On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:19:07 -0800, "Calif Bill"
wrote:




We used to catch catfish in Clear Lake, CA by hand. They would spawn in the
tires used a dock bumpers. The Sacramento Delta has millions of tasty
catfish. White cats. about 3/4#. We get some larger yellow cats, but they
just do not taste that good. Mostly we catch them on Freshwater clams and
sardines.

Was surprised to read in a local paper down there once, maybe '88,
that a local caught a catfish of about 100 pounds. Can't remember
exactly what lake it was unless I'm reminded, but it was real close to
LA. Maybe it'll come to me.

--Vic

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 23:55:01 -0000, wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:41:20 -0800, Calif Bill wrote:


We were in Boston in the late 80's and as we crossed one of the big
bridges, people were fishing from it, using a balloon to float the bait
out there. Always wondered what they were fishing for. Since we were
driving, could not stop and ask.

It could have been stripers, but then, it could have been about
anything. Balloons are a common rig in the NE. They are cheaper than
bobbers, provide less resistance to the live bait, and will break with a
fish on, leaving just the fish to fight.

It was stripers - I know where they were fishing.

You are right though - it's a pretty common technique for floating or
lining live bait.

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 22:22:30 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:37:53 -0800, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


No Bluefish out here. You will get salmon in the feeding frenzy at times.
Which is always a nice suprize.

Really - that's very cool.

Read once that in your area the salmon spawn was treated as a time to
pitchfork them out of the water to use as cattle feed. Salmon were
considered trash fish. Guess times have changed. Wait. No guessing
about it.

--Vic

JimH wrote:
..

===========

ROTF! And Booger plans a fishing trip at the Islands each year.......those
Islands are on Lake Erie.

What a maroon!

BTW: One only needs to look at what happened to Booger to see the results
of eating catfish that was not pond raised.

JimH,
I thought you preferred to disagree without being disagreeable?

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...
"HK" wrote in message
...

Crude oil slipped 71 cents, settling at $90.13 a barrel, in trading on
the New York Mercantile Exchange. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note,
which moves opposite to its price, ticked down slightly.
At least some of the so-called "investors" are helping oil prices drop.

Look at it as a short term thing.

$125 by next summer. Not from demand, but a sliding buck.

JimH wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:41:20 -0800, Calif Bill wrote:


We were in Boston in the late 80's and as we crossed one of the big
bridges, people were fishing from it, using a balloon to float the bait
out there. Always wondered what they were fishing for. Since we were
driving, could not stop and ask.
It could have been stripers, but then, it could have been about anything.
Balloons are a common rig in the NE. They are cheaper than bobbers,
provide less resistance to the live bait, and will break with a fish on,
leaving just the fish to fight.

They're also common on Lake Okeechobee in Florida, when you are using live
shiners to catch largemouth bass. First time we went there, we hired a
guide, who introduced us to this technique. The balloons were inflated
just enough to float while the shiner swam.

But why not just a simple bobber?




You know, I asked a question something like that. Damned if I remember
the answer, but there was one.

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:10:14 -0800, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"Red Herring" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:30:08 -0800, "Calif Bill"

wrote:


"Red Herring" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:13:42 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 08:59:46 -0500, BAR wrote:

Gear that heavy is used to ensure that the fish has a better than good
chance to get in the boat. It's all about word of mouth advertising and
repeat customers. Some of the better captains have moved to Virginia
Beach for the spring and summer and in the fall they follow the fish
down to Florida.

That's a good point.

I preferred to give clients a quality all-round experience. As a
rule, I never had complaints and 90% retention rate for clients when I
was really active in the business.

You'd be surprised at how successful a trip can be without having a
stellar day fishing. I loved to get the clients involved in the whole
process - even to the point of letting them have a turn at the wheel
when conditions warranted.

Show 'em how to do stuff, different ways of rigging, sea stories (my
Mako story was a favorite told many times) - I looked at it as a total
experience, not just catching fish.

Most of us aren't messing with clients, but friends. A fishing trip is
successful anytime. It's even *more* successful if the folks catch their
limit of fish.
--
Red Herring

Catching and keeping a limit, does not make for great trip. It is the day
on the water, and the total experience. If I wanted fish to eat, I can
buy
them all cleaned at the market for a lot less than I can catch them.
Probably buy them fixed into a nice dinner cheaper than I can catch them.
A
former fishing partner from Harrisburg, PA was your way. If not a limit,
was not a good trip. Even if we saw river otters, and beaver in the
Sacramento Delta, the trip duccess depended on limits. Unfortunately
because of years and diabetes caused loss of a leg he no longer fishes. I
fished a lake friday. Kept one freshwater Coho Salmon as it was not going
to survive the unhooking process. Did taste good with fried potatoes.


Go back and read. Catching some fish *does* make a fishing trip more
enjoyable. I've enjoyed myself when I got skunked, but enjoyed the trip a
little more when I didn't.

If you have more fun not catching than you do catching, I'd say give up
fishing!
--
Red Herring

I disagree. You said catch a limit. That infers you took home a limit.


The limit is two each. Yes, it's more fun going home with a limit than it
is with none or one. Catching a fish is fun, and catching two is more fun.

I don't know what you're disagreeing with, but that's OK. If you enjoy
catching nothing more than catching two, then have at it.
--
Red Herring

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 23:55:01 -0000, wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:41:20 -0800, Calif Bill wrote:


We were in Boston in the late 80's and as we crossed one of the big
bridges, people were fishing from it, using a balloon to float the bait
out there. Always wondered what they were fishing for. Since we were
driving, could not stop and ask.

It could have been stripers, but then, it could have been about
anything. Balloons are a common rig in the NE. They are cheaper than
bobbers, provide less resistance to the live bait, and will break with a
fish on, leaving just the fish to fight.

I've 'live lined' for stripers with a small live spot or perch as bait and
a balloon tied to the line so the fish couldn't go to the bottom. Works
well. When there's a predator in the area, the bait fish will have the
balloon all over the place.
--
Red Herring

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:41:00 -0500, HK wrote:

JimH wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
...
wrote:
On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:41:20 -0800, Calif Bill wrote:


We were in Boston in the late 80's and as we crossed one of the big
bridges, people were fishing from it, using a balloon to float the bait
out there. Always wondered what they were fishing for. Since we were
driving, could not stop and ask.
It could have been stripers, but then, it could have been about anything.
Balloons are a common rig in the NE. They are cheaper than bobbers,
provide less resistance to the live bait, and will break with a fish on,
leaving just the fish to fight.

They're also common on Lake Okeechobee in Florida, when you are using live
shiners to catch largemouth bass. First time we went there, we hired a
guide, who introduced us to this technique. The balloons were inflated
just enough to float while the shiner swam.

But why not just a simple bobber?




You know, I asked a question something like that. Damned if I remember
the answer, but there was one.

A live perch or spot is too big for a little bobber. Balloons are light and
will keep the fish close to the surface (6' or so).
--
Red Herring

"Red Herring" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:10:14 -0800, "Calif Bill"

wrote:


"Red Herring" wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:30:08 -0800, "Calif Bill"

wrote:


"Red Herring" wrote in message
m...
On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:13:42 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jan 2008 08:59:46 -0500, BAR wrote:

Gear that heavy is used to ensure that the fish has a better than
good
chance to get in the boat. It's all about word of mouth advertising
and
repeat customers. Some of the better captains have moved to Virginia
Beach for the spring and summer and in the fall they follow the fish
down to Florida.

That's a good point.

I preferred to give clients a quality all-round experience. As a
rule, I never had complaints and 90% retention rate for clients when I
was really active in the business.

You'd be surprised at how successful a trip can be without having a
stellar day fishing. I loved to get the clients involved in the whole
process - even to the point of letting them have a turn at the wheel
when conditions warranted.

Show 'em how to do stuff, different ways of rigging, sea stories (my
Mako story was a favorite told many times) - I looked at it as a total
experience, not just catching fish.

Most of us aren't messing with clients, but friends. A fishing trip is
successful anytime. It's even *more* successful if the folks catch
their
limit of fish.
--
Red Herring

Catching and keeping a limit, does not make for great trip. It is the
day
on the water, and the total experience. If I wanted fish to eat, I can
buy
them all cleaned at the market for a lot less than I can catch them.
Probably buy them fixed into a nice dinner cheaper than I can catch
them.
A
former fishing partner from Harrisburg, PA was your way. If not a
limit,
was not a good trip. Even if we saw river otters, and beaver in the
Sacramento Delta, the trip duccess depended on limits. Unfortunately
because of years and diabetes caused loss of a leg he no longer fishes.
I
fished a lake friday. Kept one freshwater Coho Salmon as it was not
going
to survive the unhooking process. Did taste good with fried potatoes.


Go back and read. Catching some fish *does* make a fishing trip more
enjoyable. I've enjoyed myself when I got skunked, but enjoyed the trip
a
little more when I didn't.

If you have more fun not catching than you do catching, I'd say give up
fishing!
--
Red Herring

I disagree. You said catch a limit. That infers you took home a limit.


The limit is two each. Yes, it's more fun going home with a limit than it
is with none or one. Catching a fish is fun, and catching two is more fun.

I don't know what you're disagreeing with, but that's OK. If you enjoy
catching nothing more than catching two, then have at it.
--
Red Herring

I catch lot more than 2 but rarely bring home one when fishing stripers.