05-18-2006, 06:24 PM
I remember both my first freshwater and saltwater fish.
Fresh - My family and I were camping up at Twin Lakes in California when I was just a guppy. My dad took me out on the row boat, we anchored, and dad fixed me up with some Zeke's Corn flavored trout bait (I only know this because that's all he ever used) and told me where to cast. It took me a while to get it to where I wanted but I got there eventually. Then I reeled it back in about every minute later to recast. I'd lose my bait and my dad would rebait for me, even though I'm sure I pestered the hell out of him. Anyway, did this for a few hours, reeling/casting/reeling/casting/reeling/casting...and then...I hooked myself into a Rainbow Trout. My dad says the reason I caught him is because I probably hit him in the head with it, since I never let my bait sit long enough...but I caught him none the less.
Salt - Went with a friend out of Port Hueneme Sport Fishing on a 3/4 day boat. It was sport fishing season (yellowtail, bonito, cuda, etc) and it was all about chasing the boils near the Channel Islands. We fished for most of the day and I just couldn't get the hang of casting out that bait reel and flylining an anchovie. The captain said we were going to one more spot and then we were calling it a day. My friend had already filled his burlap sack almost half way, while mine sat dry right next to it. We got to the spot, I picked the fatest bait I could, and just dropped it over the rail. I wasn't having any luck casting it so I figured why not. Let the little bugger swim around and all of a suddend my forearms hit the rail, even with the bail free, flipped it and no need to set the hook. I was into a 8lb Bonito. On the last cast of the day. Good times.
Note - On the trip I learned the hard way that you do not "lip" salt water fish. I tried to lip that bonito and I perferated my thumb pretty good. Hurt like a sonofa..... all the way into shore.
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Fresh - My family and I were camping up at Twin Lakes in California when I was just a guppy. My dad took me out on the row boat, we anchored, and dad fixed me up with some Zeke's Corn flavored trout bait (I only know this because that's all he ever used) and told me where to cast. It took me a while to get it to where I wanted but I got there eventually. Then I reeled it back in about every minute later to recast. I'd lose my bait and my dad would rebait for me, even though I'm sure I pestered the hell out of him. Anyway, did this for a few hours, reeling/casting/reeling/casting/reeling/casting...and then...I hooked myself into a Rainbow Trout. My dad says the reason I caught him is because I probably hit him in the head with it, since I never let my bait sit long enough...but I caught him none the less.
Salt - Went with a friend out of Port Hueneme Sport Fishing on a 3/4 day boat. It was sport fishing season (yellowtail, bonito, cuda, etc) and it was all about chasing the boils near the Channel Islands. We fished for most of the day and I just couldn't get the hang of casting out that bait reel and flylining an anchovie. The captain said we were going to one more spot and then we were calling it a day. My friend had already filled his burlap sack almost half way, while mine sat dry right next to it. We got to the spot, I picked the fatest bait I could, and just dropped it over the rail. I wasn't having any luck casting it so I figured why not. Let the little bugger swim around and all of a suddend my forearms hit the rail, even with the bail free, flipped it and no need to set the hook. I was into a 8lb Bonito. On the last cast of the day. Good times.
Note - On the trip I learned the hard way that you do not "lip" salt water fish. I tried to lip that bonito and I perferated my thumb pretty good. Hurt like a sonofa..... all the way into shore.
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