Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with fishing

Fall camping in vancouver

hungrysquirrels — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:21:37 -0800

Vancouver/Surrey: camping/fishing late October Long shot, but, relatively new in town, so I don't know the parks. Google is just giving me RV sites. Anyway, my friend and I would like to take a camping trip for a few days in mid-late October, somewhere we could also do some fishing, preferably on a lake. Any suggestions? Most provincial campsites must be closed by now.

Where to fish along I-75 South

rmhsinc — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:11:07 -0800

Good to outstanding fishing locations along I-75 in October. A new dimension to a routine road trip. In mid to late October Nemo ( the wonder dog) and I will be driving from Toledo Ohio to West Palm Fl. to meet my wife as she returns from the Bahamas. I would like to do some fishing on the way south. I generally take I-75 from Toledo Oh. If you are aware of any particularly good fishing spots/locations/areas 50-70 miles on either side of I-75 between Cincinnati Oh. and Orlando Fl. please let me know. I am open to locations further from I-75 if there is a specific recommendation. If you have a recommendation for a specific camp/resort/guide that would be nice. I do not have a fixed schedule and can easily take 10 +/- days for the trip. I will be using light spinning gear. Thanks

Is the girlfriend too sensitive?

wv kay in ga — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:33:22 -0800

Why wasn't I invited on this fishing trip? So let's just say I have a boyfriend who planned a fishing trip with one of his good friends he used to work with and sold his boat to. (Yes, I ended a sentence with a preposition, so what?) And let's just say that I told him, sincerely, he should go fishing with his friend and have a good time. Imagine that I said I wish I could go because I love to fish as well, but I understand how guys just need to be with the guys sometimes. No problem, right? So let's imagine that the boyfriend calls his daughter and invites her and her fiance to go fishing with him and his good friend. Should the girlfriend have her feelings hurt or is she just being too sensitive? (I am 53 years old and I should know better, but this kinda chaps my ass.)

Ever eaten a marshmallow bait?

finnb — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:33:37 -0800

Has anyone ever eaten those marshmallow baits that you see in bait shops? If so, how were they?

How to chose fly fishing rod and reel for beginning fisherman?

Twinedog — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:15:23 -0800

How hard is it to tie on backing, fly line and leader on a fly fishing rod for a novice ( but handy)fly fisherman? I am preparing for some vacation time in Central and Northern Idaho and I have always wanted to try fly fishing.

I used to fish there with a normal rod and reel but have recently become a lot more interested in fly fishing.

I am looking to purchase a reasonably priced fly rod and reel combo from Bass Pro Shops of all places. The difference between the combo thats pre assembled and has the backing, fly line and leader installed is about 14 bucks.

Last time I looked at combos up where I am staying they were super pricey. Hence trying Bass pro shops and getting it delivered to home.

So how hard would it be for me to purchase the backing, fly line, leader and tippet locally in Idaho? and install it? I am pretty handy and good with knots , though not fishing knots.

Eventually I want to know how to do all those things because well I am just kind of one of those persons who enjoys doing things myself and being self sufficient. But I will be somewhat time constrained as it will most likely be a working vacation.

Should I spend extra to get the pre-assembled rod and reel combo or just get the plain rod and reel combo minus assembly, or Backing, Fly line, and leader?

Also would appreciate any good resources for fly fishing trout you can recommend.

Toronto Area Fishing Holes

sah — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:29:44 -0800

Favourite Toronto-area fishing holes? My non-fishing girlfriend has insisted that our summer include a fishing trip, and I'm happy to oblige. The trouble is that although I'm not new to fishing, I never go in the Toronto area.

I'm looking for somewhere we can get to in less than an hour or so (from the edge of the city). I don't care what size or type of fish we could potentially catch, I'd just like to be reasonably sure we can catch something. Where would you recommend?

Hat Creek Fishing Tips

scrump — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:48:28 -0800

Fishing Hat Creek: where should we go? Howdy: we're going to be in Lassen Volcanic National Park this weekend from Thursday night through Sunday, and we're going to try fishing Hat Creek while we're there.

We've never been to this area, and we'd welcome input from local anglers on good trails to get away from the (reported) crowds on Upper Hat Creek, or good ways to get away from the more-heavily-fished sections.

We're going to have our four-year-old along, and would like to avoid private fisheries. We're going to be angling from shore, most likely.

What is the best aluminum boat for use with Saltwater?

Craiggy83 — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:54:12 -0800

What is the best aluminum boat and motor combination that can be used for saltwater or freshwater that can be towed with a Mazda 6 wagon? I have been wanting to get a small boat to use for Salt/Fresh water fishing and putting around. I like the Honda four-stroke engines and I'm wondering what you would recommend for a boat? An aluminum boat was recommended to me. What size aluminum boat should I get? What size motor? What type of bottom (hull shape) and aluminum compound (mixture) should I get? I have a Mazda 6 wagon and may not even be able to tow a boat. I need something small but not so small that it would be overwhelmed by the waves while being used in the salt. Sorry for all the questions. Also what prices are we looking at for a decent boat which will last and require minimum upkeep. What would the approximate combined weight be of the trailer/boat/motor

Creek fishing inside city limits

edrnjevich — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 13:19:52 -0800

I live near a large creek in a major central Texas city. I would like to fish in it. Is that legal, safe, or even advisable at all? I used to fish a lot when I was a kid, growing up in a wetter part of the country, and I miss it. Now that I live right next to a creek that seems fairly large, by Texas standards, I'd like to take advantage of it. This time of year, the creek is about 10 feet across and deep enough that I can't see the bottom. There are concrete structures and tree stumps in places as well, forming pools that I think would be pretty appealing, were I a fish.

Would it be legal to fish here? I have no idea who owns the property - it's a well-maintained wooded trail following the outskirts of a subdivision. It's within city limits. I know I need to get a fishing license, if nothing else.

Do I even want to fish in the creek? My access is downstream from a busy road, and there's trash in the water on occasion - beer cans, plastic bags, stuff like that. The water is dark, but it runs briskly, except for in those pools.

If I did fish in the creek, what would I catch? Catfish? (Is there anything special I should know about catfish fishing? I was primarily a trout and salmon kid. Cast off a dock, reel it back in, repeat until fish is hooked.)

Basically, I'm envisioning strolling to the creek with a fishing pole and a cooler, enjoying the outdoors, eventually catching a fish, and walking home for a tasty dinner. Can I make that happen?

Fly fishing in South East Asia

roofus — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 12:05:01 -0800

South-East-Asia-Fly-Fishing-Filter: Any recommendations for beach resorts in South East Asia that offer guided saltwater fly fishing? Bonus marks for:
1. Somewhere that's a relatively short hop from Singapore
2. Decent surfing
3. Both surfing and fishing in February

I Need Some Ice-Fishing Advice

Midnight Rambler — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 08:51:26 -0800

First time ice-fisherman looking for some advice. I will be fishing for yellow perch in Southern Ontario. What kinds of lures/bait do you find work best? Are there specific parts of the lake that are best to try (eg. near shore or far from shore, shallow or deep)? Any helpful advice would be appreciated.

Nightcrawlers For Sale

Tube — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:27:20 -0800

Do kids still collect and sell earthworms for fish bait? When I was a child in the late 1960's and early 1970's, I would commonly see homemade signs that proclaimed "Nightcrawlers for sale", usually coupled with a price.

Recently I realized that I hadn't seen such a homemade sign like that in many years. This has led me to wonder:

1. Is this because I live in a major city, Seattle, and that such a thing is more of a rural, or small town kid's business?

2. Nightcrawlers or earthworms are sold so cheaply at conventional stores that it's not profitable to collect by hand.

3. The process was too labor intensive, and kids figured out better ways of making money, like mowing lawns.

4. More effective fish bait has been discovered, including devilishly clever simulated insects, with fanciful names like "Royal Coachman".

Yes, you can see my level of ignorance, as I've fished only about 3 times in my life. But there must be a reason I don't see these handmade signs anymore. What could it be?

Camping and hiking in Lassen NP

mudpuppie — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:37:39 -0800

Camping recommendations in/near Lassen National Park? Also, hiking/fishing spots? 1) We'll be car camping during the upcoming week. We don't mind larger campgrounds, but we're looking for places with tent sites that aren't right on top of each other. Bear boxes are a huge plus.

2) Know any good hikes? (I can only go two to three hours before I start to whine, but the gf likes longer hikes and trail runs, so any advice is appreciated.)

3). Trout streams. Yes?

Trout Fishing in America

mudpuppie — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:02:22 -0800

Teach me how to fish. GF and I are going camping for a few days on the Yuba River in Northern California. I want to go fishing. I haven't been fishing since my dad took me as a kid, and I have no clue how to start. I think the Yuba is populated with trout, mainly. In any case, that's what the GF wants to eat, so that's what we're hoping to catch. We obviously won't be fly fishing, being such novices and all.

So, tell me what you know about trout fishing. Specific questions:

1) What kind of rods/reels should we buy? Do we need a specific weight of line or a certain kind of reel?
2) You catch trout in pools, right? Do you fish off the bottom, or at the surface? And do you leave the bait there? For how long?
3) What kind of bait is best?
4) What kind of hook is best?
5) I remember that my dad used a certain kind of knot you use to tie on the hook. Point me to a diagram of it?
6) Do we need waders, or can we fish from the bank?
7) If/we catch a fish, what then? Bucket? Stringer in the river? Clueless!

What else do I need to know?

Give a girl a fish, and she'll turn up her nose and say "Yuck!" Teach a girl to fish, and you'll keep her entertained during a weekend in the woods.

At least it's not maggots

ceri richard — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 01:06:06 -0800

Where can I buy wheat gluten in the UK? I've found an online supplier (Ebay) but it would be great to go buy some today. We've tried local bait shops but none stock it. Any ideas?

Backyard fish?

serazin — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:31:03 -0800

Can I raise fish for eating in my back yard? A friend mentioned recently that he'd visited communities in the Philippines where, apparently, folks kept small, personal fish ponds for personal consumption. Surely there are resources on how to do something like this in my urban setting. Any suggestions?

How to pull cable using existing cable

Jupiter Jones — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:02:27 -0800

Our home builder installed cat6 network cable for me as a favor, but now that we've moved in, a cable tester now reports it as shorting out. Wires 5&6 are shorting. I guess they treated the cable too roughly. Does anyone have any advice for me on using the old cable to pull new cable through the walls to the second floor? If I was to install a messenger cable for future pulls at the same time, what should I use for that? I figure that I would pull two cables at once to future proof myself. How would I go about attaching these two cables to the cable being replaced so that it wouldn't break in the walls? Duct tape?

I've read references in other questions here about network cabling to "messenger cables", which you could use to pull further cable in the future, which seems like a good idea. What should I get at Home Depot to act as a messenger cable?

Any general advice on how to do this without treating the cable so roughly again that it breaks? I read about data cable lubricants for pulling... is this a good idea? What would you use for that?

I think the cable may be coming through a hole between an HVAC line and the floor on the second floor, which may be the culprit for breaking the line. I bought the house while it was half built, and he had already drywalled before I asked him to pull networking cable and coax cable.

I can float without a boat, CANOE?

TomMelee — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:05:42 -0800

Help me get the most out of my canoe! So...I've come into possession of a canoe. She's old---an aluminum Grumman 16 footer. She's a tank though---used her all last season with great success. She's a little big to solo on open water, tall enough she catches wind. However, I've taught my girlfriend how to be a bow paddler, and we have great fun. Mostly we fish in it, but sometimes we just go exploring. We move this canoe on top of my car, transporting the canoe is specifically not the issue.

Our setup in the past has included:
2 people (sometimes 3), 2 life jackets (or 3), 2-3 fishing poles, big ol' tacklebox, 10lb anchor and line, maybe a minnow bucket, and of course 2 paddles.

I was just about to pick up a used v-hull fishing boat, but then realized that I don't need to--so I'm sticking with the canoe. I just grabbed a 30lb/thrust trolling motor at Dick's for $55, and plan to finish the mount for it this week on vacation. I'll pick up a battery and box then too.

So, my question to you mefites: What Else Should I Do?
I've thought about mounting pvc rod holders so I can...troll. I think I'm going to set up an alternate "canoe" tackle box so I'm not bringing Johnny-hugemongous with me every time. Any special tips for a trolling motor mount? Any other amazing ideas you'd like to share? Lend me your canoe (mostly fishing) related wisdom...gear, technique, or otherwise. BTW---this is mostly a river canoe, but this summer she'll see a couple lakes.

Extra Bonus Question: tell me your favorite multi-species artificial lure and color (or your favorite for all black/white bass, walleye, and sauger.)

Know of any tshirts with funny fishing humor posted on them?

invisible ink — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:51:03 -0800

My dad loves t-shirts with fishing-related humor. I've already bought him one with "The trout, the whole trout and nothing but the trout, so help me Cod", and am planning to get this one, "Just for the Halibut." Are there any other funny shirts out there, related to fishing? Note: he's also conservative and old-fashioned, so anything crude won't work.

HELP need cool texas getaway for fishing

madmamasmith — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:13:52 -0800

I want to plan a trip for my bf's birthday. I live in TEXAS and want to find a cool cabin that sleeps at least 6 people with access to fishing. I would prefer a secluded area where he and his standoutish tattooed buddies can be noisy and not have to deal with neighbors or uptight rednecks.. I have seen some cool places in Lake Buchanan and near Lake Travis, I just want to find the perfect one, with cool atmosphere, access to the water and affordable. I would like to spend less than 250 per night (other guests not included). I know he likes to fish in Rockport but the cottages all look kind of dingy...any ideas...I'll take whatever you got.

Help me with a deep sea fishing charter.

dzot — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 12:04:47 -0800

Fishing filter: Can you help a total novice with a deep sea charter in Key West? I’ll be in Key West for a few days in a couple of weeks and I’ve decided I’d like to try deep sea fishing. Here’s the thing: I am as noob as possible when it comes to fishing. Never even held a rod and reel, so I need your advice. 1) How should I go about finding/selecting a charter boat -- anything special I should look for? 2 ) Is there anything I need to know/do/say to mitigate the inevitable embarrassment of inexperience?

My cat wants to go fishing!

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 07:47:11 -0800

What kind of live fish can I feed my cat? Recently, I saw some pictures of a cat "fishing" in a bathtub (Bathtub Cat, and no, my cat is not that big nor do I intend to give him a fish that big). I live with a cat who is obsessed with water due to his breed (Maine Coon) and loves to "fish" for his kibbles. Is there a safe way to give my cat some fishies to chase after in the bathtub? I worry about the tiny bones in little fish, or any bacteria/diseases he could get from pet-store animals. A friend has suggested tadpoles as an alternative, but where would I obtain them, and ensure that they are edible for my kitty? This wouldn't be part of his regular feeding, just a fun thing for him to do every now and then.

(I am posting anonymously because although I know Metafilter is pro-cat, I'm wary of receiving hate mail from fish lovers. I will respond to any questions through the mods.)

Colorado and Wyoming Fishing Tips?

advicepig — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 07:13:24 -0800

We're going fly fishing in Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming next week. What should we make sure not to miss? We'll be mostly car camping, but aren't averse to packing in for a few days. The group ranges from ninja skilled fish stalkers to Mr. Bean style casting, but we're not going to limit ourselves by that.

E-mail is in profile if you care to send something you'd rather the whole world didn't find out about.

boat guy in nyc

alkupe — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:32:05 -0800

fishing on a boat in or near nyc i wanna go fishing on a boat with some friends on friday, probably for striped bass. Can anyone recommend someone locally with a boat that can take us out? All I'm looking for is someone that isn't wack. Points for weird old guys.
I have a car, and would be looking to get up early friday and go out for a few hours.

Where's the fish?

genefinder — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 10:50:43 -0800

Fishing near Boston? My daughter loves to fish, as do I, but unfortunately I am not good at it. I've decided that the problem must be location, location, location and not my poor skills.

Does anyone have a good fishing hole they can share? The restrictions are: I don't have a boat, nor will I rent one. Shore fishing spots only please. I also don't want to hike for an hour if I can avoid it. It would be best to find a nice place to drive to, park, walk for a few minutes, cast in and at least catch one fish during the stay.

The impossible dream? Help my poor daughter out here.