Ham

So, 1) I definitely Kept it Goofy 2) I tapped out at 2871 fish. 95.7% of goal = failure 3) I got my Life List up to 202. My first private extra credit goal was to catch 50 species on fly. Considering that I had only caught like 38 species of fish on fly prior to 2022, it was a pretty bold quest. I got to 56 species. That 56 species had all but 9 species that I had ever caught. Lifetime list of Fly is at 65. my second private extra credit goal was to beat the 108 species total that I got in 2021. I got my 109 th species on 9/10/22. I finished with 126 species. It was an awesome year with some Great trips. I learned a lot and had a Bunch of Fun. Some tremendous frustrations, but some tremendous satisfaction too. I hope that 2023 is my last year to try for maximum number of species. I want to learn to target lifers while still thumping the crap out of bass and crappie.

I always have too many fishing goals for any given year. 2023 Fishing Goals: 1) all five species of North American Gar on fly in the calendar year. 2) get the lifer list up to 225 (from 202) 3) every year is beat last year (but that’s gonna have to stop eventually) so 2022 I caught 56 species on fly and 126 species on hook and line. So, in theory it should be 57 on fly and 127 species on hook and line, but the heck with that. I’m shooting for 75 species on fly and 150 species on hook and line. 4) get the lifetime on fly species list up to 100. 5) Catch a fish in least 7 more new to me counties in Arkansas 6) catch a snakehead on fly I really should try for harder stuff

I sure hope the Glades are ok. I think infrastructure on west side of Florida might be sketchy, but the fish should be ok. I love to make another Canada fishing trip, but it’s not really in my DNA to have a lazy trip.

I’m good.

Not for ANY Price

He’s actually a pretty good squirrel dog. Sees them as well as Bella does and will follow them from tree to tree. He would have to be trained to bark at them though. He’s a Silent Runner right now. Bella will bark em up once they are isolated to a tree though.

We have three Poms. Ours are Great Little dogs with a lot of personality. I wouldn’t trade them for anything and I was VERY skeptical when my wife got the first one. This is my boy Biz. He has the heart of a Lion and is Very loving.

I do and did last year. I’m planning to go fish the Mississippi River at Chain of Rocks from the Illinois side. Last year I got shut out by unannounced road construction on the only road in. The cosmos said “You shall not pass”. what two species did you catch?

I’m gonna chase these 10 fish maybe harder than other fish species in 2023. I will BOLD the species once caught and likely have a post describing the catch. 2023 Top 10 Atlantic Tarpon Common Snook Eastern Bowfin Pirate Perch Brook Darter Ozark Logperch Mooneye Shovelnose Sturgeon Yelloweye Rockfish Silver Carp I’m hoping I have a little better Luck than I did with the 2022 Ten Moss Wanted

I’m that Mad at em, but I don’t hate myself enough to be out in the stuff we had the last couple of days.

Really awful walk in to work from the parking lot. Miserably cold and watching for glare ice.

So, this isn’t a dating advice thread? 😜 my wife is a recovering Christmas Nazi. She does a beautiful tree though.

it really is difficult. I'm rapid;y getting too old for it and if they are covered in ice. I don't think its possible. Watch the weather

see, this would have all been handy for me to know ahead of time, but I caught a few anyway.

so what did you catch at Spur Pond?

there certainly should not have been any need for a spillway release, but they do what they want when they want I suppose.

it is an interesting ethical question. "should I fish for an endangered species?" Practically speaking, me catching one fish with the intention to quickly and carefully photograph and release will have NO impact on the species. Researchers kill a lot more of them learning about them than I would ever run into. I would probably fish for darters in those areas and be THRILLED to catch one. I wouldn't brag about it online though. The other practical aspect of it is they are probably pretty hard to run across and therefore hard to actually catch. I struggle with a lot of fairly common species. In the back of my mind, I also think about the fact that round gobies are coming and in the waters they can reach, they are going to wipe out all the native darters. It won't be in my lifetime, but its coming. Catch the natives while you can.

Shoot me a PM when you are ready to drive a little. Dave has a great bowfin spot. I’ve caught bowfin on fly in a few locations.

Do Tell! How many species are you normally able to catch? What are some of the more unusual fish that you’ve been able to get?

You’re gonna have good water (projected) and good day for browns. Suit up

I'd worry about my dog too much to let them retrieve in Florida. There are other really Big Lizards down there too.

dang. I missed out on a lot growing up.

I think I am done mounting fish. I caught a 6.5 lb native LMB when I was 9. My folks had it mounted for me for my 10 th birthday. FWIW, I have never seen a repo that looks as good as a properly done skin mount. The skin mounts don't last very long though. I'm seen truly awful skin mounts of fish and pretty bad repos. Maybe I just haven't seen the really good repos in person.

I will not throw a frog on anything except Braid. I think 65 lb braid is likely overkill. I am unsung 65 lb braid right now, but only because WalMart was closing some PowerPro out. I think I paid 8 bucks. 30 lb would most likely be plenty. I use 30 lb braid for flukes (with a 15 lb fluro leader) and Chatterbaits with no issues yet. gosh, I love frog fishing.

So the smart move would have been to let this sleeping dog lie, but I just had to have one more kick at the can. the plan was Perry County and Logan County. I’ve been wanting to try the spillway below Lake Nimrod and below the L/D at Morrilton. I had a warm day and they were releasing water at Nimrod. off I go. I arrived at Nimrod and the place was devoid of human life. This is not a Good sign. The locals would know if it were right. as it turns out it was also devoid of fish willing to bite. I tried three locations. Soaked night crawlers, tried fly, and Swimbaits. Not a whiff. Tried for hours. All the micros I saw were only in the mood to run. No interest in bait at all. I stopped and tried a creek. Nothing. I drove to Harris break and dropped worms by pickings on boat dock and fished around a boat ramp and the rip rap along the dam. Nothing. I also tried below Harris Brake. They appeared to be draining it down to winter pool And I tried the outflow area. Nope. Perry County was a fail, but there will be payback coming. on to Conway County. I started at the boat ramp. And in just a little bit was rewarded with a little Largemouth. I tried flyrod first with a Billethead Clouser, but I had to throw the little swimbait to get bit. he wasn’t much, but I was Dang Glad to have him. Conway County completed. I got another bass there, but that was all. Then on to the dam and power station. they were letting a little water through the dam and generating a little bit also. I tried at the power station first. I had a beautiful back Eddy and current seams, but nah. Scrambling down the rocks was extra sucky yesterday because there was water condensation on the rocks. I remain completely appalled by the trash people purposely leave on their fishing spots. Hard for me to tote my gear and their trash out too, but you can Dang well believe that if I carried stuff down the rocks that I am carrying it out also. I moved over to the riverside and finally found a few fish at a point facing downstream. A Little current was moving across it. I put my baits down near the bottom hoping for a Sauger. No soap on the sauger, but I picked up a few White Bass and a Baby Striper. tough day, but it got better at the end. I put my eyes on Some new places and learned for sure that cold water and most micros is a bad mix. more counties will be fished in 2023, but I am done with this quest for a few months.