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2023 Fishing thread

Didn’t have much luck tonight. Fished for almost 4 hours and I managed to catch the only fish. So I guess it was good my buddy had me join 😂

This f***ing thing fought like hell. I haven’t had a battle like that in many years. Maybe since there was some swells acting against us along the beach? I dunno.

I had the drag locked up tight and it was spooling me hard. I told my buddy you better chase after this before I lose my line 😂

Pole bent right over like I was hooked on the bottom. I also knew it was big because the eel I had on the line was a foot and half long and about an inch thick 🤣

Little over 45 inches but not terribly fat. Still 30+ pounds. Big head on em
IMG_2266.jpeg IMG_2267.jpeg IMG_2271.jpeg
 
Snapped a rod while hauling a +36" over some ledge while fishing from the rocks this afternoon. It was a scramble to find secure footing while attempting to time the significant waves crashing over the ledge. My timing was maybe off a bit, but I think this rod had a defect when I received it, at the foot of the first guide. At the time I thought, what's the big deal? It's just the stripping guide. That's exactly where it failed. Maybe some Titan carbon fiber? Anyway, I managed to land the fish, and release it.
 
I remember about 10 years ago my dad broke a tuna rod while fighting a tuna. He said it sounded like a shotgun blast when it broke.
He fought the fish on what was left of the rod but I think he either cut the line or the line broke on it’s own.

Anyway, he was bullshit and brought it to the tackle store and I THINK they replaced it. Craziness.
 
Me and the kids were gearing up to go fishing last weekend, and we were talking about different rods. My wife made the comment that rods were like kids, and my kids asked me which fishing rod they would be. (yes, it was a weird conversation)

I looked at my daughter and said that she'd be my fly rod, because it cost a lot of money, was very light and looks good but generally drives me crazy.
My son laughed and asked what he'd be.
An ugly stick. I then said that he was unbreakable, reliable and highly useful.



The joke was too good - it felt like a setup, but it was spontaneous.
 
I can't imagine catching anything as big as those stripers. I always enjoyed going out and catching bluefish. I thought they always put up a good fight.
 
deerdad said:
I can't imagine catching anything as big as those stripers. I always enjoyed going out and catching bluefish. I thought they always put up a good fight.
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Yeah they do. It’s been a few years since I caught one but I always enjoyed the late summer early fall bluefish run. They’d literally be boiling on the surface and we’d cast a weighted fish lure right in the middle of it. What a blast.

Biggest blue I caught was 38" and about 15 pounds. That will fight like a 40 pound bass
 
edmorseiii said:
Those stripers are cool and all, but none of them mean as much as this one meant to me today.View attachment 769515
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That is awesome. My daughters are a bit older than yours there. One of my daughters caught a small tuna and the other a wahoo. So I know how special that moment is for you. Next, down to Chatham in a few weeks for some stripers and blues. Lol.

Oh, my daughters are 19 and 21 so this never gets old….
 
Went out with my buddy tonight. We landed 6 but one was too small. The rest were beasts. 44-47"
He was out early this morning (1-5am) and caught 5 fish by himself. So he got 10 for the day (15 is the max).

I lost a big one which almost had me tossing my rod and reel into the ocean 😂 IMG_2316.jpeg
IMG_2318.jpeg
 
DW357 said:
Went out with my buddy tonight. We landed 6 but one was too small. The rest were beasts. 44-47"
He was out early this morning (1-5am) and caught 5 fish by himself. So he got 10 for the day (15 is the max).

I lost a big one which almost had me tossing my rod and reel into the ocean 😂 View attachment 771527
View attachment 771528
Click to expand...
If you guys ever want a buddy...
 
What are the commercial limits in MA?... I'm not happy working with 28 - 31 inches. I think up to 35 inches and 15 fish per day, correct??
 
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@DW357 was too embarrassed to post his disappoint results from his last trip out. Said he was tempted to toss it on a hook and use for bait.

1689036373597.jpeg

Kidding aside, this one was 54", ~82 lbs, caught off the coast of Westbrook, CT. C'mon DW357- don't let CT take the glory.
 
Mountain said:
@DW357 was too embarrassed to post his disappoint results from his last trip out. Said he was tempted to toss it on a hook and use for bait.

View attachment 773207

Kidding aside, this one was 54", ~82 lbs, caught off the coast of Westbrook, CT. C'mon DW357- don't let CT take the glory.
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Good lord that thing has been eating A LOT for a long ass time. What a glutton. Was this recent?
 
DW357 said:
Good lord that thing has been eating A LOT for a long ass time. What a glutton. Was this recent?
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There was a recent article but I think the fish was actually caught in 2011.

Check out the land-locked record striper, just shy of 70 lbs.

striper.webp


Caught in the Upper Blackhead Reservoir in Alabama. He caught it on a 10" gizzard shad.
 
Went out last night. What a shitshow. Must have been 50+ boats in this one area.

My buddy only needed 4 fish as he caught 11 earlier in the morning. Didn’t take long to catch 4 big bass. 42-46" and 25-30+ pound fish. We stuck around just to do catch and release as we couldn’t even keep a line in the water. It was nuts. IMG_2349.jpeg
 
DW357 said:
Went out last night. What a shitshow. Must have been 50+ boats in this one area.

My buddy only needed 4 fish as he caught 11 earlier in the morning. Didn’t take long to catch 4 big bass. 42-46" and 25-30+ pound fish. We stuck around just to do catch and release as we couldn’t even keep a line in the water. It was nuts. View attachment 773708
Click to expand...
Just curious, what do you get a lbs for these commercially?
 
edmorseiii said:
Just curious, what do you get a lbs for these commercially?
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I don’t get shit from my buddy. He keeps everything. I just enjoy reeling in trophy bass.

Last I heard they were getting around $3.50 per pound. So essentially these fish are about $100 apiece (assuming 30 pounders some are under). Multiply that times 15 fish…

Yeah, it would be nice if he offered me a couple bucks but I know if I ask to get money he’ll probably stop taking me out 😂
He still lives at home and he’s trying to save up to move out
 
DW357 said:
I don’t get shit from my buddy. He keeps everything. I just enjoy reeling in trophy bass.

Last I heard they were getting around $3.50 per pound. So essentially these fish are about $100 apiece (assuming 30 pounders some are under). Multiply that times 15 fish…

Yeah, it would be nice if he offered me a couple bucks but I know if I ask to get money he’ll probably stop taking me out 😂
He still lives at home and he’s trying to save up to move out
Click to expand...
Some day I am going to get a boat, and I have always thought commercial rod and reel would be a fun way fund the hobby.
 
edmorseiii said:
Some day I am going to get a boat, and I have always thought commercial rod and reel would be a fun way fund the hobby.
Click to expand...
Same. My wife and I are dying to get a 23-25 foot center console. Once I find dockage I’m buying one.

But yeah the fishing will definitely help pay for the boat.
 

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