Johnsfolly

Ham That's a great list. I have been giving next years goals a bit of thought. As I mentioned in the Devil in Details thread, I want to increase my PB for trout and bass. I don't know yet if I want to base that upon each species, e.g., rainbow, brown, largemouth, spotted, smallmouth, or as a general category, e.g., a trout or bass. I want to catch and photograph some species in their breeding coloration, i.e., male greenside darter, male bowfin, etc. Catch three new darter and five new minnow species. Catch all three species of rock bass in MO. I missed Ozark bass this year. Catch a warmouth sunfish Catch a longnose or shortnose gar in MO. If we can afford the trip and I have the time from work; Florida trip with coppernose bluegill and Suwannee river bass as primary targets. A saltwater trip with redfish, sheepshead minnows as new species targets. If I can get drawn for Wyoming hunt; catch at least two of the four cutthroat subspecies on the Wyoming slam.

Haris122 - My philosophy is to catch and count them all no matter how big or small. You know I have been loving the small guys lately. if you get some good photos of the sunfish, I may be able to help with the id. The little ones are tough, but it doesn't hurt to have someone else take a look at them.

Well I didn't have access to my fishing records spreadsheet during my previous responses. And yes I do maintain a fishing spreadsheet. So my totals since March 1, 2016 are as follows: 590 fish total - my best year ever and with two more months on my "fishing year" should easily exceed 600 fish 55 fishing trips in MO, Arkansas, and New Jersey 19 new fish species (I do include subspecies in this listing), including Shadow bass and cutthroat trout that I caught while fishing with Ham in Aug and Dec and Neosho smallmouth bass that I caught in SW MO - really looking hard to get that 20th by end of Feb. - walleye or yellow bass (if I get out ice fishing with daughter) most likely candidates; my original goal was to catch 15 new species to bring my life total up to 110 species. 46 different species - again looking for ways to get four more different fish to hit 50 before end of Feb. Currently looking at golden redhorse, spotted bass, chain pickerel, grass pickerel, yellow perch (if I get out ice fishing with daughter), blue catfish, McCloud rainbows as possible options; I didn't set a total species goal instead was focused on the new species this year. Increased my PB smallmouth with an 18.4" smallmouth I caught on my trip with Ham in Aug. Even before I caught this fish, I was planning on setting 2017-2018 goals to increase my PB for trout and bass. Now that goal just got a little harder for smallmouth.

Congrats on these hunts BH! I enjoy reading your waterfowl posts.

My daughter is starting to like stronger wasabi when she eats sushi. The nasal napalm may be still out beyond her tolerance. I do have a friend that may like that brand. They are always looking for hotter horseradish. I also agree with QB about putting horseradish on prime rib. I want to taste it but not cry over each bite.

Marty That was an awesome report. Micah is blessed to have a mentor like yourself on this hunt. Great job! I'm sure he enjoyed the hunt and the time he got ti spend with you.

I will say that it is a pleasure to fish with Ham and the other guys from OAF that I got to fish with as well this last year. I only got to fish with a few, Terrierman, Wounded one, and Micropteris, at Jigfest. So I hope to expand that list next year. As many of the folks on here know that I am also a big numbers guy. I know that when I have fished with Ham he goes out of his way to put you on fish. I also know that if all in the boat landed 60 fish on a trip. Ham would have come pretty close to boating that total or more if he was fishing by himself. Who knows how many more fish he could have caught if he wasn't so generous to take out guys like myself.

I found out after their World Series win that Joe Maddon is an alumnus of Lafayette College in Easton PA which is our longest standing rival. The Lehigh Mountain Hawks have been playing the Leopards every year since 1884. To think I rooted for the Cubs. I won't let that happen again.

Lance34 Great report and nice fish. What kind of camera are you using? It's got a fish eye lens that I like. I also like the sepia style black and white photos.I am a bit jealous since I haven't caught a crappie in months. To be honest I really haven't fished for them either. Keep the reports coming.

Daryk I'll be hitting the darters and minnows hard starting in late Feb/early Mar through May/June. We'll have to get together and catch a few. Maybe we can even convince Ham to get above I-44 here in MO. I now have two streams that aren't too far from you that I have caught greenside darters. I want to catch a bright green male next season to get a good photo. Both streams have a variety of species that with some luck you could catch 8 to 12 species on one trip.

I have only been bowhunting in a ground blind. I had my game cam out by the blind from early Oct through the end of Nov. I didn't have giant bucks, but had a bunch of day time photos of seven bucks and does galore. So I have just have not tried any other place with my bow. I'm starting to think of spots to set up with my climbing stand. I got a new range finder for Xmas to replace my broken one. Will feel more confident getting accurate ranges around me prior to a shot. Good luck if you get out with the crossbow.

Ham Great job on your fishing in 2016! I appreciated being a participant in a couple of your categories that you listed. My daughter hasn't had a chance yet to use her ice fishing rig that I gave her last Xmas. We just didn't have any thick ice. Actually hoping to go north to find ice and possibly one or more species to add to our lists. I'm still working on my 2016 - 2017 goals. So I won't have totals until end of Feb.

That's an awesome striper! Congrats! Definitely a bucket list fish for me.

I'm borrowing a friend's muzzleloader for the alternative deer season, but with several guests at the house and none with alternative weapons I didn't feel right abandoning them to go hunt deer. Instead I took out my daughter's boyfriend, Jeremiah, for small game. We went our Christmas afternoon, him with his 22 LR pistol and me with my 22 magnum rifle. I didn't expect much with the windy conditions. So we hunted a small piece of Nat'l forest land near my house. I got the first opportunity at a squirrel 45 yards from me. It was pretty open between it and myself. So I couldn't move closer. The little round dot that appeared on the trunk high and to the right of the squirrel let me know that I just missed. It took off up the trunk and into it's nest, which in my mind is like base in a game of tag. I went to look for some others. I saw and heard a few others, but no shot before it was too dark. Jeremiah also missed one on the ground with his pistol. He also bumped a big bodied 8-pt.. This is a small patch of timber that I don't routinely hunt. So we planned for another hunt yesterday morning. With that buck on my mind and the day off on Weds, I took us to a different and larger Nat'l forest property that I had success back in Aug with my daughter (see the giant Chant thread) and again in October during turkey season. This time I had the 12 ga and not my rifle. Just at dawn, I saw three off in some distant trees heading towards Jeremiah. I kept waiting for a shot when one came in front of me on the ground. I don't like shooting them when their full body is exposed to the pellets, but it left me no choice and crumpled at the shot. I could tell that the front legs were pretty bad and one of the rear legs had a broken femur from the pellets. At least I should be able to get some meat from this one. I heard Jeremiah shoot and figured that we had two on the ground. I missed two shooting opportunities with one ducking into a knot hole in an oak and the other making a mad dash up and down through the cedars. Then went and got Jeremiah for a move. He missed one on the ground, but had seen several in the cedars. We headed along that ridge line to where it drops down to the creek bottom. There is a row of cedars along that hillside above the creek. 15 minutes after setting up, I see one about 100 yards down slope to my right and lost sight of it when it got to the ground. I slowly walked down towards that squirrel and got spotted by an unseen squirrel that was downslope and to my left. It started barking, but I could tell that it was pretty far off. I felt better about going after the barker than the one I could no longer see. I eventually caught site of the barker and it was 80+ yards away and I would have to pass through some fairly open timber to get close to it. I started down hill towards it, trying to keep bigger trees between myself and that squirrel. On the way down another started barking near but downslope of Jeremiah. Once I got within 40 yards of the tree that I last saw my target, could not find it anymore. Now I was down at the creek bottom and the woods got quiet. So I started along a heavy deer trail, that was quiet walking towards the last barking squirrel. I finally caught sight and shot it. As I was picking it up, another ran along a tree that crossed the creek and down on the other side. I shot when it was on the ground and missed. Since it was about 9:30 we left with the two that we had. Jeremiah saw four or five, but no shot with the pistol. I told him to bring his 22 rifle or a shotgun the next time. I must like the kid If I'm even considering a next time.

Hey I must have a shoulder injury as well. That can explain my poor fly casting. Did you get out this season with the crossbow and if so how did you do with it? I could have used a crossbow in my blind set-up. My shooting window is pretty narrow and the deer thus far have been pretty close, which makes me worried about shooting through my blind. So I have missed high so far on the shots that I have taken with my bow. My blind is on a property within the city limits, so no rifle or muzzleloader opportunities in that spot.

Great to see you get some water/fishing time with your daughter! Catching fish was just a bonus! Great job on the bass and especially on the musky.

Glad to see you and your son having success! Great fish! Thanks for posting. I agree with the others in just keep doing what you have been doing well. It's nice to add to the arsenal, particularly if you fishing by yourself. However, seems to me that it's better to just put fish in the boat when out with your family and friends.

Ness Looks a lot like the sticky toffee pudding my wife makes. That's one of the recipes that we picked up when we lived in N Ireland. I'll have to get her to make it soon. We make pieriogi by the boil and then fry in butter method. We may add carmelized onions and nearly aways a dollop of sour cream.

Water looked great. Glad to see you getting to fish with your wife. She seemed to be enjoying the trip. Sounds like fun trip even though the bass were hitting and not walleye. Jealous about even that small striper.

LRF Great looking smallie and walleye. Great job on your personal best walleye!

SO3 Good luck in the bonefish! Looking forward to some photos from your trip.

Mreed Congrats on the Xmas eve BSC wild trout. Really nice looking fish! Sounds like a great tradition.

Norm Glad to hear about your first trip out. Also appreciate you posting about the conditions and your thoughts on how to best fish those areas. Enjoyed the post. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope that each of you that contribute and criticize on this thread have a great holiday and tight lines in the New Year. John

I'm in the same predicament except I don't have a deer in the freezer yet this season and I don't have a lot of high percentage options to get one. Still have fishing goals to meet for this year. Oh and then there is Christmas. What to do!