jerome |
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Posts: 433
Location: Cedarburg, Wisconsin | Absolutely, Dogger, you nailed it. It is such a perfectly disguised trap that everyone steps into it. This is what worked before, this is where they were before, we will do this here and catch them just like before.
I always said I had my very best luck the first time I fished a body of water because I had no preconceived ideas of what I "had" to do to catch fish. I used my brains, looked for as much information I could glean from my electronics and senses, and then acted on it based on past experiences. Once you turn off the brain and start fishing memories you lose, and it is so easy to do it's unavoidable. The perfect trap is waiting. |
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Posts: 829
Location: Maple Grove, MN | My biggest mistake is trying to net the fish to early when by myself. I've lost some nice fish doing that. Once the fish is spooked, they can be so much harder to net or even get near the boat. I'm learning to settle down and wait until they're ready, but its hard.
My other big mistake is getting to greedy and not spending the time to take pictures of nice fish. On more than one occasion I have had a really big fish going and have caught and released "incidental" fish as quickly as possible to get back after the big fish. On one such occasion, I first saw a massive mid-50 class fish and then proceeded to catch and release three upper 40 inch class Muskies within 20 minutes of each other. Then, after the feeding window ended and the fish shut down, I was kicking myself for not taking any pictures of those fish. Shaking off a 49 inch Muskie without a picture doesn't seem to bright - even if there is a larger fish in the area. 
Edited by Herb_b 3/31/2010 9:58 AM
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Location: SE Wisconsin | I've watched a guide or two guide from the front of their boat. . .
For me, all too often I forget to depress the thumb-bar and thumb the line on the figure 8. Fish hooks up and you're battling a crazy horse with 2 feet to work with - makes for a scary moment. Always thumb that line on the 8's and let them take a few feet |
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Posts: 1663
Location: Kodiak, AK | Herb_b - 3/31/2010 10:46 AM
My biggest mistake is trying to net the fish to early when by myself. I've lost some nice fish doing that. Once the fish is spooked, they can be so much harder to net or even get near the boat. I'm learning to settle down and wait until they're ready, but its hard.
Same here. This has accounted for most of my lost fish.
Only made the "checking the drag" mistake once! Lost a mid-50's boatside last year because my hookset was crap with low drag and she came off at the net. |
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Posts: 774
Location: South East Wisconsin | “Pre-conceived notions about what is going to work for that day might end up getting you nothing” I really like this. Don’t get psyched out, approach the lake as if you never fished it before. I have been guilty of this.
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Posts: 462
Location: Madison Wi. Chain | I don't consider myself a seasoned pro, but I want to add my input. I have let my emotions at times interfere with my decision making. For example, not casting back right away at a fish that I missed in the 8, or getting frustrated with not seeing any fish and leaving before the feeding window occurred, being so excited about being on the water, that I don't slow down enough to work a spot effectively, bottom line think things through, slow down and contol your emotions when fishing. BG |
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| 1. I've seen quite a few "pro's" do an L or a half hearted 8 and resume casting, only to look back and see a fish sitting there. Another reason why I am ALWAYS watching both lures -- sometimes because of the angle of the sun you just can't see your lure very well, but the other person can see it perfectly.
2. Topwaters. I've done it, you've done it... A fish blows up on a bait, you set the hook. Sometimes on days where you're seeing a lot of fish you get so jazzed up it's almost automatic, even though you KNOW BETTER.
3. Losing focus. I've had the pleasure of fishing with some of the best guides, and I've seen just about all of them just sort of check out at some point during a long tough day. That's when a fish will show up, you can bet on it.
4. I won't metion the guide, but he was sitting down running the boat with the small remote. We had the sun behind us, and you could see EVERYTHING. About 10 yards out I see a fish behind my lure. I look back and say "Hey, I got one goin' Good one..." with that, he stood up to get a better look, casted a huge shadow across the fish and the fish shot off like a rocket. "nice goin' scare the f'in fish away why don't ya?" I thought it was hillarious, but... That's one of those things that happens when you just aren't thinking.
5. Being so excited to have a big fish up that you backlash on your next cast throwing a different bait back. |
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| I second both the drag thing and preconceived notions. I'll add: getting stuck in a rut! Fishing the same spots with the same baits because it's worked before. It can be a fine line between "stay the course" and "switch it up." |
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Posts: 32944
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | It's all 'mistakes' until a fish is in the net. All except going fishing, there's no mistake in that.
That said, I smell 'seasoned', so I'll take a shot at this. I lose focus when I get tired. I need to rest then for a bit, but just refuse, and errors happen when I'm tired.
I don't figure 8 enough or well enough.
I get stuck in a pattern and sometimes don't pay attention to other possibilities. That's when I'm catching fish, but horizons unobserved are horizons missed.
I sometimes forget I'm out there to relax. |
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Posts: 994
Location: Minnesota: where it's tough to be a sportsfan! | Lack of concentration I would put as #1. I also believe the Loons & the Eagles are in on the deal! This eagle fly's over with an almost too big fish in it's grip, the loons holler at the sight of the eagle...you look up as you finish the retrieve & do something that resembles an 8. That's all it takes for that to be the cast the fish came in on. I also have noted the strange and somewhat inhuman sounds that people in the boat make when they see a Muskie that the angler has not yet noticed. Wish I could record those, because you know exactly what that weird noise means. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Pointerpride102 - 3/31/2010 8:53 AM
I'll let you know when I make one ;)
I hear Pointer also prefers Dos Equis when he drinks beer, which I think is most of the time.
I think a problem pros and seasoned fishermen do is stick to a pattern that "should work" or "has worked before" for too long. There's a guide that wrote an article a while ago about always experimenting and switching things up if what you are doing isn't working. I also read on that guide's forum a while back that they were trolling and not getting much action. He and his clients trolled for days and days and pretty much never had a rip. Why not try for a shallower casting bite if the open water trolling wasn't working?
I'm not knocking this guide - I think he does a good job, but it's easy to get stuck in a rut. I did it last year. By the time July rolled around, I was ready to start pounding them in deep water on big plastics. I fished that pattern for quite a while before I realized the cooler water just wasn't putting the fish out where I was used to them being at that time of year. I moved up shallower with bucktails and topwater and started seeing quite a few fish. I'm pretty sure I could have seen and boated quite a few more had I experimented earlier in the year. Lesson learned!
curleytail
Edited by curleytail 3/31/2010 1:17 PM
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| Jsondag - 3/30/2010 10:14 PM
Also, many guides and pro's alike - myself included - quite often handle fish poorly. We put our hands on so many, we often forget just how fragile they can be - Or we take that placid fish in the net for granted and a quick head shake can often lead to somewhat severe personal injury.
Amen Jerry. Thanks for bringing this to attention. For as expensive, fragile, and entertaining as muskies can be, we too often don't think about the future of the sport. Of course, we don't know how serious a problem delayed mortality really is, but CPR (Catch Photo Release...Thanks Bobby...seriously) is no longer good enough...for "SEASONED PROS" anyways. If you are truly a Seasoned or Professional muskie fisherman whether your on tv, or in a magazine, or not, there is no need to photograph, or even net the majority of the muskies you catch...heck, I have fished with "pros" who won't even figure 8 a 45 incher. Why? Not because it wouldn't be fun to catch, but if you're really a pro/seasoned angler you understand what it has taken for that fish to achieve that size and that you would rather catch it once it's 50.
For myself, I am just a guy that loves catching muskies, but this is my thought process when attempting to catch and release muskies...depending on what a trophy is considered for where I am at. For example, IMHO, the only fish worth attempting to catch on trophy waters are 50" or better...all other waters, 43"-45".
1. If the fish comes into the figure 8 and it's not what I am after... I pull the bait out of the water.
2. Of course most of the time fish hit out where it's out of my control. Once I get the fish to the boat and if it's not of "trophy" size, I attempt to water release the fish if possible. This takes a little practice but is great for the fish. Grabb-It-Tools are super handy. If you're a seasoned / or pro angler you need one...two of these really.
3. If the fish is hooked really good I'll net the fish for the fishes safety and my own. Once unhooked, simply reverse the net and let it swim away without you even having to touch it.
4. If the fish is of "trophy" size, I selfishly, and carefully practice CPR to the best of my ability and pray the fish doesn't shake... for the muskie's sake.
Here's a few quotes I want to use from Marc Thorpe:
"C&R is great resource management tool and solutions but it is not the end all of end all, Post Mortality is a big factor and more an individual gets captured year after year or several times a years,Higher are the odds that post mortal release will ensue."
"I seldom girth and do not weigh fish anymore,simply due to limiting my presence and pressure but most of all out of water and human contact to the fish
One must stare the ennemy in the eye if he wishes not minimize his impact on the fish."
"We must also factor in angling pressure,many fish have shown signs of sulking and ceased feeding for a period after being angled and displayed avoidance afterward. I suspect that this experience of angling may impact a fish feeding behavior which would equate to lack of growth."
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Posts: 182
Location: musky waters of SE, WI | Guest
"For example, IMHO, the only fish worth attempting to catch on trophy waters are 50" or better...all other waters, 43"-45"."
It sounds like your saying your to "good" for any smaller size fish. And any other fish that swims by on "trophy waters" that isnt 50" isnt worth catching. Ha
"1. If the fish comes into the figure 8 and it's not what I am after... I pull the bait out of the water."
Now thats funny, i dont know anyone who would do that.
Not trying to hijack the thread, just saw some very interesting comments here |
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| I'm by no means a seasoned pro but I've had the great opportunity to fish with a few guys who I'd certainly consider elite.
Not really a mistake about these guys, but rather a good thing; those guys are constantly focused. I mean focused ALL THE TIME. Focused like every single cast is at a fiddy incher. I love fishing with them so much because their confidence breeds success for everyone in the boat. I truly hope someday I can get to their level of intensity and desire. |
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Location: Contrarian Island | Ryan, I actually have had guys in my boat that have more than likely caught more 48"+ fish than most of the guys on this board have caught fish over 30" and I can honestly say I have seen guys basically more or less shake off 40-47" inchers...they simply have caught enough that size they don't need a pic or to pad their numbers so why put it in the net and go thru the unhooking when they can simply "mess w/ the fish" during the fight to have some fun and let the fish get off.... I haven't caught enough over 45" to do that but when I am in MN I could care less to catch anything under 40"...
to the question of the thread..the biggest thing I have seen seasoned / pro's do is not use their gps to it's fullest capability and "butcher" weedlines/spots/etc etc etc.... ie bad boat control and not knowing where they are in relation to where they want their casts to land....i'm anal about boat control...to a fault.
Edited by BNelson 3/31/2010 9:46 PM
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Location: Hayward, WI | BNelson - 3/31/2010 8:51 PM
i'm anal about boat control...to a fault.
Brad, I'm serious when I ask this question. Is that really possible? Do you mean not covering enough water because you are so particular about the boat being positioned perfectly, or what? Just curious!
curleytail |
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Location: Contrarian Island | not so much a fault of my own boat control more so I have a hard time fishing with other people in their boats because there aren't many that don't make me bite my tongue off a few times ... ; ) |
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| Ryan_Cotter - 3/31/2010 8:25 PM
Guest
"For example, IMHO, the only fish worth attempting to catch on trophy waters are 50" or better...all other waters, 43"-45"."
It sounds like your saying your to "good" for any smaller size fish. And any other fish that swims by on "trophy waters" that isnt 50" isnt worth catching. Ha
"1. If the fish comes into the figure 8 and it's not what I am after... I pull the bait out of the water."
Now thats funny, i dont know anyone who would do that.
Not trying to hijack the thread, just saw some very interesting comments here
Ryan,
I hear ya' about sounding that way but that's far from the truth. Too good. I don't think so. That is just my opinion. I have caught enough fish over "trophy size" whether on trophy waters or not that I don't care to potentially harm any others that aren't yet to that "trophy" size (whether I have caught what I consider to be 3 over trophy size or 300 doesn't matter). It's not fun for me to ruin $25-$35 bucktails or plastics on non-trophy fish so I do what I can to avoid them. It's a conscious effort for me to save money and protect the resource... to an extent. Also, to help preserve a quality, hopefully trophy fishery for the future.
I assure you, I am not the only guy out there with this mentality. I know of pros, seasoned anglers, and other muskie anglers whatever their ever important "ranking" pull baits away from and avoid catching whatever it is they consider to be a small fish. To them I say "Thanks, and good for them!" If you're interested in catching smaller fish or fishing where there is more smaller fish I have no problem with that either. However, I have a feeling many "seasoned / pro musky anglers" don't enjoy catching small ones like they once did.
I just think this mentality is something for all muskie anglers, especially the Pros, to consider as many already do. These fish are fragile. How fragile, I don't know, but when a 40" swims away with a twisted neck, split fins, and torn gills ask yourself is it worth it? When that 40" is a kid's first musky and you did everything you could to safely CPR the fish but it floats away belly up, hell yeah it was worth it. However, if you're someone who has caught hundreds of muskies (let's say a seasoned pro) and thought you needed to put one more 40" on the bump-board, or in your album when it could have been quickly released, is it worth it?
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Posts: 8848
| Guest, killing a fish is a risk we all take muskie fishing...
Personally, I'd feel way worse killing a 50" fish than a 30" fish, just because of the number of years it took to get that big and the relative rarity of such a fish, especially in the areas I fish.
I'll agree with you on not wanting smallish fish wrecking your baits, but if it was all about the resource, wouldn't you pull lures away from the big heavies since there are so few of them? There are a lot more small agrssive males then there are bog old females. Why not pull your baits away fro the big girls?
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | No expert or pro here but I'm certainly in the multi hundreds of caught Muskies and I can tell you the day I start pulling away lures from 40" fish is the day someone needs to sell my boat and gear. I'm out there to catch fish, I prefer they are BIG but I will eagerly take what I can get and I enjoy the experience anyways. As far as harming the fish goes...I do agree I have more then enough Musky photos, I don't really measure anything under 45" anymore, still take photos sometimes but it's not a necessity by any means. But as far as being afraid to actually LAND them in fear of what they will do to themselves or the bait? No..If being a catch and release fisherman with the proper tools who quickly puts a fish back in the water is not good enough then I would prefer to stop this hobby all together and take up a different form of fishing... |
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Posts: 929
Location: Rhinelander. | concentration: never fails that when I look closely at that gal in a thong on the pier I will get blindsided at boatside when I blindly go into my figure8. This is just not good my heart. No guys not the strike the gal in the thong..
Pfeiff |
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| not to get off topic but several guys have said no need to take pics of small fish. my question would be why not. it kind of comes off as small fish don't matter. personally I value every fish i am fortunate enough to land. big or small. one or two quick pics and back in the water. i have a pics of every muskie i've caught for the past ten years. 20"ers up to my personal best 51". i do agree with proper handling though. do everything with the fish in the water. then a quick lift and and one or two quick pics and right back in. |
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Posts: 8848
| Guest - 4/3/2010 11:52 PM
not to get off topic but several guys have said no need to take pics of small fish. my question would be why not. it kind of comes off as small fish don't matter. personally I value every fish i am fortunate enough to land. big or small. one or two quick pics and back in the water. i have a pics of every muskie i've caught for the past ten years. 20"ers up to my personal best 51". i do agree with proper handling though. do everything with the fish in the water. then a quick lift and and one or two quick pics and right back in.
"How many pictures of 35" fish do you need?" Sound familiar?
If you do it right, a picture or two takes less than 30 seconds. Get them unhooked, pick them up out of the net, pause, smile, back in the water on the other side of the boat.
You know what the biggest mistake seasoned anglers and pros make? Telling other people how they should fish, and what they should or should not photograph.
I'd consider myself to be an intermediate muskie angler if I had to pick a category, so maybe my opinion isn't worth much... But it seems to me that you can horse a small fish into the net, unhook it easily, (because it rarely has the entire lure in its mouth) photograph it, and release it mush more easily than a larger fish. They usually shoot off like a rocket, because they are still pretty green when you are releasing them.
The bigger ones, however? They fight harder, it takes longer to get them in the net, you have to let them to where they want to go because you can't horse them like you can with a small fish, they engulf baits, they take a LOT longer to revive and they just don't release as quickly.
So why is it okay to hold a 52" out of the water for 6 pictures when it's completely spent by the time you net it and it took anohter 5 minutes to unhook it, and you have to spend 10 minutes reviving it, after which it may very well swim off and die?
But it's not okay to take a picture of a 38" fish that you landed in half the time and swam off strong in less than 10 seconds? |
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Posts: 69
Location: Pittsburgh | The biggest mistake for me as a long time angler is hanging on to a pattern even when my spider sense tells me its over. The second mistake would be pulling a bait away from a muskie because the sun reflecting on my pink PETA slippers blinded me. As a side note the muskys here have survived thru pollution, poor unenlightened management, redspot and the vast majority of anglers who have no CPR ethic or concern ,and I can tell you as of good friday here in SW Pa there doing just fine with large numbers per acre on a limited # of heavily fished lakes. |
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Posts: 518
Location: Cave Run Lake KY. | Never take your eyes of the bait. |
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Posts: 2322
Location: SE, WI. | Brian Malack; I agree with you, and could not of said it any better. Your views are like mine. Have in the neighborhood of 2,800 ski's over my gunnels. If there is an active fish in the 35 -40 inch range, I am figure 8 ing. The only exception is if I have a big fish spotted, and a 35" comes to call, I may pull the bait away to make as little comotion as possible to have a chance at the big girl!!!  Besides, my backyard is loaded with 35" ers...Its called Pewaukee!!!  |
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| I believe that in the next twenty years many of the seasoned vets and pros will no longer take pics of fish less than 40. Many already pass. It is a right and nobody can dictate otherwise if you want to continue taking pics of 30's, but what is the purpose if you already have 50-100 pics of fish below 40? T
IMO opinion the original intent of the of the photo encouragement was to prevent people from keeping fish. I believe that no seasoned vets would consider keeping a 30 inch fish, it is a useless tradition. It is clear that many of our "traditions" aren't necessarily good for fish management. MOST seasoned anglers can CPR without endangering the fish. However, some will go to great lengths to get that pic. I had a guy chase me down on the Fox Chain so I could take a pic of a 35. He actually found me after coming over from another lake with the 35 in the livewell. By the time he removed the fish from the 6 inches of water in his llivewell, the fish was pale. It swam away, but who knows if the fish made it, and for what?
If it is a tourney-go for it
If it is someones first fish-of course
If johnny only catches a few fish a year take a pic of course
If you catch over 10 fish a year, and you already have over 50 pics of 30 somethings, maybe it's time you just took a pass. Of course nobody can tell you it is illegal, but what is the point. In an era where we are constantly looking for ways to protect the resource, how many fish could be saved if they were released in the water rather than sitting in a livewell waiting to photographed? If the seasoned or pros are role models for the up and comers, wouldn't a better message be to be selective on the fish you photo and leave the little ones alone if you don't truly need that pic? |
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Posts: 485
Location: On my favorite lake! | Lack of concentration. Poor or no figure 8 |
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Location: Contrarian Island | pictures of smaller fish don't bother me and shouldn't bother anyone if done right...I don't typically take pics of anything under 40 unless it's a super fat one or a Tiger... I have enough in that range..but if you haven't caught a ton who cares if the guy takes a few photos of his 30"er ..to him that could be big at the time or special... it takes just as long to take pics of 35"ers as it does 50"ers...if you have half a clue, you and your boat partners know how to quickly get out of net, onto bumpboard, measure, hold up for a few shots and back in she goes...also it can take just as long to net a 35"er as a 50"er..they can be horsed to some degree... I'm not about to get down on anyone for taking pics of any fish... we all were novices and rookies once...and some still are...
Edited by BNelson 4/6/2010 5:49 PM
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Posts: 2322
Location: SE, WI. | Nicely said Brad. The only pics I try to get now are fish 45"+. All smaller fish are water released, and try not to net them. Brad; How do I get on the gliders suck pro staff??? Although, I think I already am!!!
Edited by jdsplasher 4/6/2010 7:11 PM
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| if its so important to protect the fish then you should skip taking pics of the big fish too and get them right back to protect them. those are the fish that need teh most protecting right? if it's okay to take a pic or two of a 50 then its okay to take a pic of a 35. like i said before i take pics of every fish. that way i can appreciate every fish i catch. some of the most beautifully marked and colored fish i have caught have been in the 30 to 36 inch range. i value every fish i catch. a musky is a musky if its 30 inches or 50 everyone is a trophy. imo |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | I start to lose concentration. Been fishing for 36 days in a row. Usually caught a fair number of fish. Start to look at the sky, the cridders, the Sea Gulls, the Loons, etc. Sometimes I forget to look at the lure. Occasionally I really wish I had! Doug Johnson |
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Posts: 69
Location: Pittsburgh | Guest,On good friday I took a friends son fishing with me. At about 9am he caught a 35 or so fish the very first in his life,and the only one in the boat that day.A picture was taken and the fish was released.The boy seemed very happy about this, and he had a pic for braggin rights to his freinds.now it seems to me that replacing myself with kids that love the outdoors and place value on it is much more important than any misplaced over the top release ethic. For any young ones to respect the resource they must first love it. the path to that love is paved with ,braggin to there friends, dad look what I caught a 42"er and that feeling we all know once its in the net. I believe it is more important to enjoy fishing in your own way rather than worshipping it. my friends son is 35 by the way the oldest kid I ever took. |
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Posts: 5195
| They are probably to arogant or stubborn to listen to mesikomer.He has been doin what the so called pros are doin now for years and years.Big monsters in minnesota placing in tournaments,Hello!No matter if you like him or not he does it all and put his reputation on the line and comes up big in tournaments ,which he has nothing to gain ,and only lose when he fishes tornaments.b
Edited by 0723 4/7/2010 1:22 AM
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Posts: 2322
Location: SE, WI. | Speaking of Mesikomer. Bobs TV shows are my favorite to watch. He has the best Musky footage out there!!! They do a great job!!!:o |
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| I am much closer to a rookie than a seasoned fisherman, but I just can't believe that a musky fisherman would pull a bait away from a hot fish on purpose. Are you kidding me? I spend a lot of time in pursuit of musky doing the whole "not catching" thing. If I have an opportunity to catch one, the last thing I am going to do is judge it to small. That's like saying, well I wanted to catch 20-22" bass today so I am going to rip my spinnerbait away from that charging largemouth that is only in the 15" class. It just seems kind of silly to me. Again, I really like to "catch" fish. That's not the ony thing that I like about fishing, but I sure do enjoy it.
As for mistakes, I make many every time out. I am actually starting to recognize them, so I believe I am learning from them. |
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Posts: 829
Location: Maple Grove, MN | Actually, my biggest mistake is telling my wife when I can catch a nice fish. Because then she thinks I don't need to go fishing for a while... |
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| Bob M was the first muskie pro in my eyes. He was also the first pro I saw water release and choose not to net all his fish. For me, his shows and videos have been the most entertaining and influential out of all the shows and videos currently available. I have learned more about muskie fishing through watching Bob's videos than through any other educational outlet. He and his crew have captured some truly captivating footage. If you haven't seen his videos, especially the vintage ones, do yourself a favor and check them out.
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Posts: 5195
| Guest one time pre fishing at leech lake in 2000 staying next to sworall,I pulled a bait away from a mid 50s fish,never to see that fish again.I will never do that ever again.Doub j had some nice thoughts here,a true legend of the game.b |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | I do pull the lure away from any size fish when Pre fishing for a Tourney,... and it's very hard to do,.... but you don't want to burn that Tourney fish before the event,, do ya ?
Jerome |
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Posts: 97
Location: Pickering, ON | Milk runs that never change.
Marked maps are usually the perpetrator in that regard. 10 spots marked on the lake and they are the same 10 that get fished from June to December. Totally fails to consider seasonal movements.
There are spots that are dynamite in June but a waste in late season, and vice versa.
Another one is leaving fish to find fish. That was a 'doh'/'aha' moment for me a few years ago. If I for example just raised and/or caught a fish in an area, why was I taking off to the next spot rather than working through the area again? I would say I had the perspective that Muskies are loners. Wrong.
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Posts: 311
Location: Ontario | Both those go under the Rookie Mistakes thread IMO. |
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Biggest mistakes that seasoned/ pros make.