Is fishing fun?

[BigB9000]

the thought just chrossed my mind; I have a fishing boat, maybe i should take it fishing.

I have never done it. It dosnt seem to exciting, more relaxing than anything.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Is fishing fun?

You didn't specify Salt water fishing or Fresh Water fishing but here I go......If you have never been fishing and you know someone that does fish....say fresh water for example. Have the person that likes to fish go with you on your boat and take you to his favorite fishing spots, with you driving of course. Once you catch the first fish you will be hooked. It can be an addiction. Buying lures and bait also can be an addiction, oh I wanna try this color lure, or this brand lure, or this style lure. It can be a cheap and fun experience. I believe going fishing for the first time with someone with a little (well preferably allot) of experience in fishing will really help out. They will be able to give you some good tips or pointers on what to do or what to use to catch what kind of fish for example. All my uncles and allot of my male cousins like to fish. Nearly all my uncles own a fishing boat for fresh water fishing. If you don't know anybody that likes to fish, it will not hurt to go out and try it. If you go out by yourself go with some live bait, a couple of hooks, and a couple of bobbers that will give ya some spares just in case you break the line and give ya a feel for fishing. Or if you don't want to sit and wait for a fish to yank your line, get you a spinner bait, I like a rooster tail myself. Allot of the spinner baits mimic a minnow. I might try a crank bait lure at one point and not have any luck, then I throw a rooster tail (spinner bait) on and wham caught one.

Salt water fishing on the other hand, I'm not to familiar with but you got a bigger body of water with bigger fish. You can also charter (I believe is the right term) a fishing boat to take you out and fish.

As for myself I love to fish fresh water, that is what I intend to do with my boat, I have a bass boat. I don't see having a run about, all though I have one that I will be restoring in the future I bought it for the motor. I am boating for the fish.

You can go to this part of the forum http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=14 to get an idea of what kind of fun us fisherman have.

Or you can go to this part of the forum to see how the salt water fishermen enjoy it. http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=34

I'm trying to get you hooked on fishing, just take the bait .

 

[dingbat]

Re: Is fishing fun?

Fishing is what you make of it. It can be anything from calm and relaxing too physically and mentality demanding and the heck of a lot of work if you get into it seriously.

I fished freshwater until I was 14 and then got hooked on saltwater. The fish are certainly bigger, stronger, and faster but really got me was the total experience.

Not only does it offer a real sense of danger (an error in judgment or a lapse of concentration could mean the difference between life and death out on the open ocean) but it also gives you the chance to go head to head phyically with some of the strongest creatures on this earth. A 30-40 minute battle with a big Bluefin using stand-up tackle will have you feeling pain in places you didn't think possbile.

Call me crazy but there is something about coming back to the dock mentally tired and physically exhausted at the end of the day. A couple of bluefin of yellowfin tuna in the box just makes it all that much better.

 

[EJ3]

Re: Is fishing fun?

Saltwater Fishing = good times!

Definetly take someone that knows what they are doing with you or else you will think it sucks!

 

[Arima90]

Re: Is fishing fun?

All my years growing up our family was either commercial fishing or running tenders. During that time, I hated sport fishing or any fishing for that matter. After taking a few years off from the fishing industry (15 +/- years) my oldest daughter and I took our recently purchased Bayliner Trophy out to the San Juan Islands and after a bit we decided to throw in a line and troll for a bit. Not 15 minutes went by and WHAM we hooked a large King, after a couple of attempts to land he was lost, however, that was all it took to get me hooked. Next thing you knew I had talked to every Tom, **** or Harry about best fishing areas, etc. My advice is this: Call your local fishing guide, catch a couple of fish than see what you think.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Is fishing fun?

Do a little homework on the sport and check your local fish and game reports to see where various species are being caught. Fishing is lots of fun when you are landing fish but not so much when your not.

Also, bring a friend because, as much as anything, fishing is a social sport. The time spent with one or more friends out on the water, in a very relaxing environment, is just great. Because I live so close to many different places to fish and can do so 12 months per year, I will sometimes go out alone for a short ride to see what is biting. What I find is that, while I have a good time, its much better with someone to shoot the breeze with. Of course, we NEVER tell lies about the ones that got away while we were alone, with no one to corroborate our story. NEVER. I swear! Really! Whaaaaaaaaaaat? You've never see a 60 pound minnow?

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Is fishing fun?

LOL, Arima. That reminds me of the scene in Mystic Pizza when the girl, who comes from a family of lobstermen, goes to dinner with the wealthy BF's family and they serve, you guessed it, lobster. Its so true, too much of anything will turn you off to it.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Is fishing fun?

I'll tell ya another for freshwater fishing, as stated find somebody to go fishing with that knows fishing, go fishing with top water lures. A jitterbug or buzz bait are both top water, this is another way of having an action packed day. Reel the jitterbug in just fast enough where it will leave a trail of bubbles behind it while retrieving. It may even scare the heck out of ya the first time a bass hits the top water lure, I know it did me. You really should find calm waters to top water fish though, I try to find a spot that is like glass no wave at all when I use top water lures.

 

[DJ]

Re: Is fishing fun?

In my younger days, with a young family, we struggled to own a boat but we did. We did it because fishing was a weekly event that we all thoroughly enjoyed. My two sons still talk about our experiences to this day, as adults.

If you have youngsters, the key is PATIENCE! There will be snags, fouled lines, backlashes, etc. However, what you make of those foibles will have a lifelong impact on the youngsters., Take the foibles, in stride. Laugh them off and just enjoy being out there.

Would I do it all over again. No question-YES!

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Is fishing fun?

Is fishing fun?
Do politicians lie?
Do pro baseball players use steroids?

OF COURSE!

We live inland, so our only option is freshwater fishing except maybe once every couple of years when we take a vacation on the Gulf.

I have to say, I havn't ever really had a bad day freshwater fishing. Well, no, I take that back, there was this one time we were fishing from shore... I moved to get in front of a couple of trees that were right on the shore. I walked right through the 1 foot diameter paper wasp nest without seeing them. In fact, it was fully a minute later before I realized what I had done, and there was a CLOUD of angry wasps behind me. Scared me half to death. I ended up swimming back around, but believe it or not, I didn't get stung once that day. Just ended up cold and wet, and skunked too.

If you go freshwater fishing, just remember there is more than just Bass out there. My wife and I just love fishing for bluegill (aka brim). They put up a great fight for their size, and the best part is how good they taste deep fried in cornmeal breading. Of course we catch bass occasionally, and even somethimes go catfishing when they are on the bite and when we're in the mood for lots of big fun fish (but we don't eat the catfish from the lakes here, even though a couple of the lakes are supposed to be safe to eat them, I have been known to bring 'em home and stick them in the aquariums though). But if you watch the fishing shows, you can often get the idea that bass are the only freshwater fish.

With saltwater, the worst trip we ever had was a two day stint in marathon, FL. The place was great, mind you. We rented a boat from Jerry's down there, and they were great, too. But the first day a storm front came through and it was just too windy and nothing at all was biting. We went in a little late, and for reasons of exhaustion or stupidity (I'm not sure which), I put some of the bait in the trunk of the car. Not even in a cooler. So, that squid made for a FUN drive back home in 95 degree heat with all the windows open due to the stench eminating from the trunk. Oh, and I wish I could say that the second day was better, which, the bite was definately on that day. We limited and then some on Pompano (My wife's fav. saltwater eating fish), and I hooked up with a permit which is what I wanted out of the trip (would have been better if I could have landed him, but my tackle was no match for him, still fun though). But toward the end of the day, I caught a gulf catfish (one of MANY that day), and it somehow struggled in just the wrong way and stabbed me with one of it's spines right in the pressure point between the thumb and hand. All I can say about the pain is that it's a good thing I didn't have a loaded gun nearby because I probably would have eaten it. Overall through, it was great fun, and we've got more stories about that trip than any we've taken in the last 10 years combined (like the 6' aligator I caught , and landed with the fishing rod while fishing a lake in lakeland, FL. That gator had some kind of bobber craving. I still have the bobber with the tooth holes in it to prove it.).

Those are my fish stories. Can't wait to hear yours!

 

[oops!]

Re: Is fishing fun?

there was a popular si-fi tv show called stargate sg1.
the main charactor was a air force guy, whos time off was spent in minnasota, sitting on the end of his private dock with a line in the water.
there were no fish in his pond....at all....none

he said... the object was..."to fish"...

actually, that sums it up!

as a boy in central alberta canada. we used to fish every weekend on a lake.
no limits then. my step father was a finatic fisherman. the best ive ever seen . he knew all the spots.

we used to still fish for perch in 5 feet of water right beside the weed beds. 5of us would catch 250 perch in a few hours time. clean and fillet them by noon and then water ski for an hour and fish till four. as fast as we could get our hooks in the water we'd catch a fish. big ones for perch.

that was as exiting as a time as ive had....except for the time i had two chicks in the dj booth.......

if you like it you love it..if you dont ....sit in your boat and look at the stars at night.... a good day on the water ..is better than.....

cheers
oops

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Is fishing fun?

But toward the end of the day, I caught a gulf catfish (one of MANY that day), and it somehow struggled in just the wrong way and stabbed me with one of it's spines right in the pressure point between the thumb and hand. All I can say about the pain is that it's a good thing I didn't have a loaded gun nearby because I probably would have eaten it.

That happened to my brother when he took his first fishing trip out on the ocean in the gulf during his vacation with his family. He caught a gulf catfish and it got him in the thumb ouch. His thumb got infected from the blessed probing, so the vacation ended up costing him for the usual plus a visit or 2 to the doctor when he got back home. I have never been salt water fishing probably will never go salt water fishing. I'll tell ya my luck just swimming in salt water isn't good at all, I would hate to see what it is like fishing in salt water.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Is fishing fun?

Great post, DJ. I am in my fifties and still have really great memories of boating, fishing, crabbing, swimming, etc. in coastal Rhode Island as a kid. My grand-daddy lived on an 11 mile long, saltwater pond with an outlet to the ocean. My brother an I both had little skiffs with 5.5hp motors on them and my sister had a small sailboat. None of them were in the least bit fancy but we thought they were our personal "Queen Marys." Then there was "the big boat," which was my grandfather's boat and was all of 14 feet long, with a Johnson 28hp on it. Now that was something - we could water ski behind it or be taken "outside" in the ocean to fish for stripers, bluefish and flounder! Anything that we caught would end up on the dinner table, along with clam chowder made from clams that we dug up from the sand flats in the pond, and crabs that we netted while "poling" around over those same sand bars. You can buy all the "fresh" seafood you want at the market but it will never taste as good as what you caught yourself a few hours before eating it! Great memories, indeed!

 

[m&m252]

Re: Is fishing fun?

even when your catch breaks off after a 20minute fight, or tackle goes over board, or hook gets caught in finger ,or menhaden oil gallon container spills on board,its going to be a fishing day you will always remember ...good or bad,there really isn't such a thing as a bad day of fishing , ever...oh by the way if you have kids bring them along and gaurantee they we look forward to the next trip...i know i have for 30 years....

 

[JimMachinery]

Re: Is fishing fun?

I've been freshwater fishing for as long as I can remember. I never really gave much thought to whether it was fun or not. I taught my daughters to fish when they were pretty young and we have had a lot of great times together on the water. There is something about the hunt and the feel of a strike that still gets my heart racing.

It's cheap and easy to get started, but you can spend a lifetime learning all of the variables that are involved. What the heck, give it a try!

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Is fishing fun?

As the saying goes, "A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work!"

 

[pduquette]

Re: Is fishing fun?

Well, my fishing addiction has led to a boating addiction .Thankfully I got friends who encourage and support me......I started saltwater fishing with my grandad, dad and brother too long ago. We use to fish Sippican harbor/Bird Island Lighthouse on the edge of Buzzards Bay MA -in a 10' FG rowboat w/ a small johnson ! The whole trip was an adventure and taught lessons looked backon even 35+ years later. I just (officialy)started fresh water fishing the last two years and after a few good catches (and Releases)
I'm hooked too. I have to agree having a friend along is a good idear, tho I also enjoy the quiet times alone too. My best friend has the better luck than me ..he hookrd a girlfriend who loves to fish - theres a keeper!!!

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Is fishing fun?

That happened to my brother when he took his first fishing trip out on the ocean in the gulf during his vacation with his family. He caught a gulf catfish and it got him in the thumb ouch. His thumb got infected from the blessed probing, so the vacation ended up costing him for the usual plus a visit or 2 to the doctor when he got back home. I have never been salt water fishing probably will never go salt water fishing. I'll tell ya my luck just swimming in salt water isn't good at all, I would hate to see what it is like fishing in salt water.

I feel for him. Those things have barbs or something on their spines, too... because once it was in, I couldn't rip it out no matter how hard I tried, and it thrashed about a bit, too. Eventually it must have done something to release me. I couldn't use that hand at all for the rest of the day, and it took about two weeks to really regain full use of it. Mine didn't even get infected though, so I guess I got lucky there. Still, I would definately go again.

By the way, fishing is like crack cocaine, it's addictive, and the first time it's cheap, but after that you have to pay full price.

My wife had never been fishing with a fishing pole before (though she had hand-lined once or twice). I took her ONCE just because we were bored and newly wed and didn't really have a whole lot of activities to do together. That once turned into the next day, and the next weekend, and every weekend in summer since, and a few in the spring and fall, too. She even baits her own hook when we fish with worms. For the last few years, for our birthdays, we rent boats to go fishing, which of course led us to buy our boat last month. Now THAT's what I call a keeper.

 

[wildmaninal]

Re: Is fishing fun?

She even baits her own hook when we fish with worms. For the last few years, for our birthdays, we rent boats to go fishing, which of course led us to buy our boat last month. Now THAT's what I call a keeper.

Lord send me a woman that will do this, I would be like

and

and I would

and

her.

Now it's time for me to

Good night

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Is fishing fun?

Your correct, the fin spines do have barbs and the "stings" make the affected area ache pretty strongly. I have used Icthammol ointment to good effect in drawing out the venom and preventing infection. The wounds still hurt for awhile no matter what you do, though.