2014 fishing goals

[Alphahawk]

My goal is to fish more and hopefully continue to catch what the water gives up.





Regards

[txnative]

1: Continue to improve as a steward of our sport. Particularly when it comes to introducing others to the joy of fishing.

2: Make contributions to forums such as this one and spread the word of our beloved hobby.

3: Catch at least three species I've never caught before, and (naturally) try to catch bigger specimens of species I have caught before.

4: Be more active in tournaments, especially local ones.

Bonus: Help TravisC catch a striper over 20 lbs from his kayak, let MNFisher take photos of me actually catching a fish, and catch something so breathtaking that even Sambolie won't be able to make a wisecrack


Chris Bryant

[SAMBOLIE]

1: Get my son and grandson more involved in this great activity.
2: Find some productive streams to wade and fish (my favorite way to fish).
3: DO NOT buy another boat and motor. Perhaps get another yak.
4: Organize my tackle and not take 500 lures, 20 rods/reels each time I fish.
5: Meet more forum members.
6: Share my infinite wisdom with Merv.
7: Continue to enjoy fishing as much as I did when I was young and catching fish.
8: Be thankful that I am blessed with good health to be able to fish and a wife who never complains when I go fishing.

[SAMBOLIE]

Chris, I believe in you. You can accomplish all your goals.

I hope Mike gets Travis on a movie if he catches that monster in his yak. Of course Mike will have difficulty filming and keeping pace with Travis as the fish pulls him across the lake.
All of Mike's photos are breath taking and I promise not to wisecrack if you are included in one.

[blink]

Originally Posted by jad2t

Dude if you really just want to catch your first smallie, not particular about size, I can make that happen pretty easily in the Spring in a small creek. I wade small, knee deep at most, creeks with 2lb test and trout magnets and catch so many fish. Mostly small panfish but there are always a few rockbass and smallmouth bass thrown in. Small though, like 8-10 inches.

I've also caught a handful on JPP this year. I'd say for every 6 largemouth I catch, I get a smallie. Largest right at 18", one 16" and the rest 12-14". Crankbaits and zoom trick worms are what I got them on.

I am not huge on micro-fishing. Where i came from in Atlanta we caught Shoal Bass from 1 to 5 lbs in the creeks and rivers. i am definitely missing that, and i would rather catch a keeper smallie if at all.

I need to start fishing JPP i guess. Only fished it once and it was near the dam last saturday.

[txnative]

Blink,

Don't discount creeks, there are nice smallies in some of our small waters. I've shown my daughter how to fish in them, and she has some nice ones on her record.

Forgot another 2014 goal, I want to get my daughter hooked into a striper that's over 5 lbs. I'd like to aim higher, but I'll let her start smaller...I don't want to risk her losing one if my rods, lol.


Chris Bryant

[tacklemake]

Travis if you want a big striper paint your yak to look like a shad but beware of the monster striper................woody

[Travis C.]

Originally Posted by txnative

Bonus: Help TravisC catch a striper over 20 lbs from his kayak,

Chris Bryant

Whoo hoo.... I got a good feeling about this one!

By the way, I reached out to another source about our toothy ventures upcoming this year. Feeling confident about our catch to cast ratio.

In the words of Kelly Galloup from Fly Fish TV, "Larry, what's up with that. Fish of a thousand casts....that was five."

[Alphahawk]

Originally Posted by MNfisher

Catch a striper over 40 lbs.

Catch my first blue cat.

Catch a brown over 27"

Catch a rainbow over 22"

Catch my first TN Muskie.

Help Jimmy catch his first hybrid

Catch my first OH tilapia

Catch a crappie over 16"

Catch a fish in one of Jeremy's events! Haha

Get those stupid Caney fork browns more patterned!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can help you out with the crappie part of that list.



Regards

[blink]

Originally Posted by txnative

Blink,

Don't discount creeks, there are nice smallies in some of our small waters. I've shown my daughter how to fish in them, and she has some nice ones on her record.


Chris Bryant

Thats a nice fish! yeah i would like to catch some like that.

[nomad60]

My goals aren't as lofty as MNfisher's;

Catch A striper.

The end

Seriously, I want to keep doing what I have been doing, which is to learn the local waters (The Cumberland). God willing, I have plenty of time to do so. I *may* join my coworker's bass club; he and a couple other guys have been trying to talk me into it since I got here but I don't know...I enjoy fishing in solitude without any pressure where I can float along and solve the world's problems while taking in some scenery and catching the occasional fish.

[TNtransplant08]

Blink,

If you hit Percy Priest in search of smallmouth, while there is probably better areas that I haven't tried, I've had pretty good luck finding them in the wildlife refuge area in front of the Poole Knobs campground in the spring. Especially during the post spawn period with topwater baits during early morning hours before the sun breaks the horizon.

[TNtransplant08]

Since I didn't get to fish as much this past year, my goals are pretty much the same.

1. Learn how to find and catch smallies year round by learning their movements and habits.

2. Stick with a few baits while on the water. I find myself getting frustrated and switching baits too early and often. I think if I stick with a bait long enough, I'll eventually get a pattern going. At the same time, I keep going back to baits that I'm confident in, which are bottom related baits (football jigs, shakey heads, etc). So I'm missing out on fish in the rest of the water column. Need to gain confidence in those baits.

3. Learn to find and fish offshore.

4. Catch my first 5# plus bass (brown or green). I've gotten some 4 pounders, but I just can't seem to get over the hump.

5. Catch my first JPP Hybrid.

6. Continue to enjoy the solitude of being on the water. I love being on the water when the sun is rising, no other boats in sight, and the water is calm. Moments like this makes life worthwhile!

7. Meet and fish with some forum members!

[XxthejuicexX]

Originally Posted by TNtransplant08

Since I didn't get to fish as much this past year, my goals are pretty much the same.

1. Learn how to find and catch smallies year round by learning their movements and habits.

2. Stick with a few baits while on the water. I find myself getting frustrated and switching baits too early and often. I think if I stick with a bait long enough, I'll eventually get a pattern going. At the same time, I keep going back to baits that I'm confident in, which are bottom related baits (football jigs, shakey heads, etc). So I'm missing out on fish in the rest of the water column. Need to gain confidence in those baits.

3. Learn to find and fish offshore.

4. Catch my first 5# plus bass (brown or green). I've gotten some 4 pounders, but I just can't seem to get over the hump.

5. Catch my first JPP Hybrid.

6. Continue to enjoy the solitude of being on the water. I love being on the water when the sun is rising, no other boats in sight, and the water is calm. Moments like this makes life worthwhile!

7. Meet and fish with some forum members!

I can assist with 3&4 on priest and sometimes in the fall even with 5.

[TNtransplant08]

Originally Posted by XxthejuicexX

I can assist with 3&4 on priest and sometimes in the fall even with 5.

That'd be awesome and greatly appreciated. Just let me know when you'd like a partner in your boat and I'll be happy to contribute to gas or anything else. Will also help accomplish goal #7!