Most Memorable Fishing Experience

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Mongo
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Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by Mongo »

Thought I would throw this out there because I liked the Biggest Fish post back on March 11th that got a lot of great responses. My most memorable was probably catching tarpon with a Zebco 202 in the New River Canal about half way between Ft Lauderdale and Alligator Alley when I was a young kid back in the early 60s. Actually, that predated Alligator Alley. Would have to run the bank to keep from getting spooled 8O using 8-10 lb test line. Always a lot of tail walks and jumps with those young tarpon. :D
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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by LCallaghan »

I have quite a few but one of the best was watching my brother Jason catch a 29" trout in the IFA Championship out of Orange Beach, AL. Its one thing to catch one on a Saturday morning but another to get one in a national tournament setting.
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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by bk »

Hey mongo, i fished those same little canals growing up and remember catching small snook, tarpon, and bass, all in the same water. Good times.
But, as for "most memorable", tough to narrow it down, as there are so many. (like catching small alligators on topwater, or watching large deer swim right by me. or, mullet jumping over the yak. or, having an 8' bull shark sever a stringer and violently jerk the yak sideways, or, the numerous hook inflicted body piercings. or having a pickerel jump head first in to the yak and land with its teeth up my shorts pants..... and so on and so on.)

But, my most memorable experience whilst yakking happened about a mile up goose creek on a low low tide in a creek that was no more than 6 feet wide and 2 feet deep at the time. I was making my way down stream with a good friend daKidd, when we saw a porpoise making its way upstream towards us. The creek was not wide enough for all of us. And the large mammal (not dakidd ), hadn't seen us, and was approaching quickly. Dakidd and i braced ourselves the best we could by holding on to some grass on the bank. The large mammal (again, not dakidd), finally made its way adjacent to us and simultaneously became aware of us. The commotion that ensued over the next 5 seconds will forever be etched in slow motion in my brain.

The more you get off the couch, the more you will see. (feed your lawn,...feed it!) :D
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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by DKWakulla »

When I was in high school, my old man had a 19' cape horn. We went to Econfina almost every weekend and loaded up on trout and ( if it was calm ) Grouper. It was a ton of fun. Dad was riding the Real Estate/Construction bubble and we had some awesome times. Ten years later, that bubble burst, his entire world came crashing down, and everything he had worked so hard for in that blazing South GA heat was gone.

He came down to visit last fall. I, having (finally) grown up, put him up in the spare bedroom, rented a Hobie Mirage Outback for him, and for once took him fishing at WB. With both shoulders completely shot from a lifetime of construction work, it was peddle or nothing. It wasn't a great fishing day, we worked hard all day for 2 trout and a 24" red. However, that was the most fun I think the man ever had. To see the smile on his face to wrestle a large speck into the 'yak with him was worth everything to me. He might come down again this weekend and I hope he does.

Fishing with dad. Can't beat it.
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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

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When I was around two I drowned in the Sopchoppy. Dad jumped in and revived me. Good times.


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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by Mongo »

i fished those same little canals growing up and remember catching small snook, tarpon, and bass, all in the same water. Good times.
My grandfather owned the bait and tackle store on SR 84 about halfway between 441 and Andy Town (Carter's Bait and Tackle). Did you ever fish the "Bombing Range" or Alligator Alley before it was even a two lane road? Use to catch some huge bass out of there on earth worms we would dig up out of the muck. It's like a different world now as soon as you get off of the Alley. :cry:

Great and humbling responses (although Jeff I'm not sure if that qualifies as your most memorable fishing trip or your Dad's)!
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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by jsuber »

I was fishing when I drowned and it's my first experience that I remember. Which in some books and psychological circles, is a stimulus for my love of the water.


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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by WannaDoDat »

"Large mammal" :lol: :lol: :lol:

Very cool stories, everyone!

I've had lots of memorable trips that included big PB fish, a pelican hopping on board the kayak for a 30 minute visit, scary paddles in crazy wind and lightning, tough drags through sand and mud, incredible sights of flora and fauna, sky and water.....but one of the most enjoyable memories comes from a fishing trip from a few years back that was captured in this report....

http://www.fcka.net/phpbb3/viewtopic.ph ... ada#p31492


....just a stellar day of catching and exploring and good times. A day that is referred to as "Thud in the Mud". 8)

Like Liam expressed, his great memories in watching his brother Jason catch that huge trout for IFA, a great joy for me is watching my friend have a blast catching fish and enjoying it all.




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Last edited by WannaDoDat on Fri Mar 28, 2014 10:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Mongo
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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by Mongo »

Which in some books and psychological circles, is a stimulus for my love of the water.
Touche'! :lol:
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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by Mongo »

Thanks Jean! I haven't seen any reports lately that suggest that WB has been anywhere near that productive. Not sure if it is those fishing that area (including myself) or the local fish population's fear that your crew may return? :wink:
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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by WannaDoDat »

Mongo wrote:Thanks Jean! I haven't seen any reports lately that suggest that WB has been anywhere near that productive. Not sure if it is those fishing that area (including myself) or the local fish population's fear that your crew may return? :wink:
Haha
Thanks, Mongo ("like candy"? :lol: )

WB can definitely be a hit or miss place. I've been skunked there many a time. :?
But that magical day back in December 2010 was just particularly exquisite. :D
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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by BackCast »

Wow, one fishing experience? Over the years I've caught wild brookies in Maine, cutthroats in Montana, northern pike and smallmouths in Canada, and yellow perch and walleye from the Great Lakes. That doesn't even include all the fish I've caught in salt water or farm ponds, so coming up with one would be a challenge. That said, one of my most memorable fishing related stories didn't even take place on the water. I'll have to give you some background for this to make sense.

My dad was somewhat of a hard ass. He was a construction worker, tough as nails, fought in the South Pacific during WWII, and was a hard core / no nonsense hunter and fisherman. He didn't say much but took crap from nobody. His dad was my perfect grandfather. He was soft spoken, patient, gentle and loved to spend time with me, allowing me to help carve duck decoys, raise worms for bait, go fishing, play checkers, etc. One evening my granddad was sanding some balsa top water bass baits he was making and he had given me , his plus or minus 6 year old buddy, the "task" of painting them. I never was very artistic and to say the paint job was sloppy would have been very generous. About that time my dad came by, sort of grunted, and remarked that he sure didn't understand why my granddad would have me screwing up all the work he had done. What happened next was something I never could have imagined. My granddad laid down his file, looked my dad in the eye and without raising his voice said, "I happen to like the way he paints my baits and they will catch fish just fine. What's more, if I want your opinion I'll ask for it. Until then, mind your own damn business and leave us to ours." About that time I was prepared for anything except maybe what happened. My dad glanced down at his shoes, sorta grinned, and replied, "yes sir."
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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by WannaDoDat »

Memorable, indeed, BackCast!

What a lucky boy you were to have such a kind and gentle grandfather. I bet those "works of art" you created DID catch fish. And I bet that the dichotomy between your father's and grandfather's attitude and that particular interaction helped shape how you wanted to conduct yourself and communicate with your children. :D

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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by bk »

Thanks for sharing that story, back cast.
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Re: Most Memorable Fishing Experience

Post by Mongo »

Mongo ("like candy"? :lol:
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Label acquired while playing football in college, trail name when I hiked part of the Appalachian Trail, name just stuck, not sure why but may explain why it takes a kayak almost 16 feet long to keep me afloat. :27
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