For those of you who fish...

[ebykowsky]

Completely not aviation related, but I love to fish and will be in tournaments throughout the northeast (and TN) this spring. I recently got a "pro" college sponsorship with Fenwick rods, and have been doing some ad material for them--I've got a product review video and wrote a decent article on fishing in the winter months--I know I have to say this, but their rods are actually pretty awesome. I know it's got nothing to do with flying but I figured there were plenty of you on here who like to fish and might want to check them out... Without further ado:

How to catch fish in winter rivers--it's not published yet, and I'm not sure if it ever will be, but thought I'd share anyway: Actually, this is at the bottom of the post as an attachment... Woops forgot it--now it's there.


A review of the Fenwick Aetos Rod (This honestly is my favorite rod I've ever used, although it's been $30 rods till now, so that's not saying too much...) And yeah, the production quality kind of sucks, but it's my first video... The next will be better and have at least one airplane in it. I promise :wink2:
Aetos Product Review

On a side note, and as a shameless plug, if any of you own companies (fishing or non-fishing related) and would like to sponsor the Carnegie Mellon Fishing Team, send me a PM. We can put your logo on our jersey and website, etc. and we fish in national tournaments that are aired on NBC Sports.

 

[Geico266]

Looks pretty good to me, other than the lighting. Pick a sunny day.

Good hand gestures, product passion, and knowledge of the product.

I really like the slow motion insert of the still photo. Nice touch. Gonna steal that!

I'd buy the rod and reel based on your video.

 

[RJM62]

Nice video. I would buy the pole, except that I'm a tightwad.

I think I've been where you were fishing, by the way, but I can't place it. The bridge looks familiar to me... maybe somewhere along the Delaware? Or possibly the Susquehanna?

-Rich

 

[ebykowsky]

Looks pretty good to me, other than the lighting. Pick a sunny day.

That is sunny day for Pittsburgh!

I'd buy the rod and reel based on your video.

Please do! Sadly, I don't get commission

 

[ebykowsky]

Nice video. I would buy the pole, except that I'm a tightwad.

I think I've been where you were fishing, by the way, but I can't place it. The bridge looks familiar to me... maybe somewhere along the Delaware? Or possibly the Susquehanna?

-Rich

Nope, if you're referring to the video, that's a local bridge in the small Schenley Park over Panther Hollow Lake (the lake I'm standing on in the video)... Sadly, no fish in that pond. It used to have some from what I hear, but bad planning led to a ton of erosion and other crud being dumped in the lake from runoff and there are no longer fish to speak of. Started as an 8 ft deep lake, but now is around 2-3 feet from all the sediment and muck. I shot a couple of takes of me casting which didn't make the final cut, but the people walking by looked at me like such an idiot throwing a jig onto a frozen lake!

 

[RJM62]

Nope, if you're referring to the video, that's a local bridge in the small Schenley Park over Panther Hollow Lake (the lake I'm standing on in the video)... Sadly, no fish in that pond. It used to have some from what I hear, but bad planning led to a ton of erosion and other crud being dumped in the lake from runoff and there are no longer fish to speak of. Started as an 8 ft deep lake, but now is around 2-3 feet from all the sediment and muck. I shot a couple of takes of me casting which didn't make the final cut, but the people walking by looked at me like such an idiot throwing a jig onto a frozen lake!

Ah, okay. It looked familiar, but I was mistaken. I've done loads of fishing in PA, but never in that part of the state.

-Rich

EDIT: Don't worry about the funny looks, by the way. I get them all the time for doing things like climbing bridges to take pictures of railroad tracks. I just wave and smile. Scares them off.

 

[AdamZ]

Congrats on the sponsorship. Nice video. I like fishing, I'd like it a lot more if I knew what the hell I was doing.

 

[ebykowsky]

Ah, okay. It looked familiar, but I was mistaken. I've done loads of fishing in PA, but never in that part of the state.

-Rich

EDIT: Don't worry about the funny looks, by the way. I get them all the time for doing things like climbing bridges to take pictures of railroad tracks. I just wave and smile. Scares them off.

Wow. That sure would be an interesting sight! Have you ever heard of Mothman? I think that all might just have been a case of mistaken identity!

Also, I'll be up in Lake Champlain this summer for an FLW tournament, so maybe you'll recognize the video I get from that... If you have any tips for getting bass around there, they would be appreciated!

 

[ebykowsky]

Congrats on the sponsorship. Nice video. I like fishing, I'd like it a lot more if I knew what the hell I was doing.

Thanks! Fly on over to Pit any time I'm there and I'll teach ya what I know!

 

[Dan Thomas]

I have numerous spinning rods, but my favorite is still the six-foot solid fiberglass four-piece pack rod I bought 42 years ago. It, along with a cheap Japanese spinning reel, will throw a lure farther than any of the other more expensive rods and reels I have.

Same goes for my old fly rods. I did buy a Martin Multiplier fly reel a couple of years ago and love it. I don't know why they aren't more popular. They're not expensive, for sure, compared to the fancy "machined" items that are so stupidly simple but cosmetically impressive. Fortunately, trout aren't impressed by flashy fly reels, and they bite my flies no matter what beat-up reel I'm using.

http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Fly-Fishing-Multiplier-Disk-Drag/dp/B000VZ33SU

I get attached to old stuff. It works. I can't justify hundreds of dollars for stuff that doesn't work any better.

Dan

 

[Sac Arrow]

I like fishing, but only to the extent it yields me fish to eat. So ideally my preferred fishing apparatus would be either a very large net or something you would light with a fuse.

 

[poadeleted21]

I like fishing, but only to the extent it yields me fish to eat. So ideally my preferred fishing apparatus would be either a very large net or something you would light with a fuse.

I'm just the opposite, I always catch and release. Sometimes I don't even bait my hook because I don't want to be bothered.

 

[mchesney]

I am a bass fishing addict. I fish 2 weeknight tournaments and weekend tourneys all summer long. haven't watched your video yet but I will. Last 5 years or so I've been pouring my own plastic and making my own jigs..almost as addicting as fishing itself! Good luck with the college team...I watch the college flw events whenever they are on. Wish they woulda had those when I was in school!

 

[ebykowsky]

I'm just the opposite, I always catch and release. Sometimes I don't even bait my hook because I don't want to be bothered.

I'd bet the bite is on in Savannah right now (or there's at least good enough weather to want to go outside)--looking forward to being back down South! And that's what some people just don't understand about fishing--it's not about what you catch: it's about the time you spend outdoors trying to interact with the fish. I've caught some on a bare hook, though!

And I can see Sac saying that--My friend (we call him Bubbs, but his God-given name is Bubba) also loves fishing with 'splosives. You two should hang out some time. Here's his number: (803) 635–4841 (extension 31)

 

[poadeleted21]

I'd bet the bite is on in Savannah right now (or there's at least good enough weather to want to go outside)--looking forward to being back down South! And that's what some people just don't understand about fishing--it's not about what you catch: it's about the time you spend outdoors trying to interact with the fish. I've caught some on a bare hook, though!

And I can see Sac saying that--My friend (we call him Bubbs, but his God-given name is Bubba) also loves fishing with 'splosives. You two should hang out some time. Here's his number: (803) 635–4841 (extension 31)

I'm from Mississippi, was a hard core bass fisher. Then moved to Alaska and thought I would be in fishing mecca. Alaska fishing is idiotic. It's "snagging" not fishing. Then I moved to Montana, and really, really enjoy fly fishing. Glad to be back south though.

It's been raining like crazy here the past few days, there's a few lakes in the neighborhood, never seen anyone fishing them (only been here since late Sept).
Witnessed something I cannot explain. one of the lakes "got out" and people were fishing in the flooded areas on the side of the road. When the lake went back down to normal levels, the people left. No idea what they were doing. Any clue? They could fish they lake if they wanted too, only chose to do so when it was flooded.

 

[ebykowsky]

It's been raining like crazy here the past few days, there's a few lakes in the neighborhood, never seen anyone fishing them (only been here since late Sept).
Witnessed something I cannot explain. one of the lakes "got out" and people were fishing in the flooded areas on the side of the road. When the lake went back down to normal levels, the people left. No idea what they were doing. Any clue? They could fish they lake if they wanted too, only chose to do so when it was flooded.

??? ??? Not sure why they wouldn't fish before, but suddenly would now... if there's fish, there's fish. The only thing I could think of about the lake overflowing would be that the new boundaries of the lake would cover ground that never before used to be underwater. This would move baitfish into these areas to look for fresh stirred up food and the bass or other predators would follow. Carp and other herbivores might like it if there's good foliage in those areas too. Another thing to consider is that rising water in a lake is great because it stirs up food that's already in the lake--fish like the rising water, and the best time to fish a lake with a dam is whenever they're keeping more water in than is going out. Rivers seem to be completely opposite, though, so go figure. These fishermen might also have just been stupid outsiders or might have said "what the hell, let's go fishing!"

I know Alaska isn't anything close to a Mecca for bass or the other species we take for granted down in Dixie, but not even a halibut or sturgeon? And salmon, too! These fish can feel like dead weight at times compared to the gamefish of the southern US, but they're still fun to catch and great to eat (for the most part)!
Unfortunately, I don't do any fly fishing, although it's something I'd love to try.

 

[RJM62]

Wow. That sure would be an interesting sight! Have you ever heard of Mothman? I think that all might just have been a case of mistaken identity!

Also, I'll be up in Lake Champlain this summer for an FLW tournament, so maybe you'll recognize the video I get from that... If you have any tips for getting bass around there, they would be appreciated!

I haven't been to Lake Champlain in a long, long time, so I can't help you there.

The best bass fishing I've done recently in NYS has been where the Rondout and Walkill rivers meet (just downstream from Kingston), and at a particular spot at the Cannsonsville Reservoir (probably in the town of Tompkins at that particular point). I can pull bass out of there one after the other around dusk.

The Pepacton Reservoir isn't bad, either, but you need a boat there during the Spring and usually into the Summer when the water level is high, and boat permits are kind of a pain to get.

My brother has had good luck in the Schoharie Creek. I haven't fished it in years, though, so I can't say first-hand. I also haven't fished the Hudson in quite a while.

I've had no luck at all on the Susquehanna River. I've had mixed success on the East Branch of the Delaware, and somewhat better luck on the Main Trunk.

All of these are way south of Champlain, though. I haven't been anywhere near there except when I was looking at some places to live a couple of years ago, and I didn't do any fishing.

-Rich

 

[ebykowsky]

I haven't been to Lake Champlain in a long, long time, so I can't help you there.

The best bass fishing I've done recently in NYS has been where the Rondout and Walkill rivers meet (just downstream from Kingston), and at a particular spot at the Cannsonsville Reservoir (probably in the town of Tompkins at that particular point). I can pull bass out of there one after the other around dusk.

The Pepacton Reservoir isn't bad, either, but you need a boat there during the Spring and usually into the Summer when the water level is high, and boat permits are kind of a pain to get.

My brother has had good luck in the Schoharie Creek. I haven't fished it in years, though, so I can't say first-hand. I also haven't fished the Hudson in quite a while.

I've had no luck at all on the Susquehanna River. I've had mixed success on the East Branch of the Delaware, and somewhat better luck on the Main Trunk.

All of these are way south of Champlain, though. I haven't been anywhere near there except when I was looking at some places to live a couple of years ago, and I didn't do any fishing.

-Rich

Thanks for the tips; I don't think I'll be around those areas any time soon, though. Fishing the 3-river system (Ohio, Monongahela, Allegheny) has been pretty bad, just a few bass and some walleye. Then again, almost all of this has been from shore, and when I get my car in a couple of weeks, I'll finally have easy access to some local lakes. Really, getting the hang of river fishing is pretty rough, though. On the other hand, these rivers are not very amenable (probably more shopping carts down there than fish)

 

[poadeleted21]

??? ??? Not sure why they wouldn't fish before, but suddenly would now... if there's fish, there's fish. The only thing I could think of about the lake overflowing would be that the new boundaries of the lake would cover ground that never before used to be underwater. This would move baitfish into these areas to look for fresh stirred up food and the bass or other predators would follow. Carp and other herbivores might like it if there's good foliage in those areas too. Another thing to consider is that rising water in a lake is great because it stirs up food that's already in the lake--fish like the rising water, and the best time to fish a lake with a dam is whenever they're keeping more water in than is going out. Rivers seem to be completely opposite, though, so go figure. These fishermen might also have just been stupid outsiders or might have said "what the hell, let's go fishing!"

I know Alaska isn't anything close to a Mecca for bass or the other species we take for granted down in Dixie, but not even a halibut or sturgeon? And salmon, too! These fish can feel like dead weight at times compared to the gamefish of the southern US, but they're still fun to catch and great to eat (for the most part)!
Unfortunately, I don't do any fly fishing, although it's something I'd love to try.

If you want to catch a halibut but aren't near an Alaskan charter boat. Just hire a scuba diver to attach a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" plywood to your line, you'll get the same effect. I did Salmon fishing, for Kings you need a boat and someone who knows what they're doing, for the rest, it's just elbow to elbow snagging.

The trick to MT fly fishing is to find the dumb fish. If you have to hike 6 miles up the side of a mountain to get there, you're in the right spot. Even the blue ribbon streams like Rock Creek or the Blackfoot (The one "A River Runs Through It
was about) can be slim pickings, especially when there's 40 gazillion tubers hatching.

 

[ebykowsky]

If you want to catch a halibut but aren't near an Alaskan charter boat. Just hire a scuba diver to attach a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" plywood to your line, you'll get the same effect. I did Salmon fishing, for Kings you need a boat and someone who knows what they're doing, for the rest, it's just elbow to elbow snagging.

The trick to MT fly fishing is to find the dumb fish. If you have to hike 6 miles up the side of a mountain to get there, you're in the right spot. Even the blue ribbon streams like Rock Creek or the Blackfoot (The one "A River Runs Through It
was about) can be slim pickings, especially when there's 40 gazillion tubers hatching.

Seriously? I've never really gone snagging for fish... that's just wrong (on a sporting level, not some humane morals level). Seems like they should bite something. I'm actually going fishing this weekend on a trip up to Erie PA for some steelhead, but I'm going with spinning gear, not fly rods--supposedly, it's a 1.5 mile hike just to get to the spot from the road, so I guess it's gonna be decent; private land, too, so none of those other pesky fishermen! Fenwick actually started out as a fly company, so I may look into getting a rod or two from them.

 

[poadeleted21]

Seriously? I've never really gone snagging for fish... that's just wrong (on a sporting level, not some humane morals level). Seems like they should bite something. I'm actually going fishing this weekend on a trip up to Erie PA for some steelhead, but I'm going with spinning gear, not fly rods--supposedly, it's a 1.5 mile hike just to get to the spot from the road, so I guess it's gonna be decent; private land, too, so none of those other pesky fishermen! Fenwick actually started out as a fly company, so I may look into getting a rod or two from them.

They're spawing, eating ain't on their mind. With the kings, the idea is to throw out egg sacks and get them wound up and "attack" it. The rest are just coming in in large numbers and you have to stick them in the head, you have to throw them back if you don't get it in the head. You're supposed to drag the hook across their mouth.

I have some Idaho connections for sturgeon and steelhead fishing if you head that direction. In Idaho (at least where I fish there), you can't use hooks that have barbs

 

[RJM62]

Thanks for the tips; I don't think I'll be around those areas any time soon, though. Fishing the 3-river system (Ohio, Monongahela, Allegheny) has been pretty bad, just a few bass and some walleye. Then again, almost all of this has been from shore, and when I get my car in a couple of weeks, I'll finally have easy access to some local lakes. Really, getting the hang of river fishing is pretty rough, though. On the other hand, these rivers are not very amenable (probably more shopping carts down there than fish)

Thanks. I have to get around to renewing my fishing licenses this week, now that I think about it. I haven't done any fishing to speak of this winter.

I like river fishing, and I actually prefer fishing from the shore to fishing from a boat. I think it's just because that's how I started fishing when I was a kid.

On the subject of fishing, here's a "first-fish" photo of my goddaughter Kimberly, way back when she was 9 or 10. I know: I started her out kind of late. I still had my consulting business back then, and time was hard to find.

Sorry for the crappy camera phone pic, but her expression kind of makes up for it. She didn't know whether to be happy, scared, or what.

-Rich

 

[ebykowsky]

They're spawing, eating ain't on their mind. With the kings, the idea is to throw out egg sacks and get them wound up and "attack" it. The rest are just coming in in large numbers and you have to stick them in the head, you have to throw them back if you don't get it in the head. You're supposed to drag the hook across their mouth.

I have some Idaho connections for sturgeon and steelhead fishing if you head that direction. In Idaho (at least where I fish there), you can't use hooks that have barbs

Seems difficult to snag them right. I'd be surprised if the mouth hook rule were enforced... unfortunately I won't be in Idaho any time soon I do know of quite a few places that are barbless. Some of them can really swallow it.

 

[ebykowsky]

On the subject of fishing, here's a "first-fish" photo of my goddaughter Kimberly, way back when she was 9 or 10. I know: I started her out kind of late. I still had my consulting business back then, and time was hard to find.

Sorry for the crappy camera phone pic, but her expression kind of makes up for it. She didn't know whether to be happy, scared, or what.

-Rich

That's a lunker! Put it on the wall!
My favorite catch was a 20 lb striper I got in the NJ surf with my dad when I was 9. It was always fun because my dad would do everything for me but reel the fish in!