Best Fishing Memories

Bluegrass · #1 01-02-2016, 09:52 PM

What's your favourite fishing memory?

pinelakeperch · #2 01-02-2016, 10:23 PM

Catching back to back 30in+ walters in NW Ontario with my dad, pulling up pig after pig perch in North Dakota, catching perch off of the dock in Pine Lake (years ago), and shore lunch walleye on the bow river.

Couldn't just choose one!

degasvegas · #3 01-02-2016, 10:36 PM

My best memories are going to Wabamun and Pigeon with my Grandpa in the late 80's, early 90's and just slaying Whitefish all day, it was very rare we got skunked back then.

Deep · #4 01-03-2016, 10:46 AM

Early '70s walking McLeod river south of Edson- many pools of great fish. About the same time -28 ice fishing tons of perch in Atmore (charron) lake. Ah the old days.

Tom Pullings · #5 01-03-2016, 01:51 PM

Catching a giant flathead catfish when I was young back in Ontario. Surprised me cause I was trying to catch smallmouth bass.

dodger · #6 01-03-2016, 03:39 PM

Many many fond memories. Dad would tell us we are going fishing/hunting in the morning and be ready. But every time they ended up coming in and waking my brother and me up, the car would already be loaded and mom had a warm snack for us as we headed out. I had the best mom and dad in the world. Rest in peace and we will meet again for more adventures.

Best trip - shortly after losing my father I had a fly in fishing trip up North already pre-booked. I figured I should still go and that some good fishing will distract me. The first day the group headed out together but I decided I was going out by myself in a different part of the lake for some quiet time.

So out I went, cruising down the lake for a good 20 minutes when I spotted a nice small bay. As I pulled in the evening sun popped out and the lake turned to glass, ahhh. I casted my trusty 5 of diamonds and for 99 straight casts I caught a Pike. I had Pike following the one I hooked and then just sit there staring at the boat. I would take a look and see a 10/lb'r sitting there staring and flip the Len Thompson at him and splash - another battle. So on the 100th cast I fired a long cast across the bay and plunk it landed on the shore/weeds. I gave it a quick snap to avoid a snag but I was snagged. As I was pulling to try and get out of the snag I noticed my line was going sideways down the shore??? Soon there was a big splash and I ended up battling a 32/lb Pike. After releasing her I just sat down and shed some tears thinking this was heaven and this is what my dad was doing also.

Dodger.

pinelakeperch · #7 01-03-2016, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dodger

Many many fond memories. Dad would tell us we are going fishing/hunting in the morning and be ready. But every time they ended up coming in and waking my brother and me up, the car would already be loaded and mom had a warm snack for us as we headed out. I had the best mom and dad in the world. Rest in peace and we will meet again for more adventures.

Best trip - shortly after losing my father I had a fly in fishing trip up North already pre-booked. I figured I should still go and that some good fishing will distract me. The first day the group headed out together but I decided I was going out by myself in a different part of the lake for some quiet time.

So out I went, cruising down the lake for a good 20 minutes when I spotted a nice small bay. As I pulled in the evening sun popped out and the lake turned to glass, ahhh. I casted my trusty 5 of diamonds and for 99 straight casts I caught a Pike. I had Pike following the one I hooked and then just sit there staring at the boat. I would take a look and see a 10/lb'r sitting there staring and flip the Len Thompson at him and splash - another battle. So on the 100th cast I fired a long cast across the bay and plunk it landed on the shore/weeds. I gave it a quick snap to avoid a snag but I was snagged. As I was pulling to try and get out of the snag I noticed my line was going sideways down the shore??? Soon there was a big splash and I ended up battling a 32/lb Pike. After releasing her I just sat down and shed some tears thinking this was heaven and this is what my dad was doing also.

Dodger.

I love it. Thank you for sharing!

Bonescreek · #8 01-03-2016, 04:23 PM

Best 2 are...
1. Fishing with my wife showing her the fine points, one day she catches
a Musky (about 10+ lb 42" if I remember correctly we didn't have a scale
on the boat at the time) and she want's to release it!

2. Back in grade school days, catching my first trout on a fly I tied myself.

Worst
Again back in early grade school days, catching the biggest large mouth
personally to date 20" long with a large girth, hung it on a metal stringer
attached to a stump on shore. Fished on the other side of the pond for
another 1/2 hour or so, came back to find only the head and gill plates
left on the stringer with a mud plume leading away to a big old snapping
turtle. At least I have an old picture of the head on a stringer to look on.

Artaxes · #9 01-03-2016, 04:44 PM

Catching perch, one after another with my uncle and my dad at Burnstick Lake in the 80s and then my dad lands a monster pike that fed the whole family back at the campground.

Fishing off of the HMCS Winnipeg in the South Pacific in my navy days.

Fishing all over Southern Alberta with my best friend in the 90s.

Catching a 43" Pike out of Badger Reservoir on the hottest day of the bloody summer. The only fish caught that day.

PerchBuster · #10 01-03-2016, 04:44 PM

Many special trips, personal bests, big catches, wife and kids first fish etc but best memory may have to be fishing with my mom last summer. She lives 2000 miles away and was here for a visit. Breast cancer survivor, hadn't fished in probably 40 or 50 years by her account. Took her fishing to one of my proven spots. Anchored up on the spot on the spot lol! We proceeded to haul in double header after double header Walleyes 2 to 4 lbs. Soon a number of boats were fishing all around us but as time went on they weren't really catching any. I decided to put my rod down and proceeded to re-bait and re-tie my moms line for the next two hours as she hauled up one after the other. Many times her jig wouldn't even make it to the bottom and.....bamm.....fish on! She was smiling ear to ear, sore arm and all, people from other boats perplexed at our success, it was a great moment for both of us! I knew she was a chip off the old block when at the end of the day as we were wrapping up she said just one more cast....fish on again! We came home completely stoked it was a great day and I was glad to have been able to take her.

Bonescreek · #11 01-03-2016, 04:51 PM

Really glad I read this post, so many great stories here.
Thanks to all for posting, Doreen my wife has come down with breast
cancer recently and one of the things we both loved to do together
but in the last 10 years just couldn't find the time to do,
was fishing.

Brings back lots of memories, thanks for sharing.

Artaxes · #12 01-03-2016, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonescreek

Really glad I read this post, so many great stories here.
Thanks to all for posting, Doreen my wife has come down with breast
cancer recently and one of the things we both loved to do together
but in the last 10 years just couldn't find the time to do,
was fishing.

Brings back lots of memories, thanks for sharing.

I got away from fishing for the last six years. "couldn't find the time". Since I moved to the Edson area I have made time, and am loving it all over again. I used to fish as much as possible and then just stopped. But, I'm back on the train. We should always try to find the time. Fishing is just one of those things that can change the way a person thinks. It's therapy for the soul. I know it's cliché, but I think it's true. I wish my wife would try it out. Hopefully you and Doreen can get back at it.

Deep · #13 01-03-2016, 05:10 PM

Alberta's foothills have both incredible beauty as well as a great zone for fishing. My departed brother-in law was instrumental in my finding the world of fishing challenging and rewarding. I have so many memories.

pinelakeperch · #14 01-03-2016, 05:14 PM

Just remembered this one. Fishing with my dad on a NW Ontario outpost lake. A pilot landed his Cessna in the bay we were fishing in and tied the plane up on shore to join us to pick up a few walleye for dinner. It took him about an hour to catch supper, simply because we couldn't catch a walleye under 20in (the limit)! Great time, just drop your jig and boom.

dodger · #15 01-03-2016, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonescreek

Really glad I read this post, so many great stories here.
Thanks to all for posting, Doreen my wife has come down with breast
cancer recently and one of the things we both loved to do together
but in the last 10 years just couldn't find the time to do,
was fishing.

Brings back lots of memories, thanks for sharing.

I'm not sure where you are located? But if your around Calgary this summer let me know and I will take you and your wife out for a day in the boat.

Dodger.

Bonescreek · #16 01-03-2016, 06:49 PM

Thank you both for the kind thoughts and offers but simply reading
all your posts about your best days is more than enough for us.

Yes we will try to get the boat out this coming spring and yes we
take the time, more so now than last year.

You people are amazing. Thank you.

Red Bullets · #17 01-03-2016, 08:50 PM

I think of all the hundreds of hours I've logged fishing over the years they are all great memories. Too many to mention.

One of the most memorable times was the 60+ lb. spring salmon from shore on the Skeena river near Prince Rupert. Took about 3.5 hours and a half mile of shoreline to land. My elbows hurt for 3 days.
A big pike on the North Saskatchewan river in Sept was memorable too. While fishing alone in a canoe a 28 lb. pike took my small rubbertail. Big river run pike are strong fish. Scary fish to handle while in a canoe alone.

Sooner · #18 01-04-2016, 11:42 AM

Walking the creeks and rivers in the foot hills in search of trout as a young 20 something with friends. Walking stretches of the Gregg river looking for nice big Bull Trout in the log jams when the Whites wouldn't bite with my dad. That was a long time ago when i was a teenager and the Gregg was a formidable little river. Now you can cross it anywhere.

Moose Lake walleye fishing in the 70's. That's where i got hooked on dropping the line over the side of the boat and wait for the bite. To this day it is still my favorite way to chase walleye.

My kids first fishes, watching them feel the bite, set the hook, reel it in.

Great thread, so many memories due to fishing. I hope many many more too come as well.

lone wolf · #19 01-04-2016, 07:28 PM

I have many fond memories fishing with my (late) father. First time we went camping/fishing (I was 8) the dog and I both came home with ticks .... mom was suitably unimpressed. My favourite was his last trip to Canada (from Ireland) in 2000 when we went to Rivers Inlet on a charter with Oak Bay Marine Group. After an epic struggle we managed to boat a self guided 50lb Spring. He had a fiberglass replica made by Gander & Sons out of Vancouver. It now resides on my wall and reminds me daily both of him and the best day on the water that we ever shared. RIP Tommy.

pinelakeperch · #20 01-04-2016, 11:43 PM

Gotta love the dad stories. Dads are the best.

Tom Pullings · #21 01-05-2016, 12:20 AM

I'm loving these stories too. Keep them coming!

dfrobert · #22 01-05-2016, 01:37 AM

Fishing Moosehorn Lake as a very young kid. Probably under 5 years old. I remember my dad cursing a swearing when a huge Cutty broke his 6lb tippet.

Also fishing the Pembina as a young kid near Fairfax Lake. We caught 5 fish in 6 casts. Rockies and Brookies. Saved a few for the pan that night. Good times.

Brandonkop · #23 01-05-2016, 01:48 AM

Every time I drop a hook in the water I'm making great memories...

Poppa · #24 01-05-2016, 03:18 PM

Was extremely fortunate to grow up in a Manitoba town that was an island, essentially....the massive Winnipeg River system on 3 sides....docks all along the edge of town, so we'd ride our bikes down with our tackle boxes and rods. Go toss a line off a dock...spend an hour, then move on to another dock. Of course, everyone had boats...fishing was one of the main things to do on a huge body of water like that. Took the boat everywhere with the old man and learned SO much.

As an added bonus, we had a cabin right on the water on the edge of one of Canada's largest bodies of water, Lake Winnipeg. At the resort community where our cabin was, there's a big concrete pier that fits probably 500 people on it for fishing. That's really where I learned the most about fishing...my maternal grandfather taking us out there, putting pickerel rigs and salties on there, and catching so many different species. Perch, pike, walleye, white bass, silver bass (drum), carp, cats, bullhead, mooneye/goldeye.....you name it, and we've pulled it up on that pier over the years. I still get out there at least once a year with my cousin, who I've been fishing with my whole life.

So many incredible memories.....