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Started By
Message
Describe your best day on the water
Posted on 2/25/15 at 8:39 pm
Posted on 2/25/15 at 8:39 pm
I remember it like yesterday. November 1999. I was in my young 20s and didn't know what I was doing with my life. And for the previous three years I had worked as a deckhand for offshore fishing. I was a gun for hire. A good worker who didn't really care about getting paid. I just liked fishing.
An opportunity to come up down in the Caribbean. Someone from the New Orleans game club gave my name to a guy station then Miami. He had moved his boat down to St. Thomas in the fall that year. And was planning on going to Venezuela by mid-November.he needed hired help they could speak both Spanish and English and I can do that.
Is a beautiful boat. A 65 Hatteras. Or was it a 58 footer I can't really remember because I was always down on deck smelling the fumes, Those beautiful diesel fumes that give you a little nausea at four in the morning. We were in LaGuardia. I flew down to Caracas and caught a cab there. Probably was an hour ride.
I never met this crew but they were welcoming people. We got on well. Her first day out we had maybe eight or nine billfish. If you wahoo in a few Dirado that's what they call them down there. Day two was all about the white marlin. Another double digit day and we stayed out overnight and we caught two swordfish including my first ever. I was pretty excited.
That was how it was for the next week. But on the last day of my staywe had a feeling that this would be better that this would be the crowning moment of the trip. We were trolling ballyhoo and split tail mullet and boy was this the day of a lifetime.
Within five minutes of getting out onto LaGuardia bankwe had two blue Marlin hooked. They were in the 2 to 300 pound class. And it stayed that way all day. We ended up with a final count of 23 blue Marlin and a few sailfish to throw in not to mention a few whites as well. Everyone got their crack at 3+. I think my final total for the day was seven blue Marlin one white and two sails
The next day I flew back to New Orleans and I never heard from that crew again. I often wonder what happened to them and why they never called me but that's probably because of my abrasive personality. But still it was a wonderful day a day that would make anyone jealous. A day when the fish couldn't wait to get into our baits
A day that I will never forget
An opportunity to come up down in the Caribbean. Someone from the New Orleans game club gave my name to a guy station then Miami. He had moved his boat down to St. Thomas in the fall that year. And was planning on going to Venezuela by mid-November.he needed hired help they could speak both Spanish and English and I can do that.
Is a beautiful boat. A 65 Hatteras. Or was it a 58 footer I can't really remember because I was always down on deck smelling the fumes, Those beautiful diesel fumes that give you a little nausea at four in the morning. We were in LaGuardia. I flew down to Caracas and caught a cab there. Probably was an hour ride.
I never met this crew but they were welcoming people. We got on well. Her first day out we had maybe eight or nine billfish. If you wahoo in a few Dirado that's what they call them down there. Day two was all about the white marlin. Another double digit day and we stayed out overnight and we caught two swordfish including my first ever. I was pretty excited.
That was how it was for the next week. But on the last day of my staywe had a feeling that this would be better that this would be the crowning moment of the trip. We were trolling ballyhoo and split tail mullet and boy was this the day of a lifetime.
Within five minutes of getting out onto LaGuardia bankwe had two blue Marlin hooked. They were in the 2 to 300 pound class. And it stayed that way all day. We ended up with a final count of 23 blue Marlin and a few sailfish to throw in not to mention a few whites as well. Everyone got their crack at 3+. I think my final total for the day was seven blue Marlin one white and two sails
The next day I flew back to New Orleans and I never heard from that crew again. I often wonder what happened to them and why they never called me but that's probably because of my abrasive personality. But still it was a wonderful day a day that would make anyone jealous. A day when the fish couldn't wait to get into our baits
A day that I will never forget
23
Posted on 2/25/15 at 8:45 pm to runningTiger
Is this a direct quote from 20,000 leagues under the sea??? Been about 10 years since I read it...
Posted on 2/25/15 at 8:49 pm to runningTiger
Atchafalaya basin. Caught about 200 bass and 200 sacalait in one weekend between 3 people. The triple slough at end of west fork. Was unreal. I was literally catching fish off the prop as structure. Couldnt take fish off the hook fast enough to catch them all
This post was edited on 2/25/15 at 8:49 pm
Posted on 2/25/15 at 8:53 pm to ToulatownTiger
When I was young prolly 10 or so my dad uncle and brother and I were fishing in dularge in lake mechant at the mouth of the cut...me and my Brother were double rigged pulling two in At a time while dad and uncle took them off. We limited quick While others watched us smoke em. We even gave other people the baits and still couldnt catch. We caught 100 and ended up chasing reds and was home before noon
Two summers ago me and deepsouthsportsman and some friends were fishing fourchon..my dad and two others in his boat had 3 in my boat and 2 in another boat all friends. Found a spot holding white trout and specks. We caught 75 dad n them caught 75 and the other boat caught 50 and we also kept about 50 to 75 white trout and bonus reds and sheepshead as well....it was insane bite..thag same spot has yielded thousands of trout over the last two summers. I'm very fortunate it still holds trout today.
Last summer caught 75 in that spot none under 18" and by 730 am...next morning was 50 by 7 am all 18"and above..insane bite but isn't all the time. Has to be perfect
Two summers ago me and deepsouthsportsman and some friends were fishing fourchon..my dad and two others in his boat had 3 in my boat and 2 in another boat all friends. Found a spot holding white trout and specks. We caught 75 dad n them caught 75 and the other boat caught 50 and we also kept about 50 to 75 white trout and bonus reds and sheepshead as well....it was insane bite..thag same spot has yielded thousands of trout over the last two summers. I'm very fortunate it still holds trout today.
Last summer caught 75 in that spot none under 18" and by 730 am...next morning was 50 by 7 am all 18"and above..insane bite but isn't all the time. Has to be perfect
This post was edited on 2/25/15 at 8:59 pm
Posted on 2/25/15 at 8:55 pm to ToulatownTiger
My dad brother and grandpa one hot arse day in grand isle left the dock and about 2 hours later had 100 trout not a single one under 17" and 20 reds and didn't go but about a mile from bridgeside marina
We still talk about it all the time
We still talk about it all the time
This post was edited on 2/25/15 at 8:58 pm
Posted on 2/25/15 at 9:20 pm to runningTiger
I was maybe 7 or 8 years old. My dad had taken me and my best friend to with the Pearl River. We come up on this small tree on the bank, overhanging the water. Mayflies are dropping out the tree into the water and perch are tearing them up. Dad also fly fished... He pulls out his fly box and sure enough, 2 mayfly flies. We tie them on the end of my friend and I's poles and proceeded to cover the floor of the 14' flatboat in perch slabs.
Later on were trolling up and down the bank looking for bass and I suddenly hear dad yelling "Get out the boat! Get out the boat now!" My buddy and I jump in and swim to the bank. When I reach shore I look back to see my dad jumping off the back of the boat, and smoke pouring out from the back transom area. Come to find out the trolling motor had shorted out. Dad said the wires looked like two dynamite fuses burning and heading towards the battery, which was sitting right next to the fuel tank. He thought for sure we were going to go kaboom!
Smoke and sparks finally fizzled out as the boat floated down stream. We were stuck on the bank. About 10 minutes later another boat came along and picked us up. They took us downriver to our boat where dad took the battery out and dropped it in the river. The top cover was all melted away and battery acid had leaked out into the floor of the boat. We put all our gear in the other guys boat and dad pulled the plug in ours to let in enough water in to cover the entire floor, front to back. Started the motor and ran the boat to get all the water out. Did that 3 times to try to get as much of the acid out the boat as possible. We stopped at a grocery store on the way home and bought all the baking soda they had on the shelf. Spent the rest of the day scrubbing the boat with baking soda and cleaning perch.
Might not have been the BEST day on the water, but one of the more memorable with my dad.
Later on were trolling up and down the bank looking for bass and I suddenly hear dad yelling "Get out the boat! Get out the boat now!" My buddy and I jump in and swim to the bank. When I reach shore I look back to see my dad jumping off the back of the boat, and smoke pouring out from the back transom area. Come to find out the trolling motor had shorted out. Dad said the wires looked like two dynamite fuses burning and heading towards the battery, which was sitting right next to the fuel tank. He thought for sure we were going to go kaboom!
Smoke and sparks finally fizzled out as the boat floated down stream. We were stuck on the bank. About 10 minutes later another boat came along and picked us up. They took us downriver to our boat where dad took the battery out and dropped it in the river. The top cover was all melted away and battery acid had leaked out into the floor of the boat. We put all our gear in the other guys boat and dad pulled the plug in ours to let in enough water in to cover the entire floor, front to back. Started the motor and ran the boat to get all the water out. Did that 3 times to try to get as much of the acid out the boat as possible. We stopped at a grocery store on the way home and bought all the baking soda they had on the shelf. Spent the rest of the day scrubbing the boat with baking soda and cleaning perch.
Might not have been the BEST day on the water, but one of the more memorable with my dad.
Posted on 2/25/15 at 9:20 pm to Geaux23
March 1985, caught 50 chinqs that were all around a pound, some bigger it was the dam nest day ever. Using porcupine quills and baby crawfish with fly rods. It was amazing. Caught me in the cypress trees in like 2 foot.
Posted on 2/25/15 at 9:20 pm to runningTiger
Aint worth a frick unless you stuck a gaff in every single one of them.
Posted on 2/25/15 at 9:30 pm to Polar Pop
quote:
Aint worth a frick unless you stuck a gaff in every single one of them.
I see the snow days have someone bout ready to Pop!!
Posted on 2/25/15 at 10:19 pm to runningTiger
A few years back some friends and I rode over in the skiff to one of the local shrimp factories when they were processing. Mullet were smoking on the water where the factory piping pumped the shrimp juice back into the water. Threw the cast net one time and caught 66 2lb. mullet. The fishing trip lasted all of five minutes and we were back at the dock drinking beer and filleting fish.
This post was edited on 2/25/15 at 10:22 pm
Posted on 2/25/15 at 10:39 pm to runningTiger
This day
Friend took me and the kids on his sailboat around Admiralty Island. We took the zodiac ashore in secluded inlets and had a great weekend. fished, picked berries, didn't see another person for a couple of days.
Friend took me and the kids on his sailboat around Admiralty Island. We took the zodiac ashore in secluded inlets and had a great weekend. fished, picked berries, didn't see another person for a couple of days.
Posted on 2/25/15 at 10:52 pm to runningTiger
Toledo last March.
Caught some big bass.
9, 7,5,4,4 all the same morning.
Other best.
Fished burnout bridge.
Filled up the ice chest with bass, reds, trout and flounder without moving the boat on the same bait...amazing...
Caught some big bass.
9, 7,5,4,4 all the same morning.
Other best.
Fished burnout bridge.
Filled up the ice chest with bass, reds, trout and flounder without moving the boat on the same bait...amazing...
Posted on 2/25/15 at 11:04 pm to RogerTheShrubber
I've had several. One was on Caney in February. At first light I threw a crank bait on a dock at caught one over 8, ended up catching a few more fishing the docks. Around 9 I met my FIL out on the main lake where out of 4 boats we all caught fish over 8lbs the biggest almost 10. I caught 8 fish between 6 and 8 lbs and no telling how many smaller. When you would drive over the fish your graph would look like it was in demo mode. The fish were in 45' of water chasing balls of shad.
Another was 3 or 4 years ago on Toledo fishing with my son. We caught 35 one day but most were close to 2 lb spotted bass. They would almost yank the rod out of your hand when they hit. They would hit my sons spinner bait so hard he didn't have to set the hook. He was only 8 or 9 at the time. I cleaned 22 Kentucky's. I threw back all the large mouth we caught.
Another day was a DarBonne fishing with my FIL we caught well over 100 bass. One spot we caught over 50. I caught one around 8lbs that day.
Damn I have had too many great days. but one final one. Again on DarBonne a buddy and my 12yo daughter were bass fishing. I pulled to a spot and my buddy actually found them. We put 30 in the boat just out of that spot. We had caught several fishing other holes before this one. I asked my buddy if he wanted to go hit another spot. He smiled and said, " If we don't catch another one today I've had one helluva time"
Another was 3 or 4 years ago on Toledo fishing with my son. We caught 35 one day but most were close to 2 lb spotted bass. They would almost yank the rod out of your hand when they hit. They would hit my sons spinner bait so hard he didn't have to set the hook. He was only 8 or 9 at the time. I cleaned 22 Kentucky's. I threw back all the large mouth we caught.
Another day was a DarBonne fishing with my FIL we caught well over 100 bass. One spot we caught over 50. I caught one around 8lbs that day.
Damn I have had too many great days. but one final one. Again on DarBonne a buddy and my 12yo daughter were bass fishing. I pulled to a spot and my buddy actually found them. We put 30 in the boat just out of that spot. We had caught several fishing other holes before this one. I asked my buddy if he wanted to go hit another spot. He smiled and said, " If we don't catch another one today I've had one helluva time"
This post was edited on 2/25/15 at 11:11 pm
Posted on 2/25/15 at 11:34 pm to runningTiger
quote:
runningTiger
You're an excellent board troll but I'll bite anyway.
First trip on my current boat. Me, my uncle, brother and my now ex wife. Caught a bunch of good sized striper on top water, a few black bass and I caught about a 2 lb chincqapin. Known in CA as a redear perch.
Second place would go to me and my son and my friend catching limits of dungeness and limits of rockfish on a super calm November day.
Posted on 2/26/15 at 1:12 am to runningTiger
may, about 1991. 100 crickets- 95 bull redears, all in one spot
Posted on 2/26/15 at 1:53 am to runningTiger
Me, party barge, lake ponch, 3 females, 2 sisters and their cousin, box of magnums, 10 pack of Molly, case of beer, perfect spring night.
Posted on 2/26/15 at 2:26 am to runningTiger
I've had plenty of great fishing days on the water.
My grandfather had a big arse sports cruiser docked at Tickfaw marina that he would let me take out from time to time. I was at SLU at the time and had class with a OT 8-9 that I always asked out and got shot down. Eventually, she agreed to go come out with me on the boat. We got smashed at the prop stop anchored in the lake. She had a glorious pussy. We went to eat at middendorfs and had to drop the anchor again for quickie before we got back in river. I was in a hurry and wanted to have the boat docked before dark BC slips were tight. I think that may have been my best day on the water.
My grandfather had a big arse sports cruiser docked at Tickfaw marina that he would let me take out from time to time. I was at SLU at the time and had class with a OT 8-9 that I always asked out and got shot down. Eventually, she agreed to go come out with me on the boat. We got smashed at the prop stop anchored in the lake. She had a glorious pussy. We went to eat at middendorfs and had to drop the anchor again for quickie before we got back in river. I was in a hurry and wanted to have the boat docked before dark BC slips were tight. I think that may have been my best day on the water.
Posted on 2/26/15 at 6:00 am to DeepSouthSportsman
quote:
She had a glorious pussy.
Oh, my.
Ooh, that one went sideways on you, didn't it runningTiger? Or maybe up and down? 
Still, DeepSouthSportsman, I don't mind. As one of my favorite comedians Brother Dave Gardner said years ago "The worst I ever had was wonderful". Yea, runningTiger, you never said "on the water" had to be about fishing. You also never said it had to be from a boat.
I have already described one of my best days in the 2/24/15 thread by SCwTiger entitled "What are the best months for hot speck action?" Described my spec school action. Also mentioned my bass school action re. other "best days". I won't link this thread.
Another one of my best days "on the water" was fishing from the bank of a small - medium sized bayou south of New Iberia, where I grew up. Fish were also schooling. Not what you might expect, though.
My brother and I were in our teen years. Mid summer. Hot. Schooling fish were mullet. Yes, that's right, mullet. The hot 5 feet deep 30+ feet wide bayou water was fairly oxygen depleted. Large schools of mullet would gulp at the surface for air in their bunched up formation as they slowly cruised up and down the bayou.
Easy to see. Easy to catch on our crude, cheap rods and reels with cork and earthworm baited hook 1 foot down from cork. Fish were 1 pound to 3 pound (several little larger). We caught at least 100 in 4 - 6 hours. Maybe we caught more, but I'll never say. Just because the mullet couldn't breathe easily did not mean they couldn't or wouldn't feed. They did. What action...
Of course we did not keep any. Somewhat taste like mud from these bayous. Yes, I know since earlier in my "career" I did clean them and "try" to eat them. They were meh, OK. Would eat them only if starving. Still, don't let anyone tell you these fish can't put up a hell of a fight. They battle like crazy. Also, we were throwing them back up onto the bank like we were hauling in tuna on a commercial tuna boat.
Yea, we missed a lot of them. Small, weak sucker lips. Still, I'll never forget that "day on the water" either.
Fishing is where you find it. Good fishing.
This post was edited on 2/26/15 at 8:46 am
Posted on 2/26/15 at 7:12 am to runningTiger
2 years ago me and a buddy went into the wheel and sight casted 60 reds. It was stupid, so much so that we started tagging fish and then catching them later that day. Best day I've had on the water.
I've also been on a boat that caught 20+ sails in a day, 4 of which coming of a quad hookup.
I've also been on a boat that caught 20+ sails in a day, 4 of which coming of a quad hookup.
Posted on 2/26/15 at 7:31 am to runningTiger
September either 71 or 72. My grandfather calls me on a Thursday night and says he has booked us a guide on Toledo Bend for Saturday, and he'll pick me up Friday afternoon. I was in my young teens then and girls were starting to take up a lot of my time. That Friday night I was invited to a party in which slow dancing and such would be going on. Had to make a decision, and I chose fishing. We head to Fin and Feather on the Texas side and meet our guide Saturday morning in the cafe. My grandfather was hell bent on learning the method of texas rig worm fishing. After meeting the guide, my grandfather asked him if he could put us on some spots in which to worm fish. The guide said yes he could, but if you want to catch a bunch of fish, send your grandson over to the bait store and buy some type of stick bait with a small weight on the end, in black/silver. My granddad pulls out a twenty and over to the store I go. Buy about 10, and off we go in the guides boat. Catch about 10 that morning, and come back and eat and take a siesta. Go back out and right about 6pm, we get on a school of bass and its the most exciting fishing I've ever been privvy to. And I have fished lakes where you can catch em with bare hooks. Five times we all had fish on at one time, and also caught five fish in a row once. Back then there was no size limit but you could only keep 15 a piece I believe. So we starting culling little ones with bigger ones. Brought in 45, but I believe we actually caught between 80-100. I told my granddad afterwards while he was sipping on a scotch drink at the cafe. Aren't you glad we didn't worm fish. I'm sure if he was still alive he would be repeating this same story.
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