Opinions on This Year's Fishing Season

[Al Greco]

Reflecting back on this year's fishing and I can't recall a tougher year for me since the year I moved from NY to NC. This year has truly been down right tough! Spring which is normally an easy time to catch fish was mediocre at best. Summer and Fall fishing for me has been hit and miss and I never really got into any big fish this year. In year's past I have had days in the Spring where I would catch 20-30 in a 1/2 day with a 5 or 6 pounder for big fish. This year's biggest bass was just 5 pounds. I've talked to may fisherman around this area and it seems pretty much everyone around here had a tougher than normal time catching fish. I keept waiting for "it" to turn around but for me it didn't happen. I was wondering if the fishing was tough in other parts of the country or better yet if you had an extraordinary year? Also looking back I sure am blessed to have had the opportunity to enjoy my time fishing when so many others don't even get the chance. Looking forward to a better Spring next year and hopefully will get to fish Dale Hollow and meet some of the members of this site. GL&GF

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I agree 100% although I had more fun this year than most, meeting Mac, Ken and Mini, Bill Barham, Bill H. and as always, my homies CIII and KB, catching a pretty good lunker on my home lake (no citation though....but it ain't over yet!!). So overall, the catching sucked but the fishing was great!! Lot of great memories this year!!



TOXIC

 

[Steve Hutson]

I agree, this year has been tough as far as numbers go. I'm hoping that fall fishing improves. The water here is starting to cool of some what, it was in the mid to low 60's as of yesterday. Last night it got in the low 's, tonight too. That should help matters.



My claim to fame this year is two smallies over 5 1/2 lbs. The largest was 6 on the money!

 

[TrepMan]

Yup I didn't get near as many numbers or overall wieght as I have the last year or so, but...



I don't care about my numbers, this was the BEST year for me!! I met WAY too many cool dudes/chicks' at the Rally in April, caught the LARGEST bass of my life on an artificial lure in KY (thanks Ken, Steve and Al!!!), Fished with Bill B. this summer, Swaped stuff with a bunch of folks on this site, heck Rich D even sent me some empty and FULL Aluminium beer bottles!!!! MAN this was one of the BEST years in a LONG TIME.



About darn time too, it's been a sucky couple of years for old fat trep!!! Brother died in 2000, Dad died in 2003 :-( This year job is good, mom's got a boyfriend (geeze never thought i'd say THAT!!), kids are doing great in school, Beka is the perfect wife and friend. MAN if I can top this year in 2005, WOW!!!



Trep

 

[Al Greco]

I had a lot of fun at the Rally this year where I met some cool dudes and dudettes. Dam, almost forgot, I got a new boat and had some real good fishing time with my 3 year daughter. Next year I plan on taking my little man. I plan on hitting a couple of Rally's, one from this site and one on Santee over on the BBC. If the fishing picks up I wouldn't mind hosting a mini rally on Kerr lake in the Spring. When the water gets into the bushes the fishing can be unbelievable.

 

[Corey Carrico2]

Well with the arrival of my son and the departure of my usuall fishing buddy I only went through MAYBE 2 tanks of gas in the boat this year...



However I have never had more fun buying fishing stuff for the little guy and he won't even be able to use it for a couple years yet!



It was a tough fishing season though I agree...the little I was out....especially the spring.

 

[Don Wilhelm]

Overall, it was a slow year. The fish were not where you would expect to find them (some fish, but not the target species) and they were slow to bite. I think the weather was the main cause, as in this area we had unusually cool and moderate temps, and more rain than normal. looking forward to next season!

 

[fatrap]

Tougher than nails. One of my favorite places was drawn down and poisoned and restocked last year so no fish of any size this year. This year three more were drawn down killed out and restocked. That left two little lakes about 900 acres total to handle all the tournaments from the bass clubs in easter Nebraska across the river. Full parking lots and pressured fish. Everything else is more than two hours away or not worth fishing at all.

My two trips to South Dakota were difficult as the water was down 30 feet in Lake Oahe. Made walleye fishing hard and Smallie's almost impossible. Caught three smallmouth about 15 inches and maybe 50 largemought all year in about 20 trips. Not much chance of it getting any better either.

fatrap

 

[Barry Loos]

I checked my database and I had a good Spring, the Summer sucked, and Fall was good. (I was only fishing on about 30 trips.) My area had those nasty cicadas and lots of guys said that resulted in bad fishing during the summer because the bass were eating the bugs. I know that this winter I am dedicating a lot of time to studying bass fishing (again).



Da Bear

 

[Mike L.]

Lots of rain here in NJ this spring kept some of my favorite waters high and muddy so the spring fishing was not as good as normal.

A couple of fall trips up to Ontario produced some really good fishing though! It saved the season!

 

[Rich D]

Yeah it was a bad fishing year for me as well, but with Russ' situation, I was only able to go out a couple times all year.



Rich D

 

[Tin Geo]

The rivers in Pittsburgh have been awful...between the flooding rains and the crappy (as in poor not the fish) fishing its been a nasty year.



Add in the fact my favorite evening lake got drained last month dur to Ivan...it was lousy.



However...I'm still hoping to break the 100 days one the water mark before xmas.



tin Geo

 

[Lamar Gilbert]

I sure can't complain up here in southern Maine. Caught my first bass April 31 (after ice out)......last one Oct. 10 for a season total of 1382 bass. Biggest was 6-3 with a 6-0 to back it up. Just can't catch a 4 lb smallmouth. Got a 3-15 two years ago but no four pounder. Maybe next year.



Come on up guys.....bassin' is great in Maine and I'm an ole Alabama boy



Lamar