What trips your trigger?

[Johnsfolly]

14 minutes ago, Foghorn said:

We had fish on consistently and would hand the fly rods to the grandkids to fight. The youngest grandson, Oliver, just turned 3 but is strong enough to hold the rod and reel the fish in. He had found a play net at the cabin we had rented and netted 3-4 fish too!  I believe  Susie and I enjoyed that fishing trip more than any we've ever been on. 

That sounds like a great time for sure! I can't wait to be that granddad myself. Probably a couple of years off from now until our granddaughter can reel in a fish. There is always hope that maybe we can even get her dad to like fishing . You can see how excited he was with his first salmon.

 

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

Yes, to all previously mentioned.  But I don't know what "it" is.  I just know that I have never tired of anything to do with water.  

[fishinwrench]

For me it seems to be all about figuring out the right location and technique for the moment.   Once I'm locked in on the where's and hows and can pretty well call my shots, then I can put down the rods and just enjoy being out there.  

If I go all day and never really figure it out.... I'll need to go again immediately, and my thoughts are about nothing but what I SHOULD HAVE tried. 

I guess I find comfort in just knowing that I can catch them.

[moguy1973]

As cool as it was to go up to Canada last year and fish a remote lake for walleye and pike, it wasn't as much fun as fishing for largemouth or smallmouth locally.  Trolling for fish was kind of boring and not my cup of tea, and other than being able to chit chat with the people I was with during times of no catching, it really wasn't that fun.  Catching the big pike was exciting when they first got on the line and when they were close to the boat and didn't want to get in the net, but during the catch, they fought for only a few seconds before they were just dead weight.  Same with the walleye, although they gave up even earlier and once they were hooked they really weren't that much of a challenge.  Would I do it again?  Absolutely.  Mainly due to the environment up there is just gorgeous and so pristine, the air is cleaner, and it was just relaxing when we did have a chance to sit down and rest.  Oh, and we caught a ton of fish, and I had never caught a walleye before so that was a fun first.  And that said, we didn't rest much mainly because we fished a lot, and then had to clean the fish, and then cook and clean up.  By that time we were too tired to do much else other than go to sleep.

[Flysmallie]

Just going somewhere, anywhere does it for me. I chased the tournament stuff and had a lot of fun doing it but I'd rather just go fishing now. I chased the big fish, big ego thing and had a lot of fun, but I would rather just go fishing now. Love the saltwater stuff, but I would rather walk the beach than go out on a boat most days. 

I've been fortunate to get to fish in a lot of different places. But anytime I'm outside I'm enjoying what I love. Nothing to prove to anyone. Nothing to prove to myself. Now I just relax and enjoy all of it. 

[FishnDave]

19 hours ago, Al Agnew said:

It's been said that the evolution of a fisherman is first, to catch a fish, then to catch a lot of fish, and finally to catch big fish. 

I've certainly been through those stages...even recognized it at the time. 

Here in MO, it seems a lot of folks flyfish at least some of the time...which is great!  Quite a few of you are much more experienced than I am, I'm certain.  Just roll your eyes at me and shake your head.   In Iowa, when I was making the transition to flyfishing, I was a member of a multispecies fishing club.  There were only maybe 2 guys out of 70+ that flyfished much.  I'd actually started flyfishing when I lived in northern Illinois, flyfishing for paylake crappies and river smallmouth... just to try it out, really.  But I gave it up for a number of years, until I'd been back in Iowa for a few years.

Anyway...in Iowa, I was enjoying the flyfishing immensely, and wanted to try to encourage other members of our fishing club to try it.  Many agreed it looked like fun.  Some even had the gear, although they'd never used it.  Almost none actually did give it a try.  So I got into the habit of sharing my fish pictures of what I was catching on fly gear, hoping to entice others to give it a shot.  How could I convince my fishing friends to try flyfishing locally?

Well, first...for several years I showed (posting reports/pictures on our website forums) that you can catch a variety of warmwater fish on fly gear.  I thought that would hook the bluegill guys, crappie guys, bass guys, etc.  Maybe not the walleye or catfish guys....but hey, that's possible too.  Any takers?  No.

Next, for a few years (to prove it wasn't a fluke) I showed you could catch a LOT of fish on flies.  Any takers?  No.

Finally, for several years (to prove it wasn't a fluke) I showed you can catch a lot of big fish on flies.  Any takers?  No.

See that evolutionary pattern?

I ran out of fresh ideas to encourage my Iowa fishing friends to try flyfishing.  The number of fly anglers where I was has definitely increased though, so perhaps I had something to do with that.  I am still in the habit of sharing pictures of what I catch.

And having recently moved to MO, I feel like I'm starting those stages all over again...maybe its proving to myself that my past success wasn't a fluke, and that I can eventually learn enough to reproduce the results here.  Or maybe its all just an excuse to be near water and see fish.

[snagged in outlet 3]

23 minutes ago, FishnDave said:

It's been said that the evolution of a fisherman is first, to catch a fish, then to catch a lot of fish, and finally to catch big fish. 

I’d add in addition to catching big fish is catching them the way you like to.  Top water, streamers, cranks, spinner bait or whatever you like.  I really like to swing a streamer when they are just hammering it.  A good top water or dry fly bite is always up there.  

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, FishnDave said:

I've certainly been through those stages...even recognized it at the time. 

Here in MO, it seems a lot of folks flyfish at least some of the time...which is great!  Quite a few of you are much more experienced than I am, I'm certain.  Just roll your eyes at me and shake your head.   In Iowa, when I was making the transition to flyfishing, I was a member of a multispecies fishing club.  There were only maybe 2 guys out of 70+ that flyfished much.  I'd actually started flyfishing when I lived in northern Illinois, flyfishing for paylake crappies and river smallmouth... just to try it out, really.  But I gave it up for a number of years, until I'd been back in Iowa for a few years.

Anyway...in Iowa, I was enjoying the flyfishing immensely, and wanted to try to encourage other members of our fishing club to try it.  Many agreed it looked like fun.  Some even had the gear, although they'd never used it.  Almost none actually did give it a try.  So I got into the habit of sharing my fish pictures of what I was catching on fly gear, hoping to entice others to give it a shot.  How could I convince my fishing friends to try flyfishing locally?

Well, first...for several years I showed (posting reports/pictures on our website forums) that you can catch a variety of warmwater fish on fly gear.  I thought that would hook the bluegill guys, crappie guys, bass guys, etc.  Maybe not the walleye or catfish guys....but hey, that's possible too.  Any takers?  No.

Next, for a few years (to prove it wasn't a fluke) I showed you could catch a LOT of fish on flies.  Any takers?  No.

Finally, for several years (to prove it wasn't a fluke) I showed you can catch a lot of big fish on flies.  Any takers?  No.

See that evolutionary pattern?

I ran out of fresh ideas to encourage my Iowa fishing friends to try flyfishing.  The number of fly anglers where I was has definitely increased though, so perhaps I had something to do with that.  I am still in the habit of sharing pictures of what I catch.

And having recently moved to MO, I feel like I'm starting those stages all over again...maybe its proving to myself that my past success wasn't a fluke, and that I can eventually learn enough to reproduce the results here.  Or maybe its all just an excuse to be near water and see fish.

          Ahhhh,

  You don't have to convince me Dave. We are kind of birds of a feather so to say,

[FishnDave]

39 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

          Ahhhh,

  You don't have to convince me Dave. We are kind of birds of a feather so to say,

Yeah! Peeps here in MO "get it".  

Look at that!  That's a "tall" HSB!  Any idea on wt or length??

[BilletHead]

2 minutes ago, FishnDave said:

Yeah! Peeps here in MO "get it".  

Look at that!  That's a "tall" HSB!  Any idea on wt or length??

                    12 lbs. 28 inches. 

   Here is another.