Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Show off your latest and greatest catch, purchase, or acquisition with fellow TT Forum members.
mark poulson
TT Pro Angler
TT Pro Angler
Posts: 2745
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2007 6:28 am
Location: NorCal

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by mark poulson » Sat Apr 22, 2023 8:31 pm

Really nice fish!!!

User avatar
uljersey
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1416
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:39 am
Location: New Jersey

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by uljersey » Mon Apr 24, 2023 5:16 am

Snakehead I caught yesterday. I don't target them specifically but this body of water has quite a few. New Jersey F&W has a kill mandate on them as they are considered an invasive species but this one got released. I'm not going to behead it in the canoe and have a bloody slimy mess to deal with and I don't carry a cooler. They've been here for decades now and have not negatively impacted the fishery as far as I can tell. I was catching healthy fat 3 lb LM bass within the same casting range. The fight is pretty intense, they pull like a catfish but will torpedo out of the water at times. I was throwing tubes into heavy cover in the shallows when it hit. This one was kind of small, I landed one back in 2017 that was,without exaggeration, as long as my leg. Many people up here target them exclusively.
0318DDA0-C940-4FE9-B375-7ECA3CCD9A79.jpeg
0318DDA0-C940-4FE9-B375-7ECA3CCD9A79.jpeg (113.65 KiB) Viewed 10244 times

mark poulson
TT Pro Angler
TT Pro Angler
Posts: 2745
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2007 6:28 am
Location: NorCal

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by mark poulson » Thu Apr 27, 2023 2:34 pm

Wow! I'd be afraid it would bite me!

User avatar
uljersey
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1416
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:39 am
Location: New Jersey

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by uljersey » Fri Apr 28, 2023 4:34 am

mark poulson wrote:
Thu Apr 27, 2023 2:34 pm
Wow! I'd be afraid it would bite me!
While they do have have a daunting set of teeth, they tend to clamp their mouths shut when caught to the point of it's almost impossible to get them open. That being said, I still handle them with the utmost of caution as I'm sure they could inflict some serious damage.

User avatar
dhottle
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 698
Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:39 am
Location: SE FL

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by dhottle » Fri Apr 28, 2023 6:38 am

uljersey wrote:
Fri Apr 28, 2023 4:34 am
mark poulson wrote:
Thu Apr 27, 2023 2:34 pm
Wow! I'd be afraid it would bite me!
While they do have have a daunting set of teeth, they tend to clamp their mouths shut when caught to the point of it's almost impossible to get them open. That being said, I still handle them with the utmost of caution as I'm sure they could inflict some serious damage.
They are like a pitbull with sharp teeth.

hoohoorjoo
TT Moderator
TT Moderator
Posts: 6789
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 1:56 pm
Location: Oxford GA

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by hoohoorjoo » Sat Apr 29, 2023 2:42 pm

9-2 and 23", from a mid-morning trip today. That's a #11F silver/black back Rapala.

Image

Image
Try not to let your mind wander. It is much too small to be outside unsupervised.

John2204
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 102
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 9:40 am

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by John2204 » Sat Apr 29, 2023 4:19 pm

Got a 4 1/2 lber on a 4” Scottsboro Swimbait the other day… cid:39BE9A08-C9B3-4C91-9BFB-ABA931EAE6A9

John2204
Senior Angler
Senior Angler
Posts: 102
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 9:40 am

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by John2204 » Sat Apr 29, 2023 4:23 pm

Hopefully the pic comes through on this one….

hoohoorjoo
TT Moderator
TT Moderator
Posts: 6789
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 1:56 pm
Location: Oxford GA

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by hoohoorjoo » Sat Apr 29, 2023 6:24 pm

uljersey wrote:
Mon Apr 24, 2023 5:16 am
Snakehead I caught yesterday. I don't target them specifically but this body of water has quite a few. New Jersey F&W has a kill mandate on them as they are considered an invasive species but this one got released. I'm not going to behead it in the canoe and have a bloody slimy mess to deal with and I don't carry a cooler. They've been here for decades now and have not negatively impacted the fishery as far as I can tell. I was catching healthy fat 3 lb LM bass within the same casting range. The fight is pretty intense, they pull like a catfish but will torpedo out of the water at times. I was throwing tubes into heavy cover in the shallows when it hit. This one was kind of small, I landed one back in 2017 that was,without exaggeration, as long as my leg. Many people up here target them exclusively.

0318DDA0-C940-4FE9-B375-7ECA3CCD9A79.jpeg
When I catch them down in Florida, I just stick my edc blade thru the eye socket and drop them back in the water. Turtles take care of the rest.
Try not to let your mind wander. It is much too small to be outside unsupervised.

4g63power
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 257
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by 4g63power » Sun Apr 30, 2023 9:17 am

hoohoorjoo wrote:
Sat Apr 29, 2023 2:42 pm
9-2 and 23", from a mid-morning trip today. That's a #11F silver/black back Rapala.

Image

Image
Damn what a fish. Congrats!

4g63power
Elite Angler
Elite Angler
Posts: 257
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by 4g63power » Sun Apr 30, 2023 10:31 am

Stuck a few at some of the most pressured waters known to mankind over the weekend :lol:

Image

Image

mark poulson
TT Pro Angler
TT Pro Angler
Posts: 2745
Joined: Thu Dec 20, 2007 6:28 am
Location: NorCal

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by mark poulson » Sun Apr 30, 2023 3:00 pm

4g63power wrote:
Sun Apr 30, 2023 10:31 am
Stuck a few at some of the most pressured waters known to mankind over the weekend :lol:

Image

Image
Really nice fish!

DirtyD64
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 3050
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 4:23 pm

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by DirtyD64 » Sat May 06, 2023 4:07 am

uljersey wrote:
Mon Apr 24, 2023 5:16 am
Snakehead I caught yesterday. I don't target them specifically but this body of water has quite a few. New Jersey F&W has a kill mandate on them as they are considered an invasive species but this one got released. I'm not going to behead it in the canoe and have a bloody slimy mess to deal with and I don't carry a cooler. They've been here for decades now and have not negatively impacted the fishery as far as I can tell. I was catching healthy fat 3 lb LM bass within the same casting range. The fight is pretty intense, they pull like a catfish but will torpedo out of the water at times. I was throwing tubes into heavy cover in the shallows when it hit. This one was kind of small, I landed one back in 2017 that was,without exaggeration, as long as my leg. Many people up here target them exclusively.

0318DDA0-C940-4FE9-B375-7ECA3CCD9A79.jpeg
Haven't seen a snakehead down here in Arkansas, but people report them. I think sometimes they mistake Grinnell or Bowfin for snakeheads, and sadly kill them. I have never seen or caught one of them either. Grinnell have more of a peg looking tooth, and snakehead have a sharper tooth. There are some obvious color pattern differences too, but they are not far evolved from each other. I would be worried a snakehead's teeth would cut certain line and lose my good lures! Do the people that exclusively target them use steel leaders like big Pike/Muskie fisherman?

User avatar
uljersey
Platinum Angler
Platinum Angler
Posts: 1416
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:39 am
Location: New Jersey

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by uljersey » Sat May 06, 2023 5:07 am

DirtyD64 wrote:
Sat May 06, 2023 4:07 am
uljersey wrote:
Mon Apr 24, 2023 5:16 am
Snakehead I caught yesterday. I don't target them specifically but this body of water has quite a few. New Jersey F&W has a kill mandate on them as they are considered an invasive species but this one got released. I'm not going to behead it in the canoe and have a bloody slimy mess to deal with and I don't carry a cooler. They've been here for decades now and have not negatively impacted the fishery as far as I can tell. I was catching healthy fat 3 lb LM bass within the same casting range. The fight is pretty intense, they pull like a catfish but will torpedo out of the water at times. I was throwing tubes into heavy cover in the shallows when it hit. This one was kind of small, I landed one back in 2017 that was,without exaggeration, as long as my leg. Many people up here target them exclusively.

0318DDA0-C940-4FE9-B375-7ECA3CCD9A79.jpeg
Haven't seen a snakehead down here in Arkansas, but people report them. I think sometimes they mistake Grinnell or Bowfin for snakeheads, and sadly kill them. I have never seen or caught one of them either. Grinnell have more of a peg looking tooth, and snakehead have a sharper tooth. There are some obvious color pattern differences too, but they are not far evolved from each other. I would be worried a snakehead's teeth would cut certain line and lose my good lures! Do the people that exclusively target them use steel leaders like big Pike/Muskie fisherman?
I'm sure most do use a leader of some type but haven't really looked into it. The biggest issue with them is getting the hook to penetrate their mouths - think using an awl to poke a hole in a leather belt. I've hooked up with many of them over the years but have only landed but a few of them. I suspect it was them clamping their jaws shut solid on the bait and NOT having the hook penetrated. Surprisingly I have only lost one bait due to a biteoff, just lucky in that respect I guess, plus the fact that most of the rods I'm using, with the exception of my frog rigs, are woefully underpowered for them.

DirtyD64
Pro Angler
Pro Angler
Posts: 3050
Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2017 4:23 pm

Re: Enough with the tackle. LETS SEE SOME FISH!

Post by DirtyD64 » Sat May 06, 2023 6:26 am

uljersey wrote:
Sat May 06, 2023 5:07 am
DirtyD64 wrote:
Sat May 06, 2023 4:07 am
uljersey wrote:
Mon Apr 24, 2023 5:16 am
Snakehead I caught yesterday. I don't target them specifically but this body of water has quite a few. New Jersey F&W has a kill mandate on them as they are considered an invasive species but this one got released. I'm not going to behead it in the canoe and have a bloody slimy mess to deal with and I don't carry a cooler. They've been here for decades now and have not negatively impacted the fishery as far as I can tell. I was catching healthy fat 3 lb LM bass within the same casting range. The fight is pretty intense, they pull like a catfish but will torpedo out of the water at times. I was throwing tubes into heavy cover in the shallows when it hit. This one was kind of small, I landed one back in 2017 that was,without exaggeration, as long as my leg. Many people up here target them exclusively.

0318DDA0-C940-4FE9-B375-7ECA3CCD9A79.jpeg
Haven't seen a snakehead down here in Arkansas, but people report them. I think sometimes they mistake Grinnell or Bowfin for snakeheads, and sadly kill them. I have never seen or caught one of them either. Grinnell have more of a peg looking tooth, and snakehead have a sharper tooth. There are some obvious color pattern differences too, but they are not far evolved from each other. I would be worried a snakehead's teeth would cut certain line and lose my good lures! Do the people that exclusively target them use steel leaders like big Pike/Muskie fisherman?
I'm sure most do use a leader of some type but haven't really looked into it. The biggest issue with them is getting the hook to penetrate their mouths - think using an awl to poke a hole in a leather belt. I've hooked up with many of them over the years but have only landed but a few of them. I suspect it was them clamping their jaws shut solid on the bait and NOT having the hook penetrated. Surprisingly I have only lost one bait due to a biteoff, just lucky in that respect I guess, plus the fact that most of the rods I'm using, with the exception of my frog rigs, are woefully underpowered for them.
I would love to take some older hollow body frogs, upgrade the hooks to whatever Owner/Trokar/Gamakatsu has at the top of the line strength and go frog fishing with a heavy rod/braid. Down here it has become +90% of my fishing is finesse. Last friendly tournament we had I caught one on a 7'6"MH with 17lb fluoro (3/8 TX rig), made me feel like I was punching mats with a 2oz weight.

Post Reply